Collaborative Research: Learning About New Demands in Schools: Considering Algebra Policy Environments [LANDSCAPE]

该研究的主要目的是调查和报告学区如何应对普遍的早期代数需求。这是对学区压力的回应，学区要求所有学生在9年级前完成代数I或同等课程。一项调查将在全国范围内的学区样本中进行，以收集有关该学区对选修代数I的学生有哪些政策以及这些政策是如何实施的信息。将对12个接受调查的学区进行案例研究，以提供有关政策的更详细信息，以及如何决定将学生安排在不同形式的代数I课程中，以及如何选择教师来教授这些课程。这项工作将由密歇根州立大学的研究人员与宾夕法尼亚大学的研究人员合作完成。该项目产生的信息将为与STEM教育相关的政策（地区和国家）提供信息，并影响学生的学习机会，特别是与代表性不足的学生相关，这些学生最常受到代数相关政策的影响。在1365个选定的学区中，将对每个学区的一位知识渊博的人进行调查。这些学区将从各州现有的数学毕业要求中选出。调查中的问题将寻求对地区领导对普及早期代数有什么压力以及该地区如何应对这些压力的回应。将在12个学区进行个案研究，以收集有关正在采用的课程、人力资源、组织和评估策略的更具体信息。该项目将得到两名数学教育顾问和一个顾问委员会的支持。评估人员将审查这些程序，并提供形成性和总结性反馈，以及关于项目进展的独立报告。这项研究的结果将通过演讲、研究期刊文章和政策简报的形式传播给广泛的受众。这些研究结果可能会引起国家、州和地区各级的极大兴趣，并为政策提供信息，因为美国正在努力提高高中毕业、大学毕业和就业准备的学生的严谨性和比例。

The main purpose of the proposed study is to investigate and report on how school districts are responding to the universal early algebra demand. This is in response to the pressures on school districts to have all students complete Algebra I, or its equivalent, by grade 9. A survey will be administered to a national sample of school districts to gather information on what policies the district has on students taking Algebra I and how these policies are being implemented. Case studies will be performed for 12 of the school districts surveyed to produce more detailed information on the policy, what decisions are made for placing students in different formats of the Algebra I course, and how teachers are selected to teach these courses. The work will be done by researchers at Michigan State University in collaboration with researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. Information generated from this project will inform policy (district as well as national) related to STEM education and for influencing students' opportunities to learn particularly relevant to underrepresented students who are most frequently affected by policies related to algebra. A survey will be constructed and administered to one knowledgeable person at each of the 1365 selected school districts. The districts will be selected from clusters defined by existing state graduation requirements for mathematics. Questions on the survey will seek responses to what pressures district leadership have for universal early algebra and ways the district is responding to these pressures. Case studies will be conducted at 12 school districts to gather more specific information on curricular, human resources, organizational, and assessment strategies that are being employed. The project will be supported by two mathematics education consultants and an advisory board. An evaluator will examine the procedures and will provide both formative and summative feedback along with an independent report on the progress of the project. Findings from the study will be disseminated to a broad array of audiences through presentations, research journal articles, and policy briefs that will be widely available. The findings are likely to be of great interests at the national, state, and district levels and inform policy as the nation struggles to increase the rigor and proportion of students who graduate from high school and are college and career ready.