Research-Based Supports for Algebra Students

Algebra is often portrayed in media and popular culture as a challenging and tedious subject. Even the genius Lisa Simpson, Bart’s sister on The Simpsons, struggled with algebra as depicted in the brilliantly titled episode “Girls Just Wanna Have Sums.” One could argue that such portrayals in popular culture reinforce the perception of algebra as a difficult subject, potentially influence student attitudes, and even contribute to math anxiety. This article will focus on specific classroom and school supports for students, especially those who begin in a math skill deficit.

Opening the Gates to Understanding

In many school districts, Algebra 1 serves as a gatekeeper course, influencing access to upper-level math classes that are necessary for acceptance into four-year colleges and universities. In 2009, The High School Longitudinal Study was conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics, and it found that students who took Algebra I in middle school were significantly more likely to enroll in a four-year degree program compared with those who took the course later.

This research prompted many educational systems to begin offering Algebra 1 in middle school and enabled more diverse student populations to access higher-level math classes in high school. It also introduced questions about which students should have access to Algebra 1 in middle school and which students should take it in ninth grade. How do we support both middle and high school students who are gaining access to previously blocked pathways toward higher education, yet might need extra supports, to find academic success in Algebra 1?

EdResearch for Action addresses these questions in their recent research brief, Evidence-Based Practices for Algebra 1: Access, Placement, and Success. Serving as a practicing educator on their Advisor Board this past year, I’ve been impressed with their depth of research and their collaboration with practicing educators across the United States. Their research briefs are both accessible to educators and rooted in reality.

What Are We Already Doing That Works?

Double dose reading and math classes have been common, particularly in large urban districts, since the early 2000s. This strategy requires a student to be enrolled, for example, in Algebra 1 as well as an Algebra 1 support class, within the same school day. The current research is proving that this strategy remains effective when implemented correctly. The aforementioned research brief, Evidence-Based Practices for Algebra 1, published in May 2025, concluded, “Extended or supplementary Algebra I instruction during the school day has been shown to improve both short-term achievement and long-term educational outcomes.” While the data concludes that double dosing is a practice that schools should continue to implement, it’s also important to note several critical factors that influence a successful double dose math program.

I had the opportunity to discuss the results of this research brief with its author, Stanford University researcher Elizabeth Huffaker, and she explained, “The research is clear: Extra support in Algebra 1 can make a real difference—but only when it’s implemented well. Who delivers the support, how it’s integrated into the school day, and the quality of instruction all matter.” Huffaker’s findings highlight the fact that simply offering extra support isn’t enough; the quality of that support is paramount to student success in Algebra 1. Highly skilled and experienced math teachers should be teaching all Algebra support classes, and teacher collaboration around both student growth and curriculum implementation is necessary for student success.

Small group tutoring within the school day, a research-supported practice that many school districts implement, should be retained to support students’ success. In my school building, due to some fortunate funding availability, we created a hybrid approach by keeping our math support classes very small, with intentional and targeted mini-lessons and homework help.

The previously mentioned EdResearch brief cites the research paper Sustained Effects of Small-Group Instruction in Mathematics, which found that “providing small-group instruction with additional teachers in mixed-proficiency classes helped students across all skill levels.” Small group instruction with additional teachers fosters a supportive and engaging learning environment.

Mindful Math with a Social and Emotional Learning Focus

In addition to the proven strategies for supporting students in Algebra 1, Jo Boaler’s groundbreaking work with the Stanford Graduate School of Education gives educators a new framework for supporting students, emotionally, in math. Boaler’s Youcubed initiative aims to equip all students with open, creative math mindsets. In the first weeks of school, my school community shares Boaler’s videos that question the idea of math brain with both students and families. Boaler’s thesis is that many students struggle with mathematics at least in part because of their mindset, negative self-talk and identity. Youcubed empowers students through open, creative mathematics infused with brain and mindset messages. The video documenting sixth-grade mathematicians partnering with the Stanford women’s basketball team to gather and analyze data was particularly engaging and motivating for my math students!

Recently, a team of New York University researchers studied several California school districts and evaluated student surveys on social and emotional learning levels, including self-awareness. A 2024 NYU press release about the study begins with the cheeky question, “Does empathy relate to algebra?” The findings of the study showed that having a growth mindset (the belief that skills can improve with effort) and good self-management (controlling emotions, thoughts, and actions) were the best factors predicting math and English scores. This year, to promote social and emotional learning (SEL), our math team implemented a student self-reflection worksheet after each Illustrative Math unit, which consistently helped students consider their growth as learners and their math abilities.

Math teachers already know that the mindset that students carry with them into the classroom matters. We have research to support that knowledge. Taking time to actively teach students how growth mindset strategies impact their math education can have a transformational effect on not just your students’ test scores, but also their self-identity around mathematics. The earlier we start including SEL in our math lessons, the better it will be for our students.