Want Greater Algebra I Success? Supplement Foundational Skills

“We have known for many years that we were sitting on a unique data set,” said Joel Rose, co-founder and CEO of New Classrooms, a student-centered learning nonprofit with a focus on math.

Rose said that while most studies focus on summative once-a-year test scores or formative scores that come in two or three times a year, Roadmap receives data every day. “We knew there was something to be learned about how kids learn math that transcended our program or the kids that we were serving, and really felt an obligation to try to learn what we could from that.”

Using data from multiple grades, the study compared student progress in Teach to One Roadmaps with end-of-year state-administered tests. The data analysis found that students performed better on end-of-year tests as they mastered more skills and concepts from both current and previous grades, no matter their starting point.

Students who knew around four-fifths of the material were likely to meet expectations, while those who knew less than one-third rarely did, the study found.

“There is this blend between essentially understanding what students already know, and building from that,” said Adam Maier, analytics director for TNTP.

Read more at K-12 Dive.