CAREER: Inviting All 21st Century Problem-Solvers: Building Equity by De-tracking Middle School Mathematics Instruction

Faced with increasing threats from climate change and social problems, the world needs 21st century problem solvers trained in science, technology, mathematics, and engineering (STEM). Students liking and believing they are good at math (positive math affect) is crucial to their continued study in STEM disciplines. Increasing the number of students with positive math affect and supporting their capacity to pursue STEM careers requires inclusive and effective mathematics course sequences. However, the practice of separating students into upper and lower-level math courses bars access to STEM fields for many students. Tracking organizes math coursework both within and across the secondary grades. Historically, tracking has organized students by race, class, gender, home language, and perceived ability—functioning as a gatekeeper for marginalized students. De-tracking pathways have the potential to diversify access to STEM fields. This project examines student and teacher experiences with the de-tracking of math sequences in a public school district in Western Oregon. It examines how a district-wide cohort of middle school students, as individuals and in groups, identify with and define what it means to be good at math, and how these identities shift over time as they progress through math sequences. It also establishes a partnership between a mathematics education researcher and a school district (Research Practice Partnership) to study changes in pedagogy, define problems of teaching practice, and design solutions as the district transitions to de-tracked classes. A better understanding of students’ and teachers’ experiences will support efforts to improve equity in STEM education and the diversity of STEM fields.

This project focuses on the de-tracking of one school district’s math sequences; in particular, the project follows a cohort of middle school students in both tracked and de-tracked conditions. It aims to capture both individual math identities—how students relate to mathematics—and normative (group) identities—how students are recognized as competent math learners in public spaces. Math identity “portraits” are constructed by analyzing the students’ drawings of who or what math was to them, written responses on how they know when someone is “good at math,” and responses to a Semantic Differential survey designed to elicit beliefs about the five strands of math proficiency. Using mixed methods analysis, the project synthesizes the analysis of data collected from the students at three points in time to construct both individual student math identity “snapshots” that can then be compared across time as they move through tracked and de-tracked sequences. As the district moves to fully de-tracked middle school math pathways, the Research Practice Partnership will collectively determine which problems of practice are critical in supporting newly integrated math classes and examine evidence of multiple ways that students can legitimately show mathematical competence and foster productive mathematical dispositions. This will include adopting and evaluating new pedagogy, curriculum, and assessment methods. Increasing the diversity of students who are seen, and see themselves, as proficient math learners can increase the diversity of STEM participation.