The Importance of Algebra II

Algebra II, or its equivalent, is a gateway course for higher education and teaches quantitative reasoning skills important for the workplace. Achieve's research (Ready or Not: Creating a High School Diploma That Counts) shows that higher level mathematics courses such as Algebra II improve access to postsecondary education, are critical for college success, and are important to many careers—including those that don't require a four- year college degree. Students that complete such coursework are not only better prepared for work, they earn higher salaries.

The Creation of the ADP Algebra II Exam

In the fall of 2005, nine ADP Network states—Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island—came together, with support from Achieve, to develop specifications for a common end-of-course exam in Algebra II. Six additional states—Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Minnesota, North Carolina and Washington—have joined the partnership, bringing the total number of participating states to fifteen.

The goals of this unprecedented multi-state Algebra II assessment are:

• to improve high school Algebra II curriculum and instruction, including consistency of content and rigor within and across the states;
• to serve as an indicator of readiness for first-year college credit-bearing courses; and
• to provide a common measure of student performance within and across the states over time.

In March 2007, the contract was awarded to Pearson Educational Measurement who developed the test to meet the specifications agreed upon by the participating states.

The first operational test was administered in Spring 2008 (American Diploma Project Algebra II End-Of-Course Exam: 2008 Annual Report). The exam will be administered twice each year, at the end of the fall semester and at the end of the spring semester.

The Creation of the ADP Algebra I Exam

In December 2007, a subset of the Algebra II Consortium states, with support from Achieve, began to consider developing a common Algebra I end-of-course exam. The development of the ADP Algebra I End-of-Course Exam was a natural extension of the Partnership effort and was designed to support the goals of the Algebra II initiative. The exam standards that were created are vertically aligned with the Algebra II exam to indicate readiness for advanced mathematics courses.

Pearson is now developing a test to meet the specifications agreed upon by the participating states. At this time, 8 states are involved in the development of this Algebra I exam—Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.

As an extension of the ADP Algebra II End-of-Course Exam, the ADP Algebra I End-of-Course Exam has similar, parallel goals:

• to improve high school Algebra I curriculum and instruction, including consistency of content and rigor within and across the states;
• to help high schools determine if students are ready for rigorous higher level mathematics courses; and
• to provide a common measure of student performance within and across the states over time.

Join the Consortium

Partner states are working on the development of two assessments: ADP Algebra I End-of-Course Exam and ADP Algebra II End-of-course Exam.

Additional states that want to use either or both exams and participate in the broader mathematics consortium – including comparative reporting of performance and progress and working with other states to improve secondary mathematics – can do so at any time.

For more information on joining the consortium and participating in the ADP Algebra I or Algebra II End-of-Course Exams, please read the associated fact sheet.

More Questions?

Contact Achieve for more information.