Factors Associated with Access to Advanced Math in Middle & High School for Black Girls

• In Event: Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: PS 13 Topic - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Abstract

The development of pre-academic and academic skills relevant to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields is essential for sustained academic achievement (Rothwell, 2013). There are stark racial and gender disparities within the U.S school-aged population concerning STEM participation (Gholson, 2016). Currently, although young Black girls have high levels of interest in STEM in elementary school, by secondary school, they are one of the least represented groups in advanced math and science classrooms (Young et al., 2017). Disparities in STEM access and achievement increase over time, resulting in few women of color pursuing careers in STEM fields (Stoet & Geary, 2018). The current study, guided by Expectancy Value theory (Atkinson, 1957), Critical Race Theory (Fox et al., 2009), and Intersectionality theory (Crenshaw, 1991), examined a) the timing and trajectories of Black girls’ participation in Algebra 1, a critical gatekeeper course for advanced STEM courses, throughout middle and high school, and b) prospective longitudinal predictors (poverty, disability, gifted, and ELL status, school readiness skills (cognitive, language, motor, social, and behavioral skills at age four), and prior academic performance (3rd/5th grade GPA, test scores, retention, and suspension) on the timing of taking and passing Algebra 1.
Participants were Black female students (N = 5,776) from a university-community project in which low-income 4-yr-old children receiving subsidies for childcare and those attending public school pre-K programs were assessed for school readiness and longitudinally followed through high school. School transcript records indicated when Algebra 1 was taken.
Descriptive analyses (Table 1) revealed that of the students who completed 12th grade, 2.3% were in the most advanced math track (Algebra 1 and Geometry in middle school), 26% took Algebra 1 (only) in middle school, 67% took Algebra 1 in high school, and the remaining 4.7% never took Algebra 1. Logistic regressions (Table 2) revealed early parent-and preschool-teacher-reports of fewer behavior problems at age four were related to earlier Algebra 1 participation many years later. Math and reading test scores in 3rd grade and 5th grade GPA were positively related to earlier participation in Algebra 1. Additionally, 5th grade GPA was found to consistently have the most considerable impact on timing and Algebra 1 participation. For every 1-point increase in 5th grade GPA (from a B to an A average), students were more than eight times more likely to take Algebra 1 in middle school as opposed to high school.
These results are encouraging but also evidence of there being room for improvement. Excitingly, 28% of our predominantly low-income Black girls are participating in Algebra 1 during middle school. However, most girls did not participate in Algebra 1 until high school, which limits their later opportunities. Relations observed between early school readiness assessments and test scores in G3 and later math track participation point to the importance of early childhood education, early identification of high-achieving Black girls, and the need for increased family engagement, bias training in schools for teachers and counselors to ensure equitable referrals, and equitable access to resources such as guidance counselors and after-school funding (Campbell, 2012).

Authors

• Angelique Williams-Pinnock, AnLar
  Presenting Author

• Adam Winsler, George Mason University
  Non-Presenting Author