How Math Placement Affects Student Outcomes

Educators and policy experts gathered at the Education Writers Association’s 2024 Math Seminar last October to discuss a prevalent issue in education: the practice of tracking students into remedial or advanced math pathways. 

The panel titled,“Track or Trap? The Impact of Math Placement on Student Achievement” explored the effects of tracking policies on equity and student outcomes. Journalists attending this session walked away with actionable insights on how to report on tracking, its implications for students of color, and systemic biases that continue to shape educational opportunities.

Participants 

• Kentaro Iwasaki, founder and president of Concentric Math 
• Tom Loveless, author and education researcher 
• Jennifer Saenz, network advisor at Strive Together 
• Daniel Mollenkamp, reporter for EdSurge (moderator)

Top Takeaways by Speaker

Tom Loveless 

• Tracking in math exists primarily to match students with appropriate curriculum levels based on their readiness. 
• Historical data shows disparities in who gets placed in advanced math tracks, perpetuating inequities. 
• The U.S. lags behind Europe in using consistent, equitable metrics to track students. 

Jennifer Saenz 

• Texas legislation, through Senate Bill 2124, introduced an opt-out policy for advanced math — rather than forcing qualified students to opt-in — significantly reducing disparities in math pathways and helping to prevent subjective measures for identifying students for advanced coursework. A state group working with school districts found that “previous policies were leaving out many Black and Hispanic fifth graders with the highest test scores in math,” according to Austin-based KUT News. 
• Black students scoring at the highest quintile in fifth grade were previously under-placed in advanced tracks. 
• High school math completion correlates strongly with postsecondary success, making early placement crucial. 

Kentaro Iwasaki

• Tracking reinforces systemic segregation, and it disproportionately disadvantages Black and Hispanic students. 
• Open honors and mixed-level instruction models can help mitigate the negative effects of tracking. 
• Math education must address societal biases and focus on equity. 

Story Ideas 

• Tracking policy overhauls: Cover efforts by school districts experimenting with detracking policies and their results.
• Equity in math placement: Investigate how placement policies affect Black and Hispanic students locally. 
• Teacher training gaps: Explore how teacher training impacts equitable math instruction. 
• Alternative pathways: Highlight students finding success through statistics and applied math tracks instead of calculus. 

Reporting Tips 

• Access public data: State dashboards and district report cards can provide enrollment and placement trends. 
• Interview underrepresented groups: Seek input from students and families affected by tracking policies, especially those from marginalized communities. 
• Monitor curriculum decisions: Pay attention to districts’ adoption of high-quality, equity-driven math curricula.  
• Engage experts: Connect with organizations and researchers working on equity in education for nuanced insights.

Mistakes to Avoid 

• Overgeneralizing policies: Recognize that tracking policies and their effects vary by district and state. 
• Ignoring historical context: Understand the evolution of tracking policies, which is crucial for fair reporting.
• Equating calculus with success: Avoid perpetuating the narrative that calculus is the sole path to academic or career achievement. 

Resources

• “Accelerating Opportunity: The Effects of Instructionally Supported Detracking” by Thomas S. Dee and Elizabeth Huffaker, Annenberg Institute at Brown University
• “Does Detracking Promote Educational Equity?” by Tom Loveless, Brookings Institution 
• “Does Gifted Education Work? For Which Students?” by David Card and Laura Giuliano, National Bureau of Economic Research
• Mathematics Framework, California Department of Education 
• National Mathematics Advisory Panel Final Report, U.S. Department of Education (2008) 
• Implementation of Senate Bill 2124 – Advanced Mathematics Instruction, Texas Education Agency