Improving Math Scores for At-Risk Students: The effects of a pilot program in Mathematics on the NJHSPA performance of at-risk students in a public high school

Since the inception of NCLB, success in standardized testing has become an essential measure of educational achievement in American schools. For those students who are viewed as At-Risk (low socio-economic status, ethnic minorities, learning-challenged, etc.) new instructional strategies must be implemented in order to improve testing performance. This struggling population of learners demands change in our approach to addressing their remedial needs. Using a longitudinal study, this book provides research on students in a public high school setting. The subjects participated in a pilot program that focused on their mathematic learning needs. Data gathered included scores on the 2002 NJGEPA as the pre-test and the 2005 NJHSPA as the post-test. Independent variables including ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, age and attendance rates were measured to determine their impact on test performance. Grades in the pilot program were also measured to determine their ability to predict testing outcomes. The in-depth analysis provided by the researcher should assist educators in planning to address these critical issues.

Gladys A. Lauriello, Ed.D. Studied Innovative Educational Leadership at Wilmington University. Principal of Wildwood High School and Middle School in New Jersey.