Trends In Algebra II Completion And Failure Rates For .

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February 2018What’s HappeningTrends in Algebra IIcompletion and failurerates for students enteringTexas public high schoolsGinger StokerLynn MellorKate SullivanAmerican Institutes for ResearchKey findingsThis study examines Algebra II completion and failure ratesfor students entering Texas public high schools from 2007/08through 2014/15. This period spans the time when Texasstudents, beginning with the 2007/08 grade 9 cohort, wererequired to take four courses each in English, math (includingAlgebra II), science, and social studies (called the 4x4) and thetime when, beginning with the 2014/15 cohort, the state movedto the new Foundation High School Program, which eliminatedAlgebra II as a math requirement. Overall, Algebra II completionand failure rates followed the same trend for the 2014/15 cohortas for the seven cohorts that graduated under the previousgraduation requirements.U.S.DepartmentofEducationAt SEDL

U.S. Department of EducationBetsy DeVos, SecretaryInstitute of Education SciencesThomas W. Brock, Commissioner for Education ResearchDelegated the Duties of DirectorNational Center for Education Evaluation and Regional AssistanceRicky Takai, Acting CommissionerElizabeth Eisner, Associate CommissionerAmy Johnson, Action EditorChris Boccanfuso, Project OfficerREL 2018–289The National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance (NCEE) conductsunbiased large-scale evaluations of education programs and practices supported by federalfunds; provides research-based technical assistance to educators and policymakers; andsupports the synthesis and the widespread dissemination of the results of research andevaluation throughout the United States.February 2018This report was prepared for the Institute of Education Sciences (IES) under ContractED-IES-12-C-0012 by Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest administered by SEDL.The content of the publication does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of IES orthe U.S. Department of Education nor does mention of trade names, commercial products,or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.This REL report is in the public domain. While permission to reprint this publication isnot necessary, it should be cited as:Stoker, G., Mellor, L., and Sullivan, K. (2018). Trends in Algebra II completion and failurerates for students entering Texas public high schools (REL 2018–289). Washington, DC: U.S.Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Educa tion Evaluation and Regional Assistance, Regional Educational Laboratory Southwest.Retrieved from http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.This report is available on the Regional Educational Laboratory website at http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/edlabs.

SummaryIn recent years education policymakers have been debating and changing high schoolgraduation requirements and examining the effects of those changes. For example, Floridaeliminated Algebra II as a graduation requirement in 2010/11. Arizona increased itsgraduation requirements in 2013/14 and included Algebra II. Virginia changed its grad uation requirements for 2017/18, increasing the emphasis on career readiness by addingcredit-bearing internships and work experience. In 2013 Texas also adjusted its gradua tion requirements, under House Bill 5 (HB 5), which among other changes, eliminatedAlgebra II as a math course requirement (while maintaining the requirement of four mathcourses). Some observers have applauded the flexibility in the new Texas requirements,arguing that the changes may prevent some non-college-bound students from droppingout. Others view reducing the rigor of graduation requirements by dropping the Algebra IIrequirement as problematic, with the largest potential negative impact on Black and His panic students and economically disadvantaged students, groups that have traditionallylagged behind other students in the state in college readiness and enrollment.Beginning with the 2007/08 grade 9 cohort, Texas high school students were required totake four courses in English, science, social studies, and math (called the 4x4). In linewith admission requirements at most state universities and colleges, the math requirementincluded Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and at least one advanced math course aboveAlgebra II, in that sequence. Under HB 5, beginning with the 2014/15 grade 9 cohort,students were no longer required to take Algebra II, although they still must complete fourmath courses (Algebra I, Geometry, and two advanced math courses above Geometry).The State Board of Education developed two new courses that districts could offer in placeof Algebra II: Algebraic Reasoning and Statistics.Following passage of HB 5, the Texas Education Agency sought information about changesin Algebra II completion and failure rates, as well as about other courses that students takeas their third math course, including the two newly developed courses. This study exam ined Algebra II completion and failure rates for Texas high school students in the grade9 cohorts from 2007/08 through 2014/15. The study also examined the third math coursethat students completed by the end of grade 11, before and after HB 5 went into effect.Providing information on how districts responded to changes in the high school gradua tion requirements was another goal of this study.The study used longitudinal student- and district-level administrative data from the TexasEducation Agency and district-level responses to a statewide online survey administeredduring spring 2015 to explore Algebra II completion and failure rates, to see how districtswere communicating with parents about the new graduation requirements, and to deter mine whether districts would offer the new Algebra II alternative courses during the firstyear that HB 5 was in effect.Key findings include: In the 2014/15 school year, the first after enactment of HB 5, 37 percent of districtsreported requiring students to complete Algebra II to graduate from high school. Fewer than half of districts reported that they planned to offer the alternativemath courses in the first year of the new graduation requirements.i

Both before and after enactment of HB 5, 78 percent of students completedAlgebra II as their third math course.Trends in Algebra II completion and failure for most student subgroups remainedstable after enactment of HB 5: When Texas began implementing the 4x4 curriculum in 2007/08, theAlgebra II completion rate by grade 11 increased 11 percentage points amongWhite students and 18 percentage points among Black and Hispanic students,a rate that remained stable with the 2014/15 grade 9 cohort. The Algebra II completion rate was 11–12 percentage points lower among eco nomically disadvantaged students than among students who were not, and theAlgebra II failure rate was 6–7 percentage points higher. The Algebra II completion rate was much higher among students with highgrade 8 math achievement than among students with low grade 8 mathachievement, and the Algebra II failure rate was substantially lower.1Almost all students who did not complete Algebra II after taking Geometry eitherwere taking a pre–Algebra II course or had completed math courses only throughGeometry in the first three years of high school.HB 5 was intended to provide greater flexibility for districts and students, while empha sizing career preparation for students whose future plans might not include college. Thefindings from this study suggest that students’ choice of the third high school math coursewas not immediately influenced by the HB 5 policy enacted in 2013. And although thestate introduced flexibility into the high school math curriculum, many districts continuedto place students in Algebra II.This initial information can be used to answer questions about changes in course-takingpatterns and course failure rates that may be expressed by parents, education practitionersand administrators, policymakers, and researchers. The Texas Education Agency mightwant to track additional cohorts of students over their high school career to determinewhether their course taking changes in response to any additional changes districts maketo address HB 5 or whether the increased flexibility in course selection is related to otherstudent outcomes such as dropout rates.ii

ContentsSummaryiWhy this study?1What the study examined3What the study found4Districts most commonly informed parents and students about the new graduationrequirements through meetings with parents or students, discussions with counselors,and the district student handbook4Almost all districts reported encouraging students to earn a Distinguished Level of Achievement 4Fewer than half of districts reported that they planned to offer the alternative math coursesin the first year that House Bill 5 was in effect5The third math course taken by students in the 2014/15 cohort did not appear related tochanges in graduation requirements6Under the previous 4x4 curriculum, Algebra II completion rates rose for all racial/ethnicgroups and remained stable even after the requirement changed with the 2014/15 cohort6A smaller proportion of students who were economically disadvantaged than of studentswho were not completed Algebra II, and the proportion remained stable after the newgraduation requirements went into effect in 2014/157Trends in Algebra II completion rates by other student and district characteristics remainedstable after the new graduation requirements went into effect in 2014/157Algebra II failure rates remained relatively stable across all grade 9 cohorts among studentswho completed Algebra II8Algebra II failure rates in the 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohorts were higher among Blackand Hispanic students than among White and Asian students8Students who did not complete Algebra II after Geometry were taking a pre–Algebra IIcourse, had completed math courses only up through Geometry in the first three yearsof high school, or completed no math course in the year after Geometry10Implications of the study findings10Limitations of the study11Appendix A. Literature review on changes to math graduation requirementsA-1Appendix B. Data and methodologyB-1Appendix C. Detailed results tablesC-1NotesNotes-1ReferencesRef-1Boxes1 Key terms2 Data, sample, and methods23iii

B1 Courses that Texas public high school students may complete to fulfill the third mathcourse requirement under House Bill 5 since 2014/15B-8Figures1 Texas districts most frequently reported communicating the change in high schoolgraduation requirements through parent and student meetings and through guidancecounselors, 2014/1552 Algebra II completion rates by the end of grade 11 were consistent before and after thenew graduation requirements went into effect in Texas in 2014/15, 2007/08–2014/15grade 9 cohorts63 A greater proportion of Asian and White students than of Black and Hispanic studentsin the 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohorts completed Algebra II by the end of grade 1174 In the 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohorts, a smaller proportion of students who wereeconomically disadvantaged than of students who were not economically disadvantagedcompleted Algebra II by the end of grade 1185 Algebra II failure rates among students remained relatively stable across the 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohorts96 Black and Hispanic students in the 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohorts failed Algebra II atalmost twice the rate that White and Asian students did97 Most students in the 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohorts who did not complete Algebra IIby grade 11 either were taking the pre–Algebra II course or had completed only Geometry 10MapB1 Texas Education Service Centers by region, 2017Tables1Actions that Texas districts reported taking to promote the Distinguished Level ofAchievement and Algebra II to high school students, 2014/15B1 Data files and variables, 2007/08–2014/15B2 Texas Education Agency’s district community type classification, 2014/15B3 Characteristics of Texas districts responding to the House Bill 5 evaluation survey,spring 2015B4 Characteristics of incoming grade 9 students in sample Texas districts, by 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohortB5 Characteristics of sample districts in which grade 9 students were enrolled, by 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohortC1 Percentage of Texas high school students who completed Algebra II by the end of grade11, by student characteristics and 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohortC2 Percentage of Texas high school students who completed Algebra II by the end of grade11, by district characteristics and 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohortC3 Percentage of Texas high school students who failed Algebra II, by studentcharacteristics and 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohortC4 Percentage of Texas high school students completing Algebra II who failed Algebra II,by district characteristics and 2007/08–2014/15 cohortC5 Types of third math courses that Texas high school students completed after Geometry,by 2007/08–2014/15 grade 9 cohortivB-75B-1B-3B-4B-5B-6C-1C-2C-3C-4C-5

Why this study?In recent years education policymakers have been debating and changing high schoolgraduation requirements and examining the effects of those changes. For example, Floridaeliminated Algebra II as a graduation requirement in 2010/11. Arizona increased itsgraduation requirements in 2013/14 and included Algebra II. Virginia changed its grad uation requirements for 2017/18, increasing the emphasis on career readiness by addingcredit-bearing internships and work experience. In 2013 Texas also adjusted its gradua tion requirements. The most controversial change was the elimination of Algebra II as amath course requirement (while maintaining the requirement of four math courses), underHouse Bill (HB) 5.Some observers have applauded the flexibility in the new Texas requirements, arguingthat the changes may prevent some non-college-bound students from dropping out of highschool by allowing them to take more career-oriented and technical education courses inareas of interest and to take applied math courses that may be better aligned with theircareer goals. Others view reducing the rigor of the graduation requirements by droppingthe Algebra II requirement as problematic. Critics contend that all students should beprepared to meet the challenges of a competitive workforce, even if their future does notinclude college. Many critics expect the changes in the graduation requirements to havethe largest effects on Black and Hispanic students and economically disadvantaged stu dents, groups that have traditionally lagged behind other students in the state in collegereadiness and enrollment. Research has found that graduation requirements have had adisproportionate influence on marginal students (those who completed only the minimumgraduation requirements; Chaney, Burgdorf, & Atash, 1997) as well as on racial/ethnicminority and economically disadvantaged students (Domina & Saldana, 2011; Saw &Broda, 2012; Schiller & Muller, 2003). (See appendix A for a review of the literature.)Algebra II had been a requirement for high school graduation in Texas for seven yearsbefore HB 5. Beginning with the 2007/08 grade 9 cohort, students were required to takefour courses each in English, science, social studies, and math (called the 4x4). In linewith admission requirements at most state universities and colleges, the math requirementincluded Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and at least one advanced math course aboveAlgebra II, in that sequence. Under HB 5, beginning with the 2014/15 grade 9 cohort,students were no longer required to take Algebra II, although they still must complete fourmath courses (Algebra I, Geometry, and two advanced math courses above Geometry).2To expand the options for the third math course under the new graduation requirements,the Texas State Board of Education developed two new courses: Algebraic Reasoning andStatistics.To learn more about changes in Algebra II completion and failure rates overall and bystudent and district characteristics as HB 5 is implemented, the chair of the Texas StateBoard of Education, along with the Texas Education Agency, approached the RegionalEducational Laboratory Southwest for more information. This study informs the agencyabout what courses students are taking as their third math course, as well as whether fewerstudents—particularly racial/ethnic minority and economically disadvantaged students—are completing Algebra II and whether differences in completion and failure rates are morepronounced in high–racial/ethnic minority, high-poverty, or rural districts (see box 1 fordefinitions of key terms). This study also informs the Texas Education Agency about how1This study providesinformationon changesin Algebra IIcompletion andfailure rates overalland by studentand districtcharacteristicsfollowing changesin math courserequirementsfor high schoolgraduation

Box 1. Key termsFoundation High School Program. The minimum 22-credit curriculum plan for Texas high schoolgraduation. It includes four credits in English; three credits each in math, science, and socialstudies; two credits in a language other than English; one credit each in fine arts and physicaleducation; and five electives.Foundation High School Program Plus Endorsement. The default 26-credit curriculum plan forTexas high school graduation. It includes four credits each in English, math, and science; threecredits in social studies; two credits in a foreign language; one credit each in fine arts andphysical education; and seven electives focused on a selected career endorsement.Distinguished Level of Achievement. An option of the Foundation High School Program thatcan be earned by completing Algebra II as well as the requirements of the Foundation HighSchool Program Plus Endorsement.Endorsement. A series of courses grouped by interest or skill set that provide students within-depth knowledge of a subject area.High-poverty district. A district in the top third of the distribution, among all Texas districts,of the percentage of enrolled students classified as economically disadvantaged (based oneligibility for the federal school lunch program) in 2007/08–2014/15.High–racial/ethnic minority district. A district in the top third of the distribution, among allTexas districts, of the percentage of enrolled students whose race/ethnicity was Black, Hispan ic, or other in 2007/08–2014/15.Low–racial/ethnic minority district. A district in the bottom third of the distribution, among allTexas districts, of the percentage of enrolled students whose race/ethnicity was Black, Hispan ic, or other in 2007/08–2014/15.Third math course completion. The math course that students take after Geometry, regardlessof whether students pass or fail the course. Students must receive credit for Algebra I, Geom etry, and one advanced math course above the level of Geometry in order to graduate underthe Foundation High School Program. See box B1 in appendix B for courses that meet the thirdmath course requirement.many districts continue to require Algebra II, how many offer the alternative math courses,and how many students take those courses in place of Algebra II. This study also may beof interest to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board because it provides infor mation on the level of Texas students’ preparation for college related to course completionin math. A report by the coordinating board found that college-going rates decreased from2015 to 2016 for all public high schools (Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board,2017). HB 5 has the potential to reduce college-going rates even more, especially for racial/ethnic minority students and economically disadvantaged students, who may be less likelyto follow a rigorous high school curriculum.2

What the study examinedThe following research questions guided the study:1. How are districts implementing the curriculum requirements for graduation underHB 5?2. What is the trend in Algebra II completion rates by the end of gra

math courses (Algebra I, Geometry, and two advanced math courses above Geometry). The State Board of Education developed two new courses that districts could offer in place of Algebra II: Algebraic Reasoning and Statistics. Following passage of HB 5, the Texas Education Agency sought information about changes

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