In this paper, I describe the academic dilemma experienced by Tamara (pseudonym), a mathematically high-achieving high school sophomore. Raised in an economically strapped neighborhood, Tamara had the opportunity to attend a prestigious private high school, tuition free. Confronted by being viewed as an affirmative action student Tamara uses this…

The debate on the differential effects of mathematics textbook series is a recurrent topic in the research literature. Research results remain inconclusive, pointing to a lack of evidence to decide on the relevance of the selection by schools of a mathematics textbook series. Studies also point to difficulties in comparing textbooks. Recently, in…

The old adage goes, "Parents are their children's first and most important teachers." Yet when it comes to mathematics, parents often feel inadequate to help their children with homework tasks, let alone teach them important content. Compounding the problem of low parental knowledge of mathematics, parents' "perceived" inadequacies or indifference…

Children whose parents are more highly educated enjoy greater age-linked gains in cognitive abilities and academic achievement. Different researchers have typically focused on different outcomes, and the extent to which parental education relates to multiple child outcomes via a single developmental pathway has received little empirical attention.…

Increased access to algebra was a focal point of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel's 2008 report on improving mathematics learning in the United States. Past research found positive effects for early access to algebra, but the focus on average effects may mask important variation across student subgroups. The author addresses whether these…

Recent studies showed that kindergarten children solve addition, subtraction, doubling and halving problems using the core system for the approximate representation of numerical magnitude. In Study 1, 34 first-grade students in their first week of schooling solved approximate arithmetic problems in a number range up to 100 regarding all four basic…

This qualitative descriptive case study explored the perceptions of parents and teachers of the academic achievement gap in mathematics between African-American middle school males and their White counterparts. Ten parents, both African-American and White, with students attending middle school in the Cherokee County School District and 5 teachers…

Low mathematics achievement is a concern of educators and the general public because many Americans are emerging from school without the requisite mathematics skills to function well in our complex, quickly changing society. Individuals with low math abilities are more likely to be unemployed and be a burden to fellow taxpayers. Educators and…

The purpose of the study was to determine the degree to which academic and demographic variables affected the ACT results used in determining college readiness. This quantitative research study followed a non-experimental correlational design. A multiple regression was used to analyze archival data to determine the impact the combined Arkansas…

The purpose of this study was to compare the mathematics achievement outcomes of 3rd grade students from some Pacific Island elementary schools that use 1 of 3 different modes of instruction: Direct Instruction (DI), Success for All (SFA), and noncomprehensive school reform (non-CSR). The need for this research stems from the large proportion of…

This causal-comparative research explored how African American students' perceptions of their math teachers affected their academic performance on the Math Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Test during 2009-2010 academic year. When considering possible measures of teacher effectiveness in K-12 education, it can be argued that…

Despite the availability of and pressures to incorporate educational technology into secondary curriculum, schools have not shown that technology is being adequately used by educators or that students in fact know how to use them. In particular, many teachers are not using technology such as graphing calculators as an instructional mathematics…

The purpose of this study was to assess the affective barriers to student achievement in developmental mathematics classes. A Delphi process was used to identify and corroborate a list of affective domain concerns that act as barriers to achievement for developmental students and developmental mathematics instructors. The process consisted of…

There exists much debate in the area of hybrid and online developmental mathematics. Researchers believe that the best method of delivery of developmental mathematics is the traditional, instructor-based classroom setting. This study examined the success of developmental mathematics students in traditional, hybrid, and online classroom…

Due to recent waivers and current expectations of teacher performance, schools have been tasked to close their student achievement gaps in mathematics by 2014. Yet students still have not performed well in mathematics, which may be a direct link to teachers' instructional practices. Identifying a coaching model to improve student achievement…