Comparing STEM Schools on Algebra Performance

Presented in this research category full paper is a study on the effectiveness of Texas Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (T-STEM) high schools on students’ mathematics achievement. The original T-STEM blueprints for funding and designating a school as T-STEM include specifications for raising grade 9 Algebra I End of Course assessment scores. As inclusive STEM high schools, T-STEM schools have been designed with the intention to better serve ethnic minorities, females, and low socio-economic status students by improving both academic achievement and attitude toward STEM fields. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of attending T-STEM designated schools on students’ mathematics achievement after taking into account prior mathematics achievement, economic disadvantage, gender, and ethnicity. After controlling for these variables, T-STEM schools had no statistically significant effect on Algebra I End of Course assessment scores in the present study. We interpret the results as demonstrating that T-STEM schools are not sufficiently improving students’ mathematics achievement and are thus failing to achieve one of the critical standards set out by the original initiative to create T-STEM schools.