The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the mathematical achievement and attitude of weak mathematics students enrolled in a two-semester or three-semester ninth-grade elementary algebra course. Teaching methods and attitudes of teachers were also evaluated. The sample was 1,508 students who were enrolled in either the two- or three-semester course and who scored below minimum competence on the New York State Minimum Competence Test in Arithmetic Fundamentals (NYSMCTAF) and/or below grade level on the Metropolitan Achievement Test in Mathematics (MATM). Analysis of covariance, t-tests, and Chi-square tests were used to analyze student data twice: once for the group identified by the NYSMCTAF pretest and once for the MATM pretest group. A Chi-square test, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, t-test, and analysis of variance were used to analyze teacher data. For the NYSMCTAF pretest group, a significantly higher percent failed in the two-semester course than in the three-semester course. However, there were no significant differences in the MATM pretest group. Attitude followed this same pattern. Students in the three-semester course scored significantly better on one of two different posttests. There were no significant differences among the teachers for the variables measured. (Author/JP)