American Diploma Project (ADP) End-of-Course Exams: 2009 Annual Report
Author: Achieve, Inc.
Date: 2009-09-00
Type: Numerical/Quantitative Data
Subjects: Mathematics Education,High School Graduates,Graduation Requirements,Program Effectiveness,Consortia,Algebra,Annual Reports,Academic Standards,State Standards,Exit Examinations,Test Interpretation,Partnerships in Education,College Preparation

To ensure that all high school graduates are prepared for the opportunities and challenges that await them, states have increasingly been focused on aligning their end-of-high school expectations with the demands of the real world. In 2005, no state had aligned their expectations with real world demands; now 29 states have adopted college- and career-ready standards in English and/or mathematics. And, as standards in mathematics have risen, so too have graduation requirements. Currently 19 states and District of Columbia require students to study mathematics through Algebra II or its equivalent in order to earn a high school diploma. These policies are well grounded; advanced mathematics courses, such as Algebra II, improve access to postsecondary education, reduce the need for remediation and significantly increase the odds that a student will earn a degree. Particularly for disadvantaged students, advanced mathematics coursework in high school significantly narrows the equity gap, improving access to and success in college and in future economic opportunities. To assess these raised expectations, a group of American Diploma Project (ADP) network states formed the ADP Assessment Consortium. The Consortium created Algebra I and II end-of-course exams that provide an honest assessment of whether a student has mastered the content in the course they have just completed and is prepared for higher-level mathematics coursework. By design, the tests are challenging. States in the Consortium knew that what they were undertaking wouldn't be easy and that early results would be disappointing. But they believed that by setting the bar appropriately high, they could collectively challenge themselves, their systems and their schools to improve secondary mathematics education for the benefit of all students. The ADP Assessment Consortium states have shown that multistate partnerships are not just possible, but  that they can be a vehicle for driving change. The states have, in fact, been engaged in a voluntary race to the top. Even in the face of disappointing first-year results for the ADP Algebra II exam and an economic recession that severely impacted state budgets, these states have stayed the course, giving more exams this year than last and willingly disclosing the results and the challenges they face. No state alone could do what the 15 Consortium states have managed together. While there is plenty of hard work ahead, the ADP Assessment Consortium states have already demonstrated that they can move faster--and more economically--together than they ever could have going it alone. The report concludes that if states can be as successful on these critical next steps as they have been in creating the assessments, they will have truly changed the prospects for their students by ensuring that student choices regarding their future college and career plans are based on having a strong foundation in mathematics that makes all paths possible. (Contains 10 tables and 8 footnotes.)