IL: Algebra in 9th-grade increases failure rate
Algebra-for-all policy found to raise rates of failure in Chicago
Education Week March 6, 2009
In 1997 Chicago school district was leading the effort to start algebra in the 9th grade. This was done as part of an attempt to ensure that students would be “college ready” at the time of high school graduation. Since then the number of 9th-grade students failing math has risen.