New Report on Diversifying Math Pathways as a Strategy for Student Success

According to the new report, Multiple Paths Forward: Diversifying Mathematics as a Strategy for Student Success, the use of diversified math pathways has the potential to ease the road to a college degree for tens of thousands of students in California.

The report, published by JUST Equations and WestEd, with support from researchers at the University of Michigan, highlights the importance of diversifying math pathways in college in order to improve quantitative literacy and shorten students’ routes through college. Together, reforms to streamline students’ progress to transfer-level math and efforts to align course-taking with students’ programs of study have the potential to reduce equity gaps in California. The report also suggests that diversifying math pathways is integral to larger institutional reform efforts, such as the guided pathways movement.

JUST Equations seeks to re-conceptualize the role of mathematics in ensuring educational opportunities. JUST Equations is a project of The Opportunity Institute, in partnership with LearningWorks, Policy Analysis for California Education (PACE), The Education Trust West, and The Campaign for College Opportunity. JUST Equations is supported by the James Irvine Foundation and College Futures Foundation.

Founded by the Career Ladders Project, LearningWorks partners to strengthen student achievement in the California Community Colleges. LearningWorks previously worked with JUST Equations founder Pamela Burdman to publish the policy brief Quantitative Leap, which focused on the need to revamp math policies to better support transitions to and through college. Click here to read the brief and access a series of related webinars.