Nearly all high graduates in the class of ’05 passed Algebra I — or a course labeled Algebra I, concludes a new federal study. But fewer than one in four studied the challenging algebra topics needed to prepare for college-level math, the National Assessment of Educational Progress study found. Most geometry and “integrated math” also were watered down. From Education Week.

Education watchers hoping to close persistent achievement gaps among students of different racial and ethnic groups long have pushed for all students to take “college-ready” class schedules, including at least four years of high school math, including Algebra I and II, Geometry, and Calculus. Here, at least, the transcript study shows this push has paid off: Graduates in 2005 earned on average 3.8 credits in math, significantly more than the average of 3.2 credits earned by graduates in 1990. Moreover, from 1990 to 2005, black graduates closed a six-percentage-point gap with white graduates in the percentages of students earning at least three math credits, including in algebra and geometry.

Two thirds of Algebra I and Geometry courses covered core content topics. However, the quality of courses varied widely. Only a third of algebra students spent 60 percent of their time on challenging topics such as functions and advanced number theory. Only a fifth of geometry students primarily studied rigorous material.

“We found that there is very little truth-in-labeling for high school Algebra I and Geometry courses,” said Sean P. “Jack” Buckley, the NCES commissioner, in a statement on the study.

“Honors” meant nothing in algebra:  ”Regular” Algebra I classes were more likely to be rigorous than “honors” classes. Geometry honors classes were more likely to be rigorous, but only a third of honors geometry classes contained challenging material, compared with 19 percent of regular geometry classes.

Researchers analyzed the textbooks used; it’s possible teachers added more challenging supplemental material. However, “students who took classes that covered more rigorous topics in algebra and geometry scored significantly higher on the NAEP than those who studied beginner topics, regardless of the course’s title,” Ed Week reports.

It’s no wonder so many high school graduates are placed in remedial math in college, despite passing high school math courses, often with B’s and C’s.