Disentangle the Curriculum and Structural Effects of Math Pathway Reforms: Evidence from Maryland Community College System

Abstract This study evaluates the impact of Maryland's Mathematics Reform Initiative (MMRI), which sought to improve student success in developmental and college-level math through comprehensive curriculum and structural reforms. Launched in 2015, the MMRI developed and implemented non-algebra math pathways tailored to students’ chosen program of study. Using administrative data of Maryland community colleges from 2014 to 2019, we adopted a difference-in-differences approach to assess the effects of MMRI and how various reform components contributed to the overall outcomes. Our findings indicate that MMRI resulted in a 7-percentage-point increase in developmental math completion by the end of the first year. Although MMRI overall did not lead to a significant increase in gateway math completion rates, colleges that combined corequisite support and multiple measures placement with curriculum changes experienced a 4-percentage-point rise in first-year gateway math completion. We found no significant changes in STEM major selection, enrollment persistence, or transfer rates within two years of the reform. These results suggest that aligning math pathways with students' academic programs—while simultaneously addressing structural barriers—can support greater progression in college-level mathematics; however, broader systemic support is likely required to meaningfully improve enrollment persistence and degree completion.