Kirk Walters

The Struggle to Pass Algebra: Online vs. Face-to-Face Credit Recovery for At-Risk Urban Students

ABSTRACT Students who fail algebra are significantly less likely to graduate on time, and algebra failure rates are consistently high in urban districts. Identifying effective credit recovery strategies is critical for getting students back on track. Online courses are now widely used for credit recovery, yet there is no rigorous evidence about the relative efficacy of online versus face-to-face credit recovery courses. To address this gap, this study randomly assigned 1,224 ninth graders who failed algebra in 17 Chicago public high schools to take an online or face-to-face algebra credit recovery course. Compared to students in face-to-face credit recovery, students in online credit recovery reported that the course was more difficult, were less likely to recover credit, and scored lower on an algebra posttest. There were no statistically significant differences by condition on any outcomes measured during the second year of high school (standardized mathematics test and algebra subtest scores, likelihood of passing subsequent math classes, cumulative math credits, or on-track rates). The benefits and challenges of online learning for credit recovery are discussed in light of the findings to date.

Turning to Online Courses to Expand Access: A Rigorous Study of the Impact of Online Algebra I for Eighth Graders

Research suggests that students who take and successfully complete Algebra I in middle school go on to have greater success in mathematics than students who do not take the course until high school. However, not all middle schools offer Algebra I to eighth graders and the opportunity to take Algebra I in middle school is particularly limited in rural schools. This chapter describes a study that examined the effects of using an online course to broaden eighth-graders’ access to Algebra I. The study was conducted in nearly 70 schools, across two northeastern states, which did not typically offer a formal Algebra I course. In schools randomly assigned to the treatment condition, the online course was offered to eighth graders who were considered academically ready for Algebra I. In control schools, eighth graders considered “algebra-ready” took the typical mathematics course available to them. The study examined whether using an online course to broaden access to Algebra I in eighth grade could improve students’ knowledge of algebra in the short term, open doors to more advanced course sequences in the longer term, or both. Findings showed that students who took online Algebra I had greater algebraic knowledge at the end of the eighth grade and were more likely to take an advanced mathematics course sequence in high school than their counterparts in control schools. The chapter also describes the mathematics content taught in treatment and control schools, as well as the implementation of the online course in treatment schools.

Online Credit Recovery and the Path to On-Time High School Graduation:

Many high schools use online courses to allow students to retake failed classes in an effort to help get students back on track and graduate. However, there is limited evidence available on the effectiveness of online credit recovery in improving students’ long-term outcomes compared with traditional face-to-face credit recovery courses. In this paper, we examine longer term outcomes for ninth graders who failed Algebra I and were randomly assigned to an online or face-to-face algebra credit recovery course. In particular, we look at math credits earned through four years of high school and rates of on-time graduation. We find no statistically significant differences in longer term outcomes between students in the online and face-to-face courses. Implications of these null findings are discussed.