Mathematics from High School to Community College:

Preparation, Articulation, and College Un-readiness

Louise Jaffe, Ed.D.UCLA, 2012

Research on College Readiness in Math

for Community College (CC) Freshmen

Analyzed the effectiveness of different high school mathematics pathways in preparing students for college-level mathematics.

– Searched for routes to college readiness

– Found predictors of college un-readiness

2

Why Math?Math Functions As A Roadblock

3

Research Question

How do different high school mathematics course-taking patterns and achievement predict placement into community college mathematics?

4

Examined High School Math Pathways

• Where students start: Grade 9 Math

• When students stop: No Math in Grade 12

• Where students stop: Highest-Level Math– every course beyond Algebra 2 doubles the

odds of college completion (Adelman, 2006)

5

Sample: 2920 12th Grade Students

6

Multinomial Logistic Regression ModelIndependent and Predictor Variables Tested

1. Gender

2. Ethnicity: Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander, White

3. Highest-Level of Parent Education

4. Indication of Low Socio-Economic-Status

5. Grade 9 Mathematics Course

6. Grade 9 Mathematics Grade Point

7. Grade 10 Mathematics Grade Point

8. Grade 11 Mathematics Grade Point

9. California High School Exit Exam Mathematics Scores

10. Highest-Level High School Mathematics Course

11. No Mathematics in Grade 12

Ordered Dependent/Outcome Variable

1. Community College Assessment into 1-, 2-, 3-, or 4-Levels Below College-Level Mathematics

CC Math Assessment Placement

8

Finding

Gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and parent education were not significant predictors of placement in community college mathematics.

9

CC Math Assessment Placement by Ethnicity

Black (n=82) Latino (n=308) API (n=54) White (n=410)

46.3%36.4%

11.1% 12.0%

20.7%

23.7%

13.0%20.2%

17.1% 17.5%

57.4%

36.3% college-level

1-level below

2-levels below

3-levels below

4-levels below

10

Finding

Mastery of mathematics that precedes high school coursework is fundamental

11

Top Ten: Highest Correlation to Placement

Predictor Variables r 1. CAHSEE Mathematics Score .669

2. Grade 7 CST Mathematics scaled score .624

3. Grade 9 CST Mathematics scaled score .610

4. Grade 8 CST Mathematics scaled score .608

5. Grade 11 CST Mathematics scaled score .577

6. Grade 10 CST Mathematics scaled score .573

7. Grade 10 CST ELA scaled score .506

8. Grade 11 Mathematics course .499

9. Grade 12 GPA (all subjects) .489

10. Grade 10 Mathematics course .488p < .01

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Finding

The CAHSEE Math scale scores were significant predictors of placement at all levels below college-level mathematics

Delta-p

Variable 1-level below

2-levels below

3-levels below

4-levels below

CAHSEE Math 22.64% 22.72% 22.53% 21.54%

p < .001

13

Finding Suggests Off-Label Use of CAHSEE Math to Improve College-Readiness (n=857)

CAHSEE Math By College Placement  CAHSEE Math SS

College-Level

1-level below

2-levels below

3-levels below

4-levels below

*** *** *** ***

SOLID PROFICIENCY

431-450 (n= 77) 83.1% 9.1% 5.2% 1.3% 1.3%

MODERATEPROFICIENCY

401-430(n=201) 59.2% 16.4% 16.4% 6.0% 2.0%

LOW PROFICIENCY

380-400 (n=206) 28.2% 18.4% 19.9% 24.8% 8.7%

PASS 350-379 (n=340) 2.4% 10.3% 8.8% 32.6% 45.9%

FAIL 297-349 (n= 33) 3.0% .0% .0% 15.2% 81.8%

*** p < .001

14

Finding

No Math in Grade 12 was a significant predictor of placement, with a large effect, at 2-, 3-, and 4-levels below college-level mathematics

Delta-p

Variable1-level below

2-levels below

3-levels below

4-levels below

Grade 12 No Math

57.64%** 45.66%* 49.20%**

* p <.05, ** p < .01

15

Who Took No Math in Grade 12?

16* p < .05, ** p < .01

Who took No Math in Grade 12?

Gr 12 No Math

All Students(n=2920)

36%

CC Freshmen (n=953)

47%

17

Who Took No Math in Grade 12?

 Ethnicity

 No Math in Grade 12

  n %Black 114 43.8Latino 356 41.3White 495 32.5

API 69 27.8

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Students who started high school further behind were more likely to stop

sooner

No Grade 12 Mathematics by Students’ Grade 9 Mathematics

Grade 9 Math Course No Math in Grade 12

Geometry or above (n=1439)

24%

Algebra 1 (n= 508) 44%Below-Algebra 1 (n= 491) 48%

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Finding

There is an opportunity cost to not taking math in grade 12.

Where students stop is determined in part by when students stop

Highest-Level Mathematics

StudentsLast

GradeAbove Alg. 2

Alg. 2 Geom.Alg. 1 and

belowAll

(n=2920)

Total

12 52% 9% 1% 2%11 11% 15% 3% 1%

  63% 24% 4% 4%

CC Freshmen

(n=953)

Total

12 34% 14% 1% 3%11 12% 23% 4% 2%

  46% 37% 6% 5%

21

Students who advanced beyond Algebra 2 were more likely to be college-ready

Highest-Level Math with CC Math Placement

High School Math

Community College Math Placement

NHighest-

levelGrade Taken

College-level

1-level below

2-levels below

3-levels below

4-levels below

> Algebra 2

12 54% 16% 13% 11% 6% 307

11 48% 16% 15% 12.5% 8% 104

Algebra 2 12 11% 8% 9.5% 32% 40% 126

11 11% 14% 16% 28% 31% 210

< Algebra 2

12 2% 2% 5% 24% 67% 42

11 1.9% 3.8% 5.7% 34% 55% 53

Most students who took No Math in Grade 12 passed Grade 11 Math

GPA in Grade 11 Math for students who took No Math in Grade 12

    A B C D Fail 

 All Students

 

Above Algebra 2 (n=313) 21% 27% 33% 12% 6%

Algebra 2 (n=438) 12% 20% 33% 17% 18%

Geometry (n=86) 7% 10% 19% 37% 27%

  CC

Freshmen

 

Above Algebra 2 (n=110) 8% 26% 36% 19% 10%

Algebra 2 (n=218) 11% 17% 30% 20% 22%

Geometry (n=39) 10% 13% 18% 41% 18%

23

Students traveled different paths through high school mathematics

High School Observed PathwaysHigh School Mathematics

Grade 9 Grade 12 Highest- Level Math

All StudentsN=2363

CC FreshmenN=739

> Algebra 1 Yes > Algebra 2 36.5% 17.7%> Algebra 1 Yes Algebra 2 .4% .5%> Algebra 1 Yes < Algebra 2 .4% .6%> Algebra 1 No > Algebra 2 9.6% 10.3%> Algebra 1 No Algebra 2 .9% 1.3%> Algebra 1 No < Algebra 2 .1% .2%

≤ Algebra 1 Yes > Algebra 2 11.0% 11.6%≤ Algebra 1 Yes Algebra 2 6.0% 10.4%≤ Algebra 1 Yes < Algebra 2 1.5% 2.2%≤ Algebra 1 No > Algebra 2 .2% .2%≤ Algebra 1 No Algebra 2 12.4% 19.5%≤ Algebra 1 No < Algebra 2 2.0% 2.9%TOTAL     81% 78%

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Conclusions

The high school mathematics path most frequently travelled by community college-bound students was characterized by:

– Algebra 1 or below in grade 9, – no math in grade 12, and – no HS math beyond Algebra 2.

At these important junctures, students were directed to or chose paths that diminished their chances of attaining college-readiness.

Conclusions

These findings suggest high schools could decrease college un-readiness in mathematics for community college-bound students by:• Continuing to strengthen mastery of basic

arithmetic and pre-algebra content for students who score below 430 on the CAHSEE Math

• Requiring lower achieving students to take math in grade 12, using senior year to remediate weak skills or to advance beyond Algebra 2

Conclusions

If educators and researchers in California could study student records across segments (K12 to CC), they would identify useful and actionable findings to improve college readiness.

Questions? Comments?

Thank you!

Louise Jaffe

louisecjaffe@gmail.com

310-450-2487