• Research in Mathematical Education
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.189-199
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• 2022

A debate about the importance of geometry courses has existed for years. The questions have revolved around its significance to students and teachers alike. This study looks to determine whether a teacher taking a college-level geometry course has a positive relationship with their students' algebraic reasoning skills. Using data from the High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS09: Ingels et al., 2011, 2014), it was determined that 9th-grade teachers who took a college-level geometry course had a significant positive association with their students' 11th-grade algebraic reasoning scores. This study suggests that teachers who take geometry during college have a lasting effect on their students. The implications of these findings and how they may affect higher education are discussed.