This study is a longitudinal look at the different mathematics placement profiles of Black students and White students from late elementary school through 8th grade. Results revealed that Black students had reduced odds of being placed in algebra by the time they entered 8th grade even after controlling for performance in mathematics. An important implication of this study is that placement recommendations must be monitored to ensure that high-achieving students are placed appropriately, regardless of racial background.

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This article argues that issues surrounding adolescent literacies problematize the relationship between the acquisition of core skills, the need to connect with a more expansive repertoire of literate practices, and a middle school reform initiative that encourages greater connectedness to the world of the adolescent. The terms public literacy and private literacy are used to offer an expanded notion of the concept of adolescent literacy. A case study representing one teacher and one student's construction of literacy in a year 8 homeroom is presented to determine whether attention was paid to an expanded notion of what it means to be literate as young adolescents. It is argued that the private literacies of adolescents need to be teased out and embedded within middle school reform.

Student performance in mathematics has been linked to the mathematical knowledge of the teacher. Based on this finding, a 5-day professional development module was created to improve teachers’ mathematical knowledge and their understanding of number sense. We found no difference prior to the professional development in mathematical content knowledge for teaching mathematics (CKTM) between special education teachers (at the K-12 level) and general education teachers (K-6). Results revealed that participating teachers made significant gains in mathematical CKTM. Implications and recommendations for professional development in mathematics are provided.

Preparing effective STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) education teachers has become a priority of national economic importance (National Research Council [NRC], 2007) and this goal depends on teachers who understand content and possess effective teaching practices that impact student learning true integration of STEM will require significant changes in classroom practices, shifting away from traditional instruction and begin with teacher preparation. The present article originates from an interdisciplinary STEM project within an elementary teacher preparation program that has a stated and explicit STEM focus for undergraduate pre-service elementary teachers, yet this investigation also applies to practicing teachers interested in STEM integration. The investigation aims to blur the rigid boundaries that traditionally separate school subjects. Here we highlight a unified investigation project that spans not only disciplines and courses but also pre-service teachers’ (PSTs’) mindsets.