What does a math course buy you?
Goal 1 of the Math Science Partnership of Greater Philadelphia is "To Ensure that all students have access to, are prepared for, and are encouraged to participate and succeed in challenging and advanced mathematics and science courses."" Pursuant to this goal, we have expended considerable effort working with our 46 member districts to quantify how many advanced mathematics and science students courses are taking, and to increase the number of students completing more advanced work. While prominent national studies such as "Answers in the Toolbox" and "Toolbox Revisited" have shown a correlation between completing higher level math/science courses and later college success, it is not clear whether these correlations are caused because higher aptitude students tend to complete more courses, or because completing the courses themselves provides student with valuable knowledge and skills. The current study looks at two high schools-one with above-average achieving students and the other with below-average achieving student-to begin to answer the question "What does an extra math course really buy you?"
