Previous research indicates that executive functioning, the ability to manipulate information through the use of focused attention, is an important predictor of math achievement. Some studies report that the direct effects of executive functioning seem especially strong for mathematics. The present investigation examines variances in the speed with which children are able to manipulate information to determine the effect of speed of information processing on the relationship between executive functioning and math achievement. Variances in speed are referred to as processing speed, which is rarely studied among the African American population. The exclusive focus on African American children in the present investigation will allow us to identify cognitive factors that enhance math performance and advance our understanding of executive functioning and math achievement through statistical methods. It was hypothesized that processing speed would moderate the association between executive functioning and math achievement. The data that were used for this research were part of a larger study conducted with approximately 200 four and five-year-old African American children. This study aimed to inform future research about how processing speed affects the relationship between executive functioning and math achievement among African American children. Results may have implications for early math education policies.
