Race-Ethnicity, SES, Gender, and Language Proficiency Trends in Mathematics Achievement: An Update

The purpose of this article is to document changes in U.S. mathematics achievement by reviewing national trend studies, college admissions examinations, and Advanced Placement tests. This article examined this quantitative research literature to determine trends in mathematics achievement of various social groups defined along lines of race, class, gender, ethnicity, and language proficiency. The findings of this review indicate that over the last 15 years all demographic groups have improved in mathematics achievement-specifically, in basic skills. Moreover, the mathematics achievement gap is slowly closing between White students and students of color on assessments of basic skills. Males tended to outperform females on standardized measures; however, gender differences were small and generally not significant. Consistent with past reviews of mathematics achievement, course taking was a powerful variable, often resulting in similar achievement gains across diverse groups. This finding has serious implications for equity-related policy. The article concludes with two other recommendations: the need for fiscal and cultural policy to support standards-based reform. The Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics and the Professional Standards for Teaching Mathematics together provide a vision of mathematical goals that have been adopted by a large majority of state departments of education in the United States (Massell, 1994; NCTM, 1989, 1991). In support of these two documents, the philosophical background of the Assessment Standards for School Mathematics (NCTM, 1995) states the following:

[1]  J. Banks,et al.  Reforming Schools in a Democratic Pluralistic Society , 1997 .

[2]  C. Kelley.  Teacher Compensation and Organization , 1997 .

[3]  J. Rury,et al.  The Political Economy of Urban Education , 1997 .

[4]  Donna Y. Ford,et al.  The Handbook of Research on Multicultural Education , 1996 .

[5]  Stephanie Z. Smith,et al.  Parents and Mathematics Education Reform , 1996 .

[6]  Edward A. Silver,et al.  The Quasar Project , 1996 .

[7]  Walter G. Secada.  Urban Students Acquiring English and Learning Mathematics in the Context of Reform , 1996 .

[8]  Gloria J. Ladson-Billings,et al.  Toward a Critical Race Theory of Education , 1995, Teachers College Record: The Voice of Scholarship in Education.

[9]  Gloria J. Ladson-Billings,et al.  Toward a Theory of Culturally Relevant Pedagogy , 1995 .

[10]  W. Tate.  School Mathematics and African American Students: Thinking Seriously about Opportunity-to-Learn Standards , 1995 .

[11]  S. Kirby,et al.  Student Achievement and the Changing American Family , 1995 .

[12]  P. Elliott.  Assessment Standards for School Mathematics , 1995 .

[13]  Michael S. Knapp,et al.  Social Class and Schooling. , 1995 .

[14]  W. Clune.  The Shift from Equity to Adequacy in School Finance , 1994 .

[15]  D. Verstegen.  Reforming American Education Policy for the 21st Century , 1994 .

[16]  Diane Massell.  Setting Standards in Mathematics and Social Studies , 1994 .

[17]  Kenneth K. Wong,et al.  Governance Structure, Resource Allocation, and Equity Policy , 1994 .

[18]  Thomas A. Romberg.  Further Thoughts on the Standards: A Reaction to Apple. , 1992 .

[19]  D. Bradby.  Language Characteristics and Academic Achievement: A Look at Asian and Hispanic Eighth Graders in NELS:88. Statistical Analysis Report. , 1992 .

[20]  Gilah C. Leder,et al.  Mathematics and gender: Changing perspectives. , 1992 .

[21]  M. Vaiana,et al.  Urban America : policy choices for Los Angeles and the nation , 1992 .

[22]  Walter G. Secada.  Race, ethnicity, social class, language, and achievement in mathematics. , 1992 .

[23]  J. Kozol.  Savage Inequalities: Children in America's Schools , 1992 .

[24]  M. LeTendre.  The Continuing Evolution of a Federal Role in Compensatory Education , 1991 .

[25]  Gloria J. Ladson-Billings,et al.  Like lightning in a bottle: attempting to capture the pedagogical excellence of successful teachers of black students 1 , 1990 .

[26]  Rolf K. Blank,et al.  State Indicators of Science and Mathematics Education 1990. , 1990 .

[27]  Andrew C. Porter,et al.  A Curriculum out of Balance , 1989 .

[28]  George M. A. Stanic.  Social Inequality, Cultural Discontinuity, and Equity in School Mathematics , 1989 .

[29]  S. Stodolsky.  The Subject Matters: Classroom Activity in Math and Social Studies , 1988 .

[30]  C. Hirsch.  Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics , 1988 .

[31]  C. Sleeter,et al.  Race, Class, and Gender in Education Research: An Argument for Integrative Analysis , 1986 .

[32]  J. Fey.  Mathematics Teaching Today: Perspectives from Three National Surveys. , 1979 .

[33]  C. G. Woodson,et al.  The Mis-Education of the Negro , 1933 .