A STUDY OF ACT MATHEMATICS SCORES IN RELATION TO SECONDARY MATHEMATICS CURRICULUM DURING THE PERIOD, 1970-1979

Purpose of the Study. The purpose of this study was to determine if secondary mathematics curriculum was causally related to ACT mathematics scores. The study sought to determine whether significant shifts had occurred in secondary mathematics curriculum and what the actual trends in ACT mathematics scores were for an East Texas community college approximately one hundred miles southeast of Dallas, Texas.;Findings from the Research Questions. Percentages, means, and linear regressions used to analyze the six research questions were as follows: (1)The two mathematics curriculum study groups had complementary percentages ranging from 23.2 to 60.0 and 76.8 to 40.0. (2)The yearly mean of the ACT mathematics scores ranged from 16.4 in 1970 to 12.7 in 1979. (3)The yearly mean of the ACT mathematics scores within the two mathematics curriculum study groups ranged from 7.1 to 9.5 in the less rigorous group and from 17.6 to 20.0 in the more rigorous group. (4)The yearly trend for the two mathematics curriculum study groups clearly showed a steady decline in the percentage composition of the more rigorous group with a complementary increase in the percentage composition of the less rigorous group. The correlation coefficients were r = -.96 and r = .96 respectively. (5)The yearly trend in ACT mathematics scores was a gradual decline with correlation coefficient r = -.92. (6)No yearly trend for ACT mathematics scores within the two mathematics curriculum study groups could be established.;Findings from the Hypotheses. An analysis of two hypotheses using Z scores and Z confidence intervals to treat the data obtained in the research questions revealed the following: (1)A statistically significant difference was found between the mean scores of the two mathematics curriculum study groups. (2)A statistically significant difference was found between the percentage composition of the two mathematics curriculum study groups.;Conclusions. The following conclusions were based on the findings of this study: (1)Secondary mathematics curriculum during the seventies shifted from more rigorous to less rigorous. (2)Mean ACT mathematics scores of community college students declined more drastically during the seventies than did statewide or nationwide norms. (3)Mean ACT mathematics scores of students in a more rigorous mathematics curriculum were significantly higher than those of students in a less rigorous mathematics curriculum. (4)The percentage of students in a more rigorous mathematics curriculum was significantly different from the percentage in a less rigorous mathematics curriculum except for two years during the seventies. In fact these two years served as an equilibrium point for a declining percentage of more rigorous mathematics curriculum and an increasing percentage of less rigorous mathematics curriculum.;Procedure. ACT mathematics scores were collected for each year from 1970 to 1979 and recorded into two mathematics curriculum study groups. By organizing the data in this manner it was possible to calculate percentage composition of the study groups, means, and standard deviations of the ACT mathematics scores, and to compare local trends with those of the state, region, and nation. Finally, the statistical treatment of the ACT mathematics scores reflected from the two mathematics curriculum study groups revealed through percentages, means, and linear regressions the answers to six research questions. The results of the research questions were used to analyze two hypotheses dealing with significant differences between the two mathematics curriculum study groups. The hypotheses were tested with Z scores and Z confidence intervals for significance at the .05 level.