Proficient and Passed Over
Disparities in Eighth Grade Algebra I Enrollment
Enrolling in advanced courses increases students’ likelihood of success in college and career, and Algebra 1 is a key gateway. Completing the course before or during ninth grade is a strong predictor of long-term academic and economic success, putting students on a path to graduate high school, enroll in college, and earn higher wages. Taking Algebra 1 in eighth grade can further expand access to advanced coursework like calculus and open doors to high-growth STEM opportunities.
Yet, when academically prepared students are denied early access, the effects compound over time, limiting future options. Despite these benefits, Black, Latinx, and Native American students, as well as students from low-income backgrounds, remain underrepresented in advanced math—even when they demonstrate readiness—often due to subjective “opt-in” policies like teacher recommendations or family advocacy.
To better understand how this plays out in New York, EdTrust-New York analyzed seventh grade math proficiency alongside eighth grade Algebra 1 enrollment, finding significant equity gaps in both access and participation for students of color and those from low-income backgrounds.
Algebra I Access and Opportunity: An Interactive Data Tool
Our interactive data tool examines which students demonstrate readiness for advanced coursework and includes a course access view of 8th grade Algebra I enrollment. This feature compares each student group’s share of Algebra I enrollment to its share of the overall 8th grade population, making visible whether access to this gateway course mirrors who is in the classroom. In some schools and districts, enrollment patterns reflect student demographics. In others, they do not, revealing gaps in access. This analysis helps stakeholders see whether advanced learning opportunities are equitably distributed, and where policy and practice may be limiting access for students from low-income backgrounds and students of color.
How schools can support students in accessing advanced courses, and what students think can be done better
How do students think schools can increase opportunity now and in the long term? From offering pre-work to advanced courses, hybrid instruction options, and more, students have plenty of ideas on how their schools can either improve what they’re already doing or implement new supports.
How access to information and enrollment practices can hold students back from taking advanced courses
Enrollment practices, how information is disseminated to students and families about taking advanced coursework, and whether or not a school offers advanced courses are a few barriers to whether or not students are enrolled early on — or enrolled when they would like to be.
Students say advanced courses should be available to everyone. But in New York, not all students have access.
Rebecca graduated from high school believing that learning was not just routine memorization — but that what she learned in the classes she took throughout middle and high school equipped her with skills to be successful in life.
New York’s education system denies students of color access to courses that prepare them for college, careers, and active citizenship
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Just one in three New York public high school recent graduates report that they felt “significantly challenged” in high school, and roughly half of those who went on to college report having to take at least one remedial course.
Legislators, superintendents, business leaders, parents, and students join together to ensure all students have access to critical courses
More than 500 parents, educators, and community leaders across New York are calling on state education officials to take steps to ensure that all students have access to the critical courses that will prepare them for success in college, careers, and civic life.
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Read about why ensuring all students have access to key courses is critical for New York’s future...