| The California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) is a high-stakes test with a diploma at risk for students who do not pass. This research study on the design, implementation, and evaluation of a CAHSEE-focused curriculum for algebra intervention investigated the impact of such an approach in preparing students who had previously failed the CAHSEE when there is a limited amount of time. The program targeted juniors and/or seniors who had failed the math section of the CAHSEE at least once and needed the support of an intensive intervention. It was implemented within a CAHSEE Math Prep class beginning in September and lasting for approximately eight weeks, in preparation for the November administration. Unlike other CAHSEE interventions, this was an algebra intervention aimed at helping students improve their skills enough to pass the CAHSEE. Targeting algebra was strategic because students score the lowest on this strand and learning algebra is critical. Thus, the objective of the intervention was two-fold: help students acquire algebraic skills that are transferable and focus on content from the CAHSEE algebraically to help them pass.;To triangulate and confirm my findings, I used different measures and collected quantitative data from multiple sources. I desegregated and analyzed CAHSEE results from before and after the intervention by strands for the students in my study. I also took into consideration participants' performance on the multiple-choice and free-response questions from an Algebra Pre-Test and Post-Test based on CAHSEE content. Finally, I compared the current cohort's performance on the CAHSEE with prior cohorts who did not undergo the same intervention.;The CAHSEE-focused algebra intervention yielded statistically significant improvements regarding student performance on measures involving Algebra---the pre- and post-tests and the combined Algebra strands on the CAHSEE. Students also improved significantly on every strand of the actual CAHSEE test. More importantly, the total CAHSEE scores improved. Yet, the positive gains were not significant compared to those from the prior cohorts. While focusing on algebra was not necessary for improvement, it did not hurt. Ultimately, focusing on algebra did help students develop algebra skills and pass the CAHSEE. |
