David BressoudMacalester College, St. Paul, MN

The Future of High School MathematicsWashington, DCSeptember 26, 2008

Algebra is fundamental.

Whether a student is heading into precalculus, statistics, or a course in quantitative literacy, facility with and understanding of many different aspects of algebra is essential for college-level work.

Advanced Mathematics and Science Coursetaking in the Spring High School Senior Classes of 1982, 1992, and 2004. NCES 2007-312

Year PrecollegePrecalculus

levelCalculus

and above Total1980 682,000 952,000 789,000 2,423,000 1985 733,000 886,000 883,000 2,502,000 1990 985,000 953,000 905,000 2,843,000 1995 1,022,000 1,029,000 777,000 2,828,000 2000 981,000 1,105,000 804,000 2,890,000 2005 1,165,000 1,179,000 848,000 3,192,000

CBMS data, does not include introductory statistics

Year PrecollegePrecalculus

levelCalculus & above Total

1980 5.9% 8.2% 6.8% 21.0%1985 6.0% 7.2% 7.2% 20.4%1990 7.1% 6.9% 6.5% 20.6%1995 7.2% 7.2% 5.4% 19.8%2000 6.4% 7.2% 5.3% 18.9%2005 6.7% 6.8% 4.9% 18.5%

CBMS and NCES data

Year PrecollegePrecalculus

levelCalculus & above Total

1980 5.9% 8.2% 6.8% 21.0%1985 6.0% 7.2% 7.2% 20.4%1990 7.1% 6.9% 6.5% 20.6%1995 7.2% 7.2% 5.4% 19.8%2000 6.4% 7.2% 5.3% 18.9%2005 6.7% 6.8% 4.9% 18.5%

CBMS and NCES data

CBMS and College Board data

CBMS data

Of the high school students who graduated in 1992 and studied “calculus” while in high school, 31.5% took precalculus in college.

From the transcript analysis of the National Education Longitudinal Study begun in 1988

College faculty have a responsibility to hold realistic expectations of students and find more effective means of engaging and supporting them.

The American Freshman, CIRP data

College and high school faculty must work together:

•To identify the core skills and understandings that all high school students should master.

•To ensure that all high school math teachers are equipped with a profound understanding of these core skills and understandings.

“A focus on teaching must avoid the temptation to consider only the superficial aspects of teaching: the organization, tools, curriculum, content, and textbooks. The cultural activity of teaching – the ways in which the teacher and students interact about the subject – can be more powerful than the curriculum materials that teachers use.”

Stigler and Hiebert (2004), Improving mathematics teaching, Educational Leadership

“A focus on teaching must avoid the temptation to consider only the superficial aspects of teaching: the organization, tools, curriculum, content, and textbooks. The cultural activity of teaching – the ways in which the teacher and students interact about the subject – can be more powerful than the curriculum materials that teachers use.”

Stigler and Hiebert (2004), Improving mathematics teaching, Educational Leadership

PowerPoint available at www.macalester.edu/~bressoud/talks