IES Report Finds Class.com Algebra I Increases Math Achievement

A recent Institute of Education Sciences at the U.S. Department of Education report found that Class.com’s Algebra I course administered through its fully accredited online high school, Lincoln National Academy, increased eighth grade students’ algebra skills and caused them to take more challenging math courses in high school.

“We know how successful students can be at Lincoln National Academy, and it’s exciting to have online learning and their work validated by such a rigorous research study,” said Lisa Bourlier, Lincoln National Academy School Director/Administrator.

Based on a multiyear randomized control trial conducted by Regional Educational Laboratory Northeast and Island, the report shows how online learning with Lincoln National Academy effectively broadens opportunities for schools and students. In the study, eighth graders at 68 rural Vermont and Maine schools took the courses. The students had been deemed academically prepared for algebra but did not have access to a formal algebra course at their school.

Students in the Class.com course scored significantly higher on end-of-year algebra assessments than their peers who took the usual eighth grade math curriculum, which included some algebra content. The study also found that taking the course had no negative side effects on end-of-the-year general math achievement.

Access to the online algebra course positively impacted students’ future math course taking, pointing to distance learning as an effective way for schools to provide Algebra I to students. Research indicates that success in Algebra I for eighth graders leads to greater success in high school math and science courses, but many small and rural schools do not have the enrollment numbers necessary to fund algebra teachers. The study found that students who took the Class.com course were twice as likely to follow an advanced course sequence in high school as their peers who did not take the course.

Class.com Algebra I, like all Class.com courses, is based on the highest standards in online learning and research-based curriculum design. Class.com utilizes written content, multimedia elements, interactive activities and frequent exercises and assessments that give immediate feedback to learners. Lincoln National Academy provides schools with flexible synchronous and asynchronous online instruction and experienced administrators to accompany Class.com’s online courses.

Read the full report at “Access to Algebra I: The Effects of Online Mathematics for Grade 8 Students.”