The dissertation study reported here describes various policies and strategies used by school districts that impact student performance on the Missouri Algebra 1 End-of- Course (EOC) assessment. Analysis of state testing data, teacher survey data, and interview data were used to describe policies and strategies used by 42 teachers and administrators at 6 high schools having 9-12 grade structure. Following the work of Yanez & Wenrick (2000); Williams, Kirst, Heartel, et al. (2005), a framework for school practices and policies that impact student performance was used to analyze interview and survey responses reported by administrators and teachers participating in this study. The majority of schools participating in this study have made adequate yearly progress (AYP) during at least one year since the administering of the Missouri Algebra 1 EOC assessment began. Two of these schools have yet to make AYP during the administration of the Algebra 1 EOC assessment, but have made gains during each year. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MODESE) allows the Algebra 1 EOC assessments to be administered to students during any year from 6th to 12th grade. If students are administered the Algebra 1 EOC assessment prior to entering secondary school, test scores are banked until the year a student is enrolled in secondary school. Therefore, one policy having a positive impact on student performance involves positioning the district to administer the Algebra 1 EOC to students prior to their entrance into secondary school. Another policy of successful districts was to place mathematics specialists in each elementary and middle school in the district. A successful strategy is to take advantage of Missouri's district delay policy that allows districts to delay testing of any student identified as "not ready to test." In all, a total of eight strategies and policies that are used by successful school districts have been determined to have impact on student improvement on the Missouri Algebra 1 EOC assessment. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]