Who Takes What Math and in Which Track? Using TIMSS to Characterize U.S. Students’ Eighth-Grade Mathematics Learning Opportunities

Abstract

This article examines the range of eighth-grade mathematics learning opportunities in the United States, drawing on data gathered for the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). Sources of variation in the provision of learning opportunities are identified, and patterns in eighth-grade mathematics course offerings are compared across schools. Comparison of students’ learning opportunities includes consideration of the specific course in which they were enrolled, the type of textbook employed for the course, and the proportion of time teachers devoted to teaching specific topics. Analyses revealed a mismatch between the mathematics course title and the textbook employed in the course for nearly 30% of U.S. eighth-grade students. Course-textbook combinations demonstrated significant relationships with the time teachers devoted to specific topics and the international topic difficulty score. Some differences in mathematics learning opportunities were found on the basis of a school’s location (urban, rural, suburban), size, and percentage of minority enrollment. We contend that the significant relationships found were not consistent enough to provide a satisfactory explanation for the observed variation and that individual student differences, which often provide an implicit rationale for tracking, also represent an inadequate explanation for the observed diversity in curricular opportunities. We conclude that recognizing the multiple definitions for students’ classroom mathematics learning experiences is an important step in reform and policy discussions.