UCSMP Algebra has potentially positive effects on general mathematics achievement for secondary students, with a small extent of evidence¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 2 studies (3 entries) · 2 causalr2·q2·i2–i3
Currency · newest study 2016 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q2 i2 In one quasi-experimental study of 189 students, UCSMP Algebra produced a statistically significant positive effect on general mathematics achievement (effect size 0.81, improvement index +29). → University of Chicago School Mathematics Project 2016
q2 i3 In one quasi-experimental study of 189 students, UCSMP Algebra produced a statistically significant positive effect on general mathematics achievement (effect size 0.81, improvement index +29). → What Works Clearinghouse 2016
Evidence¶
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project 2016¶
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. (2016). University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) — WWC Intervention Report, Secondary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse. https://ucsmp.uchicago.edu
q2 · i2 · causal · r?
Quasi-experimental matched-pairs study (Thompson et al., 2006) in three high schools comparing UCSMP Algebra (second edition) to non-UCSMP textbooks across six matched pairs of classrooms (189 students). The WWC confirmed a positive, statistically significant difference on the UCSMP Algebra Test, "after applying a correction for classroom-level clustering"; the printed effect size is 0.81 with improvement index +29.
"Thompson et al. (2006) found, and the WWC confirmed (after applying a correction for classroom-level clustering), one positive and statistically significant difference between the UCSMP Algebra and comparison groups in the general mathematics achievement domain."
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project 2016 (2)¶
University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. (2016). University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP) — WWC Intervention Report, Secondary Mathematics. What Works Clearinghouse. https://ucsmp.uchicago.edu
q2 · i2 · causal · r?
WWC calculations for the UCSMP Algebra Test show intervention mean 49.8 (SD 16.3) versus comparison 37.3 (SD 14.9), mean difference 12.54, "0.81 +29 .04" — effect size 0.81, improvement index +29, p-value .04.
"UCSMP Algebra Test Grades 9–12, Schools X, Y, & Z 12 classes/ 189 students 49.8 (16.3) 37.3 (14.9) 12.54 0.81 +29 .04"
What Works Clearinghouse 2016¶
What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education. (2016). What Works Clearinghouse intervention report: University of Chicago School Mathematics Project (UCSMP). What Works Clearinghouse. https://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/InterventionReport/641
q2 · i3 · causal · r2
Matched-pairs quasi-experiment (Thompson et al., 2006) comparing UCSMP Algebra (second edition) to non-UCSMP textbooks in three high schools; on the UCSMP Algebra Test the intervention mean was "49.8 (16.3)" versus "37.3 (14.9)", effect size "0.81", improvement index "+29", p-value ".04".
"UCSMP Algebra Test Grades 9–12, Schools X, Y, & Z 12 classes/ 189 students 49.8 (16.3) 37.3 (14.9) 12.54 0.81 +29 .04"
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Four years of multiple UCSMP courses have potentially positive effects on general mathematics achievement, with site-level and measure-level inconsistency — related
- No studies meeting WWC group design standards exist for UCSMP Geometry, Advanced Algebra, Functions Statistics and Trigonometry, or Precalculus and Discrete Mathematics — related
- UCSMP Algebra shows mixed effects on the algebra domain: one study finds a statistically significant positive effect and one finds an indeterminate effect — related
- The WWC rates UCSMP Algebra as having potentially positive effects on mathematics achievement for secondary students — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
- The WWC rates multiple UCSMP courses as having potentially positive effects on mathematics achievement for secondary students — a broader claim this one bears on
- The WWC rated DreamBox Learning as having potentially positive effects on mathematics achievement with a small extent of evidence — related
- UCSMP Algebra has potentially positive effects on the algebra domain, with mixed findings across two studies and a small extent of evidence — related
- Cognitive Tutor® Algebra I has mixed effects on algebra outcomes for secondary students, with an average improvement index of +4 percentile points across five studies — related
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- Educators can more effectively engage with researchers to advance practice by using the What Works Clearinghouse and other sources of research findings as a base — related
- Four years of multiple UCSMP courses have potentially positive effects on general mathematics achievement, with a small extent of evidence — related
Page metadata
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
type |
claim |
id |
ucsmp-algebra-positive-general-mathematics-achievement |
aliases |
ucsmp-algebra-potentially-positive-general-mathematics-achievement |
title |
UCSMP Algebra has potentially positive effects on general mathematics achievement for secondary students, with a small extent of evidence |
description |
UCSMP Algebra has potentially positive effects on general mathematics achievement for secondary students, with a small extent of evidence |
status |
review |
evidence_strength |
moderate |
newest_evidence |
2016 |
generated |
by process:wiki-ingest on 2026-10-07 |
trust |
unverified — no one has confirmed this page's content |
sources |
3 — university-of-chicago-school-mathematics-project-2016, university-of-chicago-school-mathematics-project-2016-2, what-works-clearinghouse-2016 |
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