Performance on selected mathematics and reading assessment tests as predictors of achievement in remedial mathematics

The problem of this study was performance on selected mathematics and reading assessment tests as predictors of achievement in remedial mathematics. The purpose of the study was twofold. The first was to determine the internal consistency of a locally developed remedial mathematics placement test and the mathematics section of the Pre-TASP Test. The second was to determine the predictive validity of performance on (a) the local remedial mathematics placement test, (b) the mathematics section of the Pre-TASP Test, and (c) the Descriptive Tests of Language Skills, Reading Comprehension Test in combination with demographic variables for mid-semester achievement, end-of-semester achievement, and course success in three levels of remedial mathematics at Richland College, Dallas, Texas.;The first week of the 1989 fall semester, students from 30 sections of each remedial mathematics course were given a local mathematics placement test, the mathematics section of the Pre-TASP Test, and the Descriptive Tests of Language Skills, Reading Comprehension Test. Also, students completed a questionnaire giving their age, gender, number of years since taking a mathematics course, and number of semesters of algebra completed in high school.;The locally developed remedial mathematics placement test and the mathematics section of the Pre-TASP Test were found to have a high degree of internal consistency.;Stepwise multiple regression analysis was used in establishing the predictive validity of the assessment tests. Discriminant function analysis was used to determine whether the tests were significant discriminators of course success.;Neither the local mathematics assessment test nor the mathematics section of the Pre-TASP Test were significant predictors of course achievement for all three courses. Gender was a significant predictor of achievement for each course. Number of semesters of high school algebra was a significant predictor of achievement in only the first algebra course. Addition of the reading assessment score did not significantly improve the ability of the mathematics tests to predict course achievement.