Students' Algebra I Subject Area Testing Program (SATP) scores as a predictor of placement in postsecondary mathematics

Several states, including Mississippi, have increased the number of Carnegie units required for graduation and taken other measures to strengthen the high school academic program in an effort to produce better-prepared students. The State of Mississippi has spent a minimum of {dollar}14.5 million dollars from 2000 through 2004 on the Subject Area Testing Program (Mississippi Department of Education, 2004). The state's assessment program development consists of a 10-year contract with the last fiscal year being 2009. All of Mississippi's 15 community and junior colleges use the mathematics ACT score as part or all of the criteria for postsecondary mathematics placement, hence, the purpose of this study was two-fold. An ex post facto research design permitted the examination of the following: (1) To determine if there was a significant difference in postsecondary mathematics placement of students who would be eligible for high school graduation since they passed the Algebra I SATP (300+) on their first attempt. (2) To determine if there was a significant relationship between the Algebra I SATP score that will soon be a criterion for high school graduation (300+) and the mathematics ACT score, and to examine how well the Algebra I SATP score, gender and socioeconomic status predict the ACT score, and hence, placement in postsecondary mathematics.; The results of this study indicated that approximately 70% of the students who passed the Algebra I SATP (300+) in high school were ultimately targeted for postsecondary remedial mathematics placement. While there was no significant difference in postsecondary mathematics placement in this population related to gender, there was a significant difference in postsecondary mathematics placement in this population related to socioeconomic status (SES).; The combination of the Algebra I SATP score, socioeconomic status and gender was found to be a marked predictor for the mathematics ACT score, accounting for 45% of the variance.; Similar studies should be conducted on revised versions of the Algebra I SATP. Factors such as aptitude, race, advanced mathematics classes beyond high school Algebra and other variables should be considered as predictors of the mathematics ACT.