The Effects of Teacher Collective Responsibility on the Math Achievement of Algebra Repeaters

• In Event: Roundtable Session 14
  In Roundtable Session: Teaching and Learning Math: Examining Student and Teacher Experiences With Math Education

Abstract

Recent ‘algebra for all’ initiatives have spurred an increase in students who complete algebra; however, few studies focus on students who take algebra a second time. We used a publicly available national dataset, the High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:09), to explore (a) what factors predict course grades in algebra for students who repeat algebra, and (b) whether teacher influences play a role in the achievement of algebra repeaters. We found that students who repeated algebra significantly differed from students who took algebra one time in regard to their success in algebra. However, this association was conditional on teachers’ perceptions of collective responsibility and student’s gender. Implications of these findings are discussed.

Authors

• Charlotte Agger, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill

• Jessica Morales-Chicas, University of California - Los Angeles