The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the instructional conditions and practices described as successful for teachers in the Algebra I inclusive classroom. In the southeastern suburban school district used for this study, students who began their freshman year of high school in fiscal year 2000 faced new mathematics requirements for high school graduation, including taking Algebra I and passing an Algebra I end-of-course standards-based test. The new mathematics requirements presented a daunting challenge to general and special educators as increasing numbers of students with disabilities began to receive their instruction in the general education classroom. This school district targeted schools based on student performance on standards-based end-of-course tests and provided extra support and resources to enhance teaching and learning; however, other schools in the district had to reach the same goal -- improved student achievement -- without the extra resources. Based on a comparative case study of three separate inclusive classrooms from three separate schools, findings were presented through a discussion of the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework for this study included theories from Skinner (1953) and Gagné (1985). Data were collected through interviews with teachers and their students with and without disabilities, through observations in classrooms, and by review of student data. Four major domains were addressed in this study. Those domains included instructional conditions, climate and planning, and instructional interventions, the use of time and teacher adaptations and accommodations. This study supported the notion that an affective classroom climate coupled with collaborative planning among team teachers, general educators and special educators who co-teach in the inclusive classroom, promotes an instructional environment conducive to learning. The effective use of time along with teacher adaptations and accommodations appeared to keep students engaged in the learning process. However, other influences, including insufficient teacher training, negative student behaviors, and inappropriate student placement, were found to affect student achievement in the inclusive classroom. / Ed. D.

This thesis reviews the enrollment policies and procedures for advanced and college prep classes in a central Texas school district to determine if there is fair and equitable access for all students. The paper contains two major components. The first is quantitative study of the four entrance requirements for 8th grade Algebra I Pre-AP at a central Texas middle school. The purpose of this study is to determine the necessity of these requirements by showing which if any of these prerequisites predicts the how the students will perform in Algebra I. The results have determined that only the students? scores from their 7th grade advanced mathematics course correlated well with the students? scores from their Algebra I class. The second component is a qualitative study to determine if the parents of the district?s secondary students in have sufficient knowledge of advanced courses and how to enroll their children into advanced classes when warranted or desired. The study determined that parents had insufficient knowledge of advanced courses and the districts strict enrollment policies. This paper ends with recommendations for the district on how to make advanced course more accessible for all students.

In seeking to maximize student learning, educators must implement grading practices that assess well-defined course standards and clearly articulate student proficiency. Standards-based grading (SBG) practices enhance student learning by linking well-defined course standards and effective feedback. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) testing sought to determine if the use of standards-based grading in Algebra I resulted in higher achievement on standardized tests, specifically the Algebra I the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) End of Course (EOC) assessment. Specifically, addressing the following research questions: Are there differences on Algebra I scores on the STAAR EOC scores between students in a traditional grading system, hybrid grading system, and a standards-based grading system? Are the effects of grading system methods moderated by participant characteristics, i.e., gender, race/ethnicity (Black, Hispanic, White, and Asian), English language learner, special education services, or economically disadvantaged? One high school campus in a large school district in North Texas was involved in the current study. The study examines three years of data as the campus transitioned from a traditional grading system to one that employs the tenants of an SBG system while continuing to formally report percentage grades for assessments. In this study, the researcher found evidence to suggest a statistically significant impact from standards-based grading methods on student achievement as measured by the Algebra I STAAR EOC assessment for the entire population with mixed results when examined by participant characteristics.

Graphing calculator programs have been used on high-stakes tests and teacher-created assessments at the secondary and college level for many years. These programs- are even used on college-placement tests such as the ACT. Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) made the decision to no longer allow the use of graphing calculator applications and/or programs on the Subject Area Testing Program (SATP2) for Algebra I. Currently, limited research exists to address the influence of graphing calculator program use on high-stakes assessments. The programming capabilities of graphing calculators should not be ignored. Because of the 2011-2012 graphing calculator policy change, a unique opportunity exists in Mississippi to provide valuable information about this issue. Gaining insight about how the use of graphing calculator programs has affected assessment results in the past will give policy makers needed information for creating equitable assessment policies in the future. This research used a causal-comparative research design to determine the influence of the MDE’s decision to no longer allow the use of graphing calculator programs on Mississippi’s Algebra I SATP2. The research questions consider the influence of the policy change with regards to three groups: students, schools in general, and Title I schools in particular. A chi-square test for association was used to examine the student-level data associated with research questions one and two. This analysis examined students’ ability to pass and their performance level on the Algebra I SATP2. The results for both of the chi-square analyses indicated significant results. For research question three, a two-way mixed ANOVA was used to examine the influence of the policy change on Title I schools. For this analysis, Title I schools represent disadvantaged populations. The results indicated no interaction between graphing calculator program use and type of school, but did reveal a main effect for the school type.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students taught by certified teachers and those taught by uncertified teachers had significantly different achievement on a state Algebra I End of Course examination. The specific research questions were: (1) Does type of teacher certification impact Algebra I End of Course (EOC) Exam scores for high school freshman when controlling for students' past mathematics success as measured by 8th grade TAAS mathematics test scores and teachers' years of experience? (2) Does type of teacher certification impact Algebra I End of Course (EOC) Exam passage rates for high school freshman when controlling for students' past mathematics success as measured by 8th grade TAAS mathematics test scores, socio-economic status, ethnicity, gender, and teachers' years of experience? This research was conducted in a large north Texas suburban school district. The entire population (N=1,433) of freshman students enrolled in year-long Algebra I was included for this study. Three statistical tests were used in data analysis for the first question. Analysis of covariance using student as well as teacher as the unit of analysis and hierarchical multiple regression were used to analyze students' specific scores. Logistic regression was used for the second research question. This study found that students in classes with non-certified teachers scored eight points lower on the Algebra I EOC Exam than those in classes with certified teachers. However, when controlling for students' prior mathematics achievement and other variables, the difference was of no practical significance. There was no practical significance in a student's odds of passing the examination between students in certified teachers' classrooms and those in uncertified teachers' classrooms. The results of this study offer further understanding of the debate over type of certification.

This study investigated the use of computer-based instruction as a means of teaching Algebra I, compared to the teaching of the same topics using traditional methodologies. The achievement level of the two groups, and three aspects of attitude toward mathematics were considered. Achievement and attitude differences by gender were also analyzed.

Public education has options with regard to educational settings and structures. States and school districts may select varying lengths for the school year, lengths for the school day, and lengths for individual class periods. In Utah, one measure of students' achievement is scores on the State's end-of-level criterion-referenced test (CRT) for Algebra I. Additionally, an option regarding educational structures is the schedule type used to deliver Algebra I classes. This study examined the relationship between student achievement as measured by Algebra I CRT scores, and the schedule type used to deliver Algebra I classes. The schedule types compared were the traditional daily schedule, trimester 3/3 schedule, trimester 2/3 schedule, and the block A/B schedule. This study sought to answer two research questions: (1) What is the relationship between mathematics instructional schedule type and student scores on Utah's CRT for Algebra I, for all students? and (2) What is the relationship between mathematics instructional schedule type and student scores on Utah's CRT for Algebra I, by individual grade levels? Data were obtained from the Utah State Office of Education and included the scores for 50,000 Utah students, from over 300 different schools, who took the identical Algebra I CRT at the end of the 2010-2011 school year. Data were also obtained from each school district to determine the schedule type of each participating student. Both a multinomial logistic regression analysis and a t-test analysis were conducted to determine relationships between Algebra I CRT scores and schedule types. The results indicated significant differences in student achievement based on the schedule type overall and for individual grade levels. Generally, the earlier the grade level the higher the CRT score. Within individual grade levels, there were both statistically significant and nonsignificant differences. The schedule types that generally score the highest (trimester 3/3 and traditional) had more time in the mathematics classroom and the students' mathematics class met daily. The results suggest the value of daily time spent in the mathematics classroom and may assist educators when considering options available to foster student achievement.

Algebra I encompasses several topics that serve as a basis for students’ subsequent mathematics courses as they progress in school. Some of the key topics that students struggle with is solving linear equations and algebraic word problems. There are several factors that may contribute to this ongoing struggle for students such as the structure of the textbooks, the teacher instruction and misconceptions of components of algebraic equations. A promising solution to the potential contributing factors is concrete fading. In this study, concreteness fading refers to an instructional technique that represents topics in a particular sequence from a concrete, real-world representation to a semi-concrete diagram (e.g., tape diagram) to an abstract representation (e.g., algebraic equations). The current study aims to investigate the influence concrete fading has on student learning while studying concrete fading in two ninth grade Algebra I general education classes at an urban high school. In particular, the study aims to answer the following: 1) What are some ways that students who received concrete fading think differently than the control group? 2) How do these differences seem to be related to the intervention? Both classes were taught by the same teacher. One class was assigned to the treatment group that received the concrete fading lessons and the other class was assigned to the control group that was taught as business as usual by the teacher. The study was intended to be quasi-experimental study, but due to challenges, it was primarily qualitative in nature focusing on eight students where the analysis included analyzing student work and student interviews responses along with quantitative analysis of the pre and two post-tests. Results revealed that the treatment group does think differently than the control group based on student work and the interview responses. / Math & Science Education

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of completing career and technical education classes (CTE) during high school. In particular, the study sought to determine whether there were differences in academic scores of students who took CTE classes and those who took traditional high school classes. More specifically, the goals of the study were to determine if there was statistically significant differences in mean scores on the English II exam, Algebra I exam, ACT assessment, and college-going rates between those students who participated in CTE classes and those who took traditional high school classes. A quantitative research design was selected for conducting the research study. The one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used as the primary statistical computation for the data analysis. The ANOVA results for differences in mean scores of the ACT assessment for students who took CTE classes and students who took traditional classes were not found statistically significant. The ANOVA results for differences in mean scores of the Algebra I exam and English II exam for students who took CTE classes and students who took traditional classes were found statistically significant. The students who took CTE classes scored slightly higher on the Algebra I and English II exams than students who took traditional classes. A Chi-squared test of independence was utilized to examine the college-going rate of students who took CTE classes and students who took traditional classes. There was no statistically significant differences between the mean scores for students who took CTE classes and traditional classes and students who took traditional classes in terms of participation in college after high school.

An understanding of Algebra I and the role that this foundational course plays as an entry to the college preparatory pathway in secondary education and its influence on mathematical achievement is an integral component for the education of American youth in the global world of science and technology. Achievements in high school curricula are cumulative; each course completed determines which paths will be open to the student and which postsecondary education options will be available. In today's world, these options are necessary for the competitive world market. Algebra I is the prerequisite course for subsequent high school math pathways. Students exposed to higher level math and science pathways in high school score higher on college entrance exams such as the American College Test (ACT), and they are more likely to be successful in college due to greater competence in math (Conley, 2006). This research examined the effect of early Algebra I exposure in the 8th grade on students in 2 city school systems in Northeast Tennessee. More specifically, this study explored the correlation between Algebra I completion in the 8th grade and subsequent student achievement. The number of math classes attempted by high school seniors and ACT achievement scores, suggested that early exposure to algebra yields more math class participation and higher levels of mathematic achievement. This study found that students who successfully completed Algebra I in the 8th grade were able to earn more higher level high school math course credits than students who did not successfully complete Algebra I in grade 8. Successful completion of Algebra I in middle school allowed students to enroll in more varied and higher level math courses throughout their high school career.