Standards-based Mathematics Curricula and Secondary Students' Performance on Standardized Achievenment Tests

The current study examined the mathematical achievement of high school students enrolled for 3 years in one of three NSF funded Standards-based curricula (IMP,CMIC, MMOW). The focus was on traditional topics in mathematics as measured by subtests of a standardized achievement test and a criterion-referenced test of mathematics achievement. Students generally scored at or above the national mean on theachievement subtests. Hierarchical linear modeling results showed that prior mathe-matics knowledge was a significant but modest predictor of achievement, student SEShad a moderate effect, and increasing concentrations of African American studentsin a classroom were associated with a stronger effect of attendance on achievement. No differences on the standardized achievement subtests emerged among the Standards-based curricula studied once background variables were taken into account. The two suburban districts providing data for the criterion-referenced test achievedwell above the national norm. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]