The Role of Algebra II in Promoting College and Career Success

• In Event: Roundtable Session 28
  In Roundtable Session: STEM: Educational Opportunities and Outcomes

Abstract

In educational policy circles, college and career readiness is generating great interest and enthusiasm. States are adopting various initiatives, such as the Common Core State Standards, to better prepare students for life after high school. These initiatives, however, rest on an untested assumption – that college and career readiness are the same thing. Our research explores that assumption in depth, focusing on the impact of completing Algebra II. Using two national datasets spanning multiple decades and instrumental variables to mitigate selection bias, we evaluated the effects of completing Algebra II on various postsecondary outcomes. Results suggest Algebra II matters more for college than for careers, and more for students completing Algebra II in the early 1990s than in the mid-2000s.

Authors

• Matthew Newman Gaertner, WestEd

• Jeongeun Kim, University of Michigan

• Stephen L. DesJardins, University of Michigan

• Katie Larsen McClarty, Pearson