Traditional High School Math
Leads to Stronger College Placement

University of Wisconsin Study • Wollack & Fish (2009)

A clear, data-driven analysis of how high school mathematics curricula affect college math readiness. Drawing on placement test results from over 17,000 students and a real-world school curriculum switch, this summary highlights consistent advantages for traditional sequences over reform programs such as Core-Plus.

7–8%
Higher overall scores
for traditional students
~2×
More likely to place
into remedial math (Reform)
+6 pts
Higher Calculus placement
rate (Traditional)
Fair
Placement test shows
minimal bias by curriculum

Key Findings

  • → Traditional students outperformed reform students by meaningful margins on the UW Math Placement Test — even after accounting for overall achievement.
  • → Without high school Calculus: Traditional students averaged higher scores across Math Basics, Algebra, and Trigonometry sections.
  • → Placement impact is significant: Reform students were nearly twice as likely to require remedial math and far less likely to place directly into Calculus.
  • → The test is fair: Differential item analysis showed the placement test functions similarly regardless of whether students followed traditional or reform curricula.

Average Placement Scores (Students without HS Calculus)

Section Traditional Reform Difference
Math Basics 498 455 +43
Algebra 477 446 +31
Trigonometry 479 448 +31
Overall ~49% ~42% +7 pts

All scores standardized (mean = 500, SD = 100)

College Math Placement Rates (No HS Calculus)

Placement Level Traditional Reform
Remedial Math 10% 18%
Calculus 13% 7%

Nekoosa High School Case Study

Real-world evidence: When this Wisconsin high school switched from traditional math to Core-Plus (2004–2007), top graduates immediately showed lower placement scores and ACT-Math results compared to the traditional years.

  • Reform (Core-Plus) students without Calculus: 29% remedial placement
  • Traditional students without Calculus: 9% remedial placement
  • Even Core-Plus + AP Calculus students underperformed traditional + AP Calculus peers

Implications for Math Readiness

Traditional high school math sequences (Algebra I → Geometry → Algebra II/Trig → Precalculus) appear to build stronger foundational skills aligned with college expectations. Reform curricula showed particular gaps in advanced algebra, functions, trigonometry identities, and exponentials/logs.

The University of Wisconsin placement test itself does not favor one curriculum over another. The performance differences reflect what students actually learned in high school.

→ Read the original 2009 study (PDF)
Wollack, J. & Fish, M. — UW Center for Placement Testing