Teaching and learning algebra has undergone a critical transformation in the US over the last two decades. Recognizing that historical paths to algebra have been largely unsuccessful in terms of students’ achievement in algebra, numerous conferences have convened to examine challenges in traditional algebra education and identify possible solutions. As a result, scholars have increasingly advocated that algebra be re-conceptualized in school mathematics as a longitudinal, grades K-12 strand of thinking so that students have long-term, sustained algebra experiences in school mathematics, beginning in the elementary grades, that build their natural, informal intuitions about structure and relationships into formalized ways of mathematical thinking.

Along these lines, early algebra research has provided us with important evidence regarding children’s ability to think algebraically. However, a great deal of that evidence is still local in nature. As such, an open question in early algebra research involves understanding the impact a sustained, longitudinal early algebra experience has on students’ achievement in middle school and beyond.

One of the essential reasons that impacts of early algebra education have not been explored extensively is that the curricular connections between early algebra and algebra in later grades have not been clearly articulated and appropriate assessments have not been developed and validated to examine student understanding of the skills within this domain. This project aims to address this work.