article

To Get Algebra 1 Right, Rethink What Comes Before

May 21, 2025

by Stephanie Gold

Last week, TNTP and New Classrooms released a report, “Unlocking Algebra,” which identifies specific “predecessor” math skills from earlier grades that strongly predict student success in Algebra 1. The report finds that targeted, individualized instruction on these foundational skills is likely a more effective intervention than general remediation or grade-level-only instruction. The report presents several conclusions:

Conclusion #1: Not all prior knowledge is equal

Students who lacked key predecessor skills struggled significantly more in Algebra 1 than those who had them, even if they had general math knowledge.

Students with few prior math skills: 13% success rate
Students with general prior math knowledge (but missing key skills): 31% success rate
Students with general and key predecessor skills: 58% success rate

Conclusion #2: Instructional coherence is essential

Core instruction (Tier 1) and interventions (Tier 2) are often disconnected and inconsistent. Evidence underscores the importance of aligning curriculum, materials, assessments, and interventions around a shared vision of grade-level expectations and key predecessors.

Key Predecessor Skills and Exact Path

The Unlocking Algebra report reaffirms our conclusion that not all prior knowledge contributes equally to algebra readiness. That’s why we built our framework around the foundational skills most predictive of Algebra 1 success, not just general math knowledge.

Our Exact Path 6-8 content was built with these predecessor skills in mind and with an intentional goal of ensuring students experience a connected progression of skills across grade levels. Each Exact Path lesson is part of a carefully scaffolded pathway that teaches prerequisite skills explicitly and in sequence, helping students make meaningful connections between what they know and what comes next, supporting both Tier 1 and Tier 2 instruction.

Below, we have compared the report’s list of necessary prerequisites (grade 6-8) and identified the Exact Path lesson that teaches each skill and the applicable concepts. After removing duplicate entries and skills taught exclusively in 9th grade, 28 unique skills remain—each addressed by a targeted Exact Path lesson and its supporting concepts:

It’s important to note that each key predecessor skill depends on earlier foundational concepts. Exact Path is intentionally designed to teach these concepts in a logical, sequenced progression. This sequencing isn’t just a feature; it’s essential. The TNTP report highlights that instructional coherence is as crucial as identifying the right skills: students need to learn the right skills, in the right order, with effective scaffolding. In Exact Path, students develop proportional reasoning, rational number fluency, and coordinate plane skills in a sequenced way, which together prepare them to master graphing linear equations and calculating rate of change.

Exact Path lessons are clearly and intentionally aligned to standards and grounded in research-based instructional frameworks that ensure students build fluency and understanding over time. Concepts are segmented into manageable chunks, presented with cognitive load in mind, and introduced in a logical order that reflects the way students actually learn by connecting new ideas to prior knowledge.

Supporting success in Algebra 1

Success in Algebra 1 depends on more than isolated remediation. Exact Path supports learners across the full spectrum by developing number sense, reinforcing proportional relationships, and advancing from concrete representations to abstract reasoning. It does this through intentional scope and sequence and a learning model that emphasizes meaning-making, conceptual understanding, and fluency. This alignment between instructional design and research-based skill progressions is what makes Exact Path an effective tool for closing learning gaps and accelerating long-term success in math.

Together, these design principles ensure that Exact Path not only develops the key predecessor skills identified as critical for Algebra 1 success, but also delivers them through a coherent, research-based instructional sequence—directly reflecting the TNTP report’s core conclusions.

Check out these related resources to support math success:

Reference

TNTP. (2025, May 13). Unlocking Algebra: What the Data Tells Us About Helping Students Catch Up. TNTP. https://tntp.org/publication/unlocking-algebra/

About the author

Stephanie Gold brings over two decades of experience in educational leadership, curriculum development, and digital learning to her role as a Learning Designer at Edmentum. With a deep-seated passion for transforming education through technology, Stephanie has held pivotal roles in STEM education, course design, and school leadership, notably influencing digital curriculum development across various educational settings.

With a Master of Arts in Science Education from New York University and now pursuing a Master's program in Instructional Design and Technology, Stephanie is adept at integrating pedagogical expertise with technological acumen to craft educational experiences that resonate with both students and educators. Her journey through the educational landscape includes leadership positions in Independent Schools, Online Schools, and the development of Professional Learning Platforms.