Understanding the Significance of Context: A Framework to Examine Equity and Reform in Secondary Mathematics

Abstract The purpose of this article is to outline a framework that can be used to examine issues of equity and mathematics reform. Adapted from an opportunity-to-learn framework proposed by Tate (2004), this model includes factors related to time, quality, and design. This framework is applied to the cases of two secondary mathematics teachers to illustrate how these factors can operate to shape teachers' implementation of reform. The differences between the two cases point to the significance of teaching context with respect to reform. The framework has equity implications insofar as the time and quality factors that constrain change appear to be more likely to impact students of color and students in high-poverty schools, thus denying them access to mathematics reform.