RQ1 — Placement & Pathways

To what extent does HS GPA and ACT Math predict calculus success, and how are these moderated by time since high school or concurrent enrollment?

RQ2 — Equity & Learning Contexts

To what extent do demographics and prior math coursework predict success, and how are these moderated by corequisite course availability or section mean HS GPA?

• HS GPA (cwc) was the strongest predictor of success \((\gamma_{10}=1.608, p<0.001)\).
  • A +1 SD increase in HS GPA → 87% increase in odds of passing.
• ACT Math was not a significant predictor alone \((\gamma_{20}=0.053, p=0.128)\).
• But: the benefit of HS GPA fades with years out of high school \((\gamma_{80}=-0.798, p<0.001)\).
  • Students 2+ years past HS received no predicted benefit from their HS GPA.

Implication: Wyoming CCs use ACT Math for placement; only 2 use HS GPA. This is backwards.

• Main effects of ACT Math and concurrent enrollment prerequisite were not individually significant.
• Their interaction was \((\gamma_{90}=0.203, p<0.05)\): students who took concurrent enrollment got a boost from higher ACT scores.
  • +1 SD concurrent enrollment & +1 SD ACT Math → 44% increase in odds of passing.
• Students with average or below-average concurrent enrollment received little ACT benefit.

Implication: Concurrent enrollment is not a universal equalizer — it reinforces advantages for students who were already academically stronger.

• More math prerequisite courses (cwc) was a significant positive predictor \((\gamma_{40}=0.305, p<0.05)\).
  • Each additional prerequisite course → 36% increase in odds of passing.
• Corequisite availability negated this effect \((\gamma_{41}=-0.552, p<0.01)\).
  • At colleges with corequisites available, the benefit of prerequisites was reduced by 42% — essentially eliminated.
• Corequisite availability alone was not significant \((\gamma_{02}=-0.189, p=0.430)\).

Implication: Where corequisites exist, the long prerequisite track doesn’t build momentum — it may be that a different kind of student takes the corequisite route.

• Section mean HS GPA (gmc) was a strong positive predictor of success \((\gamma_{01}=2.912, p<0.001)\).
  • +1 SD section GPA (0.19 GPA pts) → 75% increase in odds of passing.
• URM status alone was not significant \((\gamma_{70}=-0.215, p=0.362)\).
• But the cross-level interaction Section GPA × URM was significant and negative \((\gamma_{71}=-2.734, p<0.05)\).
  • For URM students, the benefit of being in a high-GPA section was reduced by 94% — essentially zero.