Modern Algebra 2

While students are required to complete Algebra 1 and Geometry, or Integrated Math 1 & 2, for their first two credits of mathematics, the third credit of math is to align with their interests and High School and Beyond Plan. For students planning to attend a four-year university and/or continue into higher mathematics courses, Algebra 2 is recognized as appropriate for their pathway. 

OSPI, with partners from across Washington and around the US, and support from the Washington Legislature, has developed a modernized Algebra 2 course that is available to all districts at no cost. 

Modern Algebra 2 is a complete set of instructional materials that overhauls the outdated content and approach of the traditional course to be meaningful and relevant for Washington students. The course is for all students seeking Algebra 2 credit. The content of the course includes the learning necessary for all mathematics courses that follow, including Pre-Calculus, Statistics, and Quantitative Reasoning, and prepares students on multiple pathways to reason and problem-solve in the 21st century. 

District Registration for Modern Algebra 2 for 2024-25.

Content and Approach 

In Semester 1 Modern Algebra 2, students explore sequences, functions, inverses, transformations, polynomials, rational functions, rational exponents, and exponential functions. In Semester 2 this content is further developed through mathematical modeling and includes four or more of periodic functions (trigonometry), finance, introduction to data, data science, matrices and vectors, and advanced modeling. 

Throughout the course, students are encouraged to make sense of the mathematics they are learning rather than focusing on procedural manipulation. They recognize the quantities that numbers and variables represent, work with multiple representations, and recognize the relationships between them by considering how they vary in accordance with each other. 

How are teachers prepared for and supported in the content and approach? 

Teachers are provided extensive professional learning to support all aspects of Modern Algebra 2. They attend a four-day Summer Institute that offers deep grounding into the approach and strategies utilized in the course and then engage in a combination of virtual and in-person sessions throughout the year to support their confidence in implementation. Teacher participation in the professional learning activities is mandatory and supported by funding available from OSPI. 

What is the benefit of implementing Modern Algebra 2? 

After the pilot in Washington in 2022-2023, teachers universally agreed that it enhanced their practice. They reported that students found the content more accessible and experienced better understanding of multiple topics. Students themselves (more than 90% of those responding to surveys) claimed greater confidence in mathematics, problem solving and strategies for success. 

Implementing Modern Algebra 2 

Registration for Modern Algebra 2 for 2024-25 will be available beginning in February with a link on this page. Grant funding, up to $2,000 per new teacher and $1,000 per returning teacher, is available to support teacher participation in the required professional learning. 

My students are asking questions like they never did before. Their level of understanding of the content goes deeper to let them do that. - Teacher feedback on the pilot program.

Professional Development & Support

Teachers new to Modern Algebra 2

• Attend the initial four-day Summer Institute, August 2024 
• Participate in a combination of virtual and in-person communities of practice that provide ongoing professional development to deepen their understanding of the content and its implementation.  

This ongoing learning offers a comprehensive, sustained, job-embedded, and collaborative approach to improve student performance and college readiness (RCW 28A.415.430). Teachers report that this professional learning is key for course implementation and impacts their practice holistically. 

Returning teachers

• Invited to attend a two-day Summer Institute  
• Welcome at all other professional learning events of the course