CALCULUS ENROLLMENT IN HIGH SCHOOL: HOW SCHOOLS PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MATHEMATICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Abstract

Mathematics education in the United States ranks poorly compared to other developed nations. This research paper examines calculus enrollment in over 18,000 high schools across the United States to determine how school characteristics like race/ethnicity, school size, low income, urban/rural locale, state, and other variables associate with calculus offering and enrollment rates. Using descriptive statistics and multiple linear regression, this study finds that race and ethnicity variables have the strongest correlation with calculus enrollment rates compared to other school characteristics. In particular, the percentage of Asian students at a school has the most statistically significant and meaningful positive correlation with calculus enrollment, while the percentages of black, Hispanic, and Native American students have negative correlations with calculus enrollment.