The Influence of Mathematical-Instructional Minutes on the Percentage of Proficient and Advanced Proficient Scores in Mathematics on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge for Grades 6-8

The purpose of this non-experimental, cross-sectional, correlational study was to examine the influence, if any, of mathematical-instructional minutes on academic achievement as measured by the 2014 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) 6, 7, and 8 mathematics scores. Additionally, the study accounted for other factors that influence student achievement, including selected metrics and variables listed on the 2013-2014 New Jersey School Performance Report. The variable of interest, mathematical-instructional minutes, was obtained via survey from all schools in New Jersey that educated students in Grades 6-8. The survey data were then matched with each responding school’s New Jersey School Performance Report metrics. The unit of analysis was school. Data were run through multiple hierarchical regression models to determine the statistical significance and influence, if any, of mathematical-instructional minutes on NJ ASK 6-8 mathematics scores. The variable of interest, mathematical-instructional minutes, was not a significant predictor of student achievement for the NJ ASK Grades 6 and Grade 7. Mathematical-instructional minutes was a significant predictor of student achievement in Grade 8, accounting for 1.17% of the variance in total Proficient/Advanced Proficient math scores on the Grade 8 NJ ASK. The results of this study demonstrated that the percentage of economically disadvantaged students was the strongest predictor of student achievement, accounting for roughly 36%-65% of the explained variance in mathematics achievement. Percentage of students with a disability was also found to be a significant predictor of student achievement in Grades 6 and Grades 7. Additionally, percentage of students taking algebra was a significant predictor of student achievement in Grade 8