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To increase opportunities for students to take more advanced math courses in high school, many school districts enroll grade 8 students in Algebra I, a gateway course for advanced math. But students who take Algebra I in grade 8 and skip other math courses, such as grade 8 general math, might miss opportunities to develop the foundational knowledge and skills required for success in advanced math courses. This leaves educators to determine which students are ready for Algebra I in grade 8 and which are not. To inform strategies that address this challenge, this study examined whether student knowledge in five math domains in grade 7 was associated with Algebra I achievement in grade 8. It found that students' scores in all five domains were associated with Algebra I achievement. The "expressions and equations" domain had the strongest association. The association between the "number system" domain and Algebra I achievement was stronger for English learner students than for non English learner students. The associations between the five grade 7 domains and Algebra I achievement did not significantly differ for students who were receiving special education services and those who were not. [For the appendixes, see ED606833; for the study brief, see ED606835; for the study snapshot, see ED606836.]

Historically, students took Algebra I in high school, but there has been a recent trend toward taking it in middle school (Domina, 2014). In the past two decades the proportion of middle school students taking Algebra I or more-advanced math courses has doubled (Domina, 2014). Success in Algebra I is important because it is a gateway course for advanced math (Star et al., 2015). Students who take and pass Algebra I are more likely to take and pass more-advanced math courses in high school (Snipes & Finkelstein, 2015). This trend has created a need for middle school teachers with more-advanced knowledge of math content, because prior research has suggested that teachers' knowledge of math content plays an important role in student achievement (National Mathematics Advisory Panel, 2008). The current study examines associations between the qualifications of middle school Algebra I teachers and their students' math achievement. Specifically, the study focuses on teacher certifications to teach math, education background, and performance on certification exams, particularly those associated with math content knowledge. Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education staff might use the findings from this study when determining certification rules for middle school Algebra I teachers. The findings might also be useful to education leaders in other states as they consider which teacher qualifications are important for student achievement in Algebra I. Key findings include: (1) Teacher performance on math certification exams and years of experience teaching math were the qualifications most strongly associated with middle school students' Algebra I achievement; and (2) Teacher performance on math certification exams and years of experience teaching math were also strongly associated with Algebra I achievement for students in under-represented subgroups (Black students and Hispanic students) and disadvantaged subgroups (students receiving special education services and students eligible for the national school lunch program).