What does a math course buy you?
Math courses were ranked Level 0 (lower than Algebra 1), Level 1 (Algebra 1 or Integrated Math 1), Level 2 (Geometry or Integrated Math 2), Level 3 (Algebra 2 or Integrated Math 3) or Level 4 (Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, or Integrated Math 4). At each school, propensity scores were used to match students who by eleventh grade passed a particular level math course to similar students who did not attempt the math course but who had passed the next-lower level math course. Then, the impact of completing each level math course on mean score for the math portion of the Pennsylvania System of State Assessment (PSSA) and for the math SAT was computed. Matching variables included 8th grade math and reading PSSA scores, 8th grade math grades, 11th grade reading PSSA scores, SAT verbal scores, race, gender, English course enrollment, and English course grades.
