Student Success

hands of three students holding calculators

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

  • Math 111Z and Math 199: Precalculus support have been launched
  • Ran comparative date and found grades in UNST 199: Qualities in Math Confidence were substantially higher than in Math 095

In Progress

  • Currently advertising Math 111z and Math 199 throughout campus for it’s second term
  • Survey for students who took Math 95Z instead of Math 111Z was sent out, assessment of responses will take place within the beginning of Spring term
  • Gathering a group to discuss logistics and outreach for 6 Summer UNST 199:Qualities in Math Confidence sections to begin in July

Project Team

Sponsor: Erica Wagner
Project Manager: Lexi Valbjorn
Team: Shoshana Zeisman-Pereyo, Andrea Garrity 
Collaborators: Matthew Carlson, Michael Smith, Steven Boyce, Gerardo Lafferriere, and Mathew Uretsky