Twelve States Administer Algebra II End of Course Exam to Measure College Preparedness

Monday, August 25, 2008Printer-friendly version

NEWS RELEASE

CONTACT:
Sandy Boyd, Achieve, (202) 419-1542, sboyd@achieve.org

Cover of ADP Algebra II End-Of-Course Exam 2008 Annual Report

WASHINGTON – August 25, 2008 – Today, as students, schools, districts and states received results from the first administration of the American Diploma Project (ADP) Algebra II end of course exam, Achieve released its annual report on the first-of-its-kind multi-state exam. The exam was developed jointly by 14 states based on shared expectations of what students need to learn to be prepared for college mathematics courses. The test represents an ongoing policy shift in the states that includes more rigorous and common mathematics standards and exams and Algebra II as a required course.

The test was administered in the spring of 2008 to nearly 90,000 students in the following states: Arizona, Arkansas, Hawaii, Indiana, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Washington. Maryland and Massachusetts are also members of the ADP Algebra II partnership and will administer the exam when an online version becomes available in 2009.

“The exam represents an important baseline from which states can now improve,” said Michael Cohen, president of Achieve. “The 14 states in the ADP Algebra II partnership should be applauded for voluntarily setting a high bar and for committing to report on their progress annually.”

That students did not do well on this exam the first time out is no surprise, continued Cohen. This exam sets a much higher bar than current high school exams. Currently, too many students graduate from high school believing they are prepared for college level work, but soon find they are not. In fact, nearly one-quarter of first-year college students must take remedial courses in mathematics.

“This exam is a tool for improvement. It will give students, parents and teachers an honest assessment of whether students are ready for college mathematics,” Cohen said. “It will improve the consistency and rigor of Algebra II classes, and it will help states and schools ensure that students get the help they need to succeed while they are still in high school,” he concluded.

Download the report.

To learn more about Achieve, visit www.achieve.org.

 
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Created by the nation's governors and business leaders, Achieve is a bipartisan, non-profit organization that helps states raise academic standards, improve assessments and strengthen accountability to prepare all young people for postsecondary success. At the 2005 National Education Summit, Achieve launched the American Diploma Project (ADP) Network, a coalition that has grown to 33 states, educating nearly 80% of public school students in the United States. The ADP Network is committed to aligning high school expectations with the demands of college, career and life. For more information, please visit www.achieve.org.