Can math badges be recognized as credible, stand-alone indicators of student proficiency on a transcript or college application? That’s the question we talked about in spring 2025 with a cross-state group of postsecondary faculty and institutional representatives as part of the Illinois Math Badging Initiative, a partnership with XQ Institute, Center for Assessment, and Student Achievement Partners.
Currently, math badges are used within traditional course structures, functioning more like units of credit rather than stand-alone credentials. However, the long-term goal for the XQ’s national initiative is for math badges to serve as independent indicators of student proficiency on transcripts and learning records. To help advance this vision, we gathered input from a group of postsecondary representatives on whether student work tied to math badges demonstrates the level of proficiency needed for college readiness.
Advisory members participated in pre-work, two virtual convenings, and independent student portfolio reviews. Throughout the process, they explored the design of the math badging program, assessed the rigor and clarity of student work, and considered if and how badges might support placement or targeted remediation at the college level. Through thoughtful discussion and analysis, the advisory surfaced critical insights into the strengths and limitations of math badges as a stand-alone indicator of student proficiency on a transcript.
Exploring the Role of Badges in College Math Placement
One of the central questions explored by the advisory group was whether math badges could serve as a reliable indicator for placing students into college-level math courses. Based on the portfolio samples reviewed by the group, the consensus was clear: while badges show promise, they are not yet sufficient on their own to guarantee placement into credit-bearing, college-level math. However, the postsecondary advisors saw real potential for badges to play a meaningful role in hybrid placement models, such as being used in conjunction with bridge courses or corequisite supports, particularly as a tool for identifying and addressing targeted skill gaps.
To move toward broader acceptance of badges for placement, the advisory recommended a few key steps:
- Implementing a secure, end-of-badge assessment that students complete independently and without prior access to the content. The advisory felt that this would ensure greater consistency and objectivity in measuring mastery.
- Having independent evaluators make final badge determinations, rather than classroom teachers, to build trust among postsecondary institutions in the validity of the credentials.
- In the short term, using well-established, commonly accepted tests to benchmark the performance of students in the badging system against students in traditional courses. Over time, if badge outcomes consistently align with success in college-level math, such external validation tools could become less necessary.
Ultimately, the advisory proposed a dual approach: combining independently scored portfolios (evaluated with a clear, consistent rubric and supported by trained reviewers) with independently administered exams. This model could provide the robust evidence needed to confidently place students in appropriate postsecondary math pathways and ensure badges are not only meaningful symbols of learning but also practical tools for advancing student success.
“Show What You Know”: Promising Features of Math Badging
Advisory members expressed optimism about the potential of math badging to strengthen the transition from high school to college. Several promising features stood out in their feedback:
- Targeted support: Because badges are tied to specific learning outcomes, instructors can identify precise gaps in student knowledge and offer focused interventions, which can be especially useful for college onboarding, bridge programs, or corequisite courses.
- Skill transparency: Badging systems require students to demonstrate proficiency in every key area, rather than allowing them to pass a course by accumulating points despite missing critical content. This promotes a deeper, more complete understanding and ensures no essential skill is overlooked.
- Assessment alternatives: Advisors were excited by the use of project-based or portfolio assessments as an alternative to traditional high-stakes tests. This opens the door to more authentic demonstrations of learning and provides opportunities for students who may not perform well on standardized exams to showcase their knowledge.
- Flexible learning pathways: Badging enables students to “stack” learning in smaller chunks, allowing them to move at their own pace and master only what they need, rather than repeating entire courses. The fine-grained structure of badges allows for a more personalized and modular approach to instruction, which can be adapted to various learner needs and educational settings more easily than traditional course formats.
As one advisor put it, “This approach helps students show what they know in ways that traditional systems sometimes miss.”
Turning Insights into Action
The engagement of this postsecondary advisory group marks a critical step in reimagining a more inclusive, transparent, and student-centered approach to college math readiness. The feedback gathered highlighted the promise of math badging to support more meaningful and flexible learning pathways, while also clarifying what’s needed to move the work forward: stronger assessment frameworks, independent evaluation, and clearer exemplars of student proficiency. While badges may not yet replace traditional math placement tests, they offer a powerful opportunity to reshape how we recognize and support student learning.
The insights gathered will guide ongoing refinement of the initiative and strengthen efforts to position badges as credible tools for postsecondary admission and placement. Ultimately, this work invites educators to rethink how we teach and honor math learning, so more students can thrive in college and beyond.
