Algebra wields an incredible amount of power in U.S. schools. It's the gatekeeper to higher math classes that commonly opens the door to postsecondary education and greater lifetime earnings. It's also one of the most frequently failed courses, often instigating a downward spiral that concludes with dropping out. Los Angeles Superintendent Roy Romer says algebra triggers more dropouts than any other single subject.
Meanwhile, standards are evolving. More states require algebra for high school graduation, which means students with less preparation and weaker skills must bypass less rigorous courses like business math, and take algebra. A few states, such as California, have upped the ante even further by mandating that schools teach algebra in eighth grade.
" We're seeing gains of up to two years for students, and teachers in other subject areas have noticed improved attitudes and performance in students enrolled in the intervention program."
-Amy Blanton, coordinator of instructional technology, Rutherford County (Tenn.) Schools
The challenge for school administrators is to stem the tide of algebra-induced dropouts by helping at-risk learners succeed in algebra. Some districts are finding that software can help students over the algebra hurdle by pinpointing learning gaps and fine-tuning instruction.
Conventional Plans
The Kennewick (Wash.) School District administration's previous approach pushed at-risk students into pre-algebra in ninth grade, explains Dave Bond, assistant superintendent for secondary instruction. But the curriculum didn't meet students' needs; most students in the pre-algebra track failed the graduation exam typically taken in the sophomore year. Only 5 percent of students in the pre-algebra track passed the math section of the exam in 2002. That's when the lightbulb went on. "If students enter ninth grade behind, the solution isn't to slow them down or back them up. The solution is to catch them up," states Bond.
While a less rigorous curriculum is not the answer, pushing ill-prepped students into algebra may set the stage for failure and begin the cycle that ends in dropout. Most districts handle failure via credit recovery. Traditionally, the student re-enrolls in algebra in summer school or the following year. But repeating the course, using the same text and teaching methods, is often unsuccessful. Los Angeles demonstrates the point; 75 percent of kids who repeated algebra failed the course the second time in 2005.
Soft Credit
One fairly new option for students who fail algebra is software-based credit recovery. These self-paced remediation programs use software to fill learning gaps and help students pass algebra in summer school or in weekend and after-school learning labs, allowing them to stay on track and graduate on time.
"Just because a student fails algebra doesn't mean he didn't learn anything," points out Ron Bennett, former superintendent of the Alvord Unified School District in Riverside, CA.
In a traditional class of 30 to 35 students, it's nearly impossible for a teacher to assess exactly what concepts a particular student misses. "The classroom teacher must complete the state required curriculum. Also, many students will not let their teacher know they do not understand a concept because they are embarrassed to ask," notes Terese Jurgensen, program coordinator Quest High School, an alternative school in North Branch, Mich.
"If students enter ninth grade behind, the solution isn't to slow them down or back them up.
The solution is to catch them up."
-Dave Bond, assistant superintendent of secondary instruction, Kennewick (Wash.) School District
Most online credit recovery programs individualize instruction by pre-testing kids on algebraic concepts, funneling them back to lessons to review missing concepts and bypassing concepts they understand. In the same lab, one student may focus on multiplication facts, another may work on problem solving, and a third could focus on polynomials.
In many cases, the programs seem to do the trick. Last year, nearly all North Branch 10th- and 11th-graders who used NovaNet online courseware for credit recovery passed algebra, and other districts using math software are seeing more at-risk students pass algebra and meet state standards in freshman year.
In one Corona Norco high school, 74 percent of at-risk students passed the math portion of the exit exam after a six-week NovaNet intervention program; the historical pass rate for the at-risk group hovers around 20 percent.
The real challenge may be to do away with credit recovery. "We'd love to [eliminate failure and] not need credit recovery someday," says Raylene Truxton, district coordinator for online learning, Aldine (Tex.) Independent School District. Aldine is beginning to tackle that hurdle with online intervention programs. Struggling algebra students are enrolled in a SuccessMaker Lab in addition to algebra. The lab provides kids an extra boost by reviewing essential math skills and algebraic concepts. If students fail an algebra test, teachers can refer them to the after-school lab where they can review the concepts, retake the test and possibly prevent course failure.
