Math Start

Project Status: Monitor/Assess

The Math Start initiative will strive to address various student success metrics for students who test in developmental math courses. PSU data indicates that full-time first-year students who test at Math 95 or lower persist at a rate 15% lower than their peers. Further, about a third of the students who take Math 95 will not complete the course, and many who do not pass leave PSU without a degree. Additionally, there are equity gaps for Hispanic/Latinx students. The Math Start Initiative aims to determine if there are alternatives to Math 95 at PSU and a viable option for students placed into Math 95 or below to start at college-level math.

Accomplished

Presented at the Undergraduate Academic monthly meeting to communicate to advising on how to best direct students to appropriate math classes as early as possible in their academic journey.
Reviewed Math Start Initiative Assessment
Met with a representative from PCC to gather feedback on their placement policies.
Designed a new STAT Co-Req. Offering STAT 199 coreq course to support students enrolled in STAT 243Z in the Spring term
Sending out Math Start recommendations based on two years of work with the committee.

In Progress

Working with OIRP to determine how many classes of each section are needed.
Reviewing messaging on the Math website and provide recommendations on how the Math website can more clearly communicate requirements
Submitting UNST 199: Qualities in Math Confidence to the curriculum committee

Project Team

Sponsor: Matthew Carlson
Project Manager: Pamela Bock
Team: Shoshana Zeisman-Pereyo, Andrea Garrity
Collaborators: Brooke Baich, Matthew Carlson, Erin Shortlidge, Allyson Meyers, Steven Boyce, Jodi Stiegemeyer, Eva Thanheiser
Mathew Uretsky, Brenna Whitton