Effects of a reform high school mathematics curriculum on student achievement: whom does it benefit?

Abstract

This study compared the effects of an integrated reform-based curriculum to a subject-specific curriculum on student learning of 19,526 high school algebra students. Using hierarchical linear modelling to account for variation in student achievement, the impact of the reform-based Core-Plus Mathematics curricular materials on student test scores is compared to the subject-specific curriculum. Findings from this study indicate that students enrolled in integrated mathematics outperformed subject-specific students on an Algebra I exam (highly aligned with content), and performed equally on an Algebra II exam (poorly aligned). High minority students in high-need schools demonstrated higher performance when they were enrolled in integrated mathematics.

Keywords:

• curriculum evaluation
• mathematics curriculum
• integrated curriculum
• academic achievement
• hierarchical linear modelling

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This work was supported by a US Department of Education Mathematics Science Partnership grant through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Notes

1. Course 1, Course 2 and Course 3 will be used in reference to the Core-Plus curriculum.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a US Department of Education Mathematics Science Partnership grant through the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Notes on contributors

Erin E. Krupa

Erin Krupa (corresponding author) is an assistant professor of mathematics education in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Montclair State University, 208 Richardson Hall, 1 Normal Ave., Montclair, NJ 07043, USA; e-mail: [email protected]. Her research interests include measuring the effectiveness of reform mathematics curricula on student achievement and on teachers’ implementation of mathematics curricula.

Jere Confrey

Jere Confrey is the Joseph D. Moore Distinguished Professor of mathematics education in the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education at North Carolina State University. Her current research focuses on designing diagnostic assessments in mathematics focused on student thinking and studying school improvement for underserved youth at the middle and high school levels in rural and urban settings.