The Algebra Project seeks to build the demand for math literacy in local sites across the country. Its leadership views this focus as a continuation of the Civil Rights struggle in which transforming math education in our schools is as urgent in today’s world as was winning the right to vote in the Jim Crow South in the early 60s. Its goal is to address the lack of economic access that face children from communities of poor people and people of color. It aims at bringing about a sea change in the attitude of teachers and young people toward math learning and math achievement. One example of this is happening today at Jackson, Mississippi’s Lanier High School where large numbers of students are taking trigonometry and introductory engineering.

This is the context in which we do our work:

• According to the Urban Institute, 50% of black ninth graders, 49% of Native Americans and 47% of Latinos/as do not graduate in four years.
• In some poor urban and rural schools drop out rates approach 80%.
• According to the National Assessment of Education Progress, 43% of black 12th graders and 58% of Latinos/as are testing at “below basic.”