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This resource was developed by CSMC faculty and doctoral students with support from the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-0333879. The opinions and information provided do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation. 4-7-05

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Committees and Reports that Have Influenced the Changing Mathematics

Curriculum This set of PowerPoint slides is one of a series of resources produced by the Center for the Study of Mathematics Curriculum. These materials are provided to facilitate greater understanding of mathematics curriculum change and permission is granted for their educational use.

A Nation at RiskThe Imperative for Educational

Reform

http://www.mathcurriculumcenter.org

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Report of the National Commission on Excellence in

Education • 1983

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A Nation at RiskThe Imperative for Educational

Reform

National Commission onExcellence in Education

Committee Appointed: August 1981

Report Published: 1984

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The National Commission onExcellence in Education

David P. Gardner (Chair), University of Utah

Yvonne W. Larsen (Vice-Chair), San Diego City School Board

William O. Baker, Bell Telephone Laboratories

Anne Campbell, Former Commissioner of Education, Nebraska

Emeral A. Crosby, Northern High School, Detroit, MI

Norman C. Francis, Xavier University of Louisiana

Charles A. Foster, Jr., Foundation for Teaching Economics

A. Bartlett Giamatti, Yale University

Shirley Gordon, Highline Community College, Midway, WA

Gerald Holton, Harvard University

Robert V. Haderlein, National School Boards Association

Annette Y. Kirk, Kirk AssociatesMargaret S. Marston, Virginia State

Board of EducationAlbert H. Quie, Former Governor,

MinnesotaFrancisco D. Sanchez, Jr.,

Superintendent of Schools, Albuquerque, NM

Glenn T. Seaborg, University of California, Berkeley

Jay Sommer, New Rochelle High School, New Rochelle, NY

Richard Wallace, Lutheran High School East, Cleveland Heights, OH

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Mission of the Commission

• Assess the quality of teaching and learning in schools, colleges, and universities in the country• Compare U.S. schools to those of other advanced countries• Study the connection between college admissions requirements and high school achievement• Identify programs which lead to success in college• Assess the extent to which social and educational changes in the past 25 years influenced student achievement• Define problems to be addressed and solved in order to pursue educational excellence (pp. 1–2)

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Our Nation Is at Risk

“. . . the educational foundations of our society educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people. . . . If an unfriendly Nation and a people. . . . If an unfriendly foreign power had attempted to impose on foreign power had attempted to impose on America the mediocre educational America the mediocre educational performance that exists today, we might well performance that exists today, we might well have viewed it as an act of war. . . . We have, have viewed it as an act of war. . . . We have, in effect, been committing an act of in effect, been committing an act of unthinking, unilateral educational unthinking, unilateral educational disarmament.” (p. 5)disarmament.” (p. 5)

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• Japan builds cars more efficiently.

• South Korea has the most efficient steel mill.

• American machine tools are being replaced byGerman models.

Once the unquestioned leader, we are now falling behind.

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Some Indicators of the Risk

• Internationally, on 19 academic tests of achievement, American students were not first or second.

• Roughly 13% of U.S. students 17 years old are functionally illiterate, with the percentage for minorities at about 40%.

• College Board SAT math scores have dropped 40 points from 1963 to 1980.

• Between 1975 and 1980, remedial mathematics courses in 4-year colleges represented 25% of the math courses taught. (pp. 8–9)

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What can be done about this situation?

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Commissioned Research

41 research documents were developed by U.S. and international experts.

• The reports covered education from every angle.

• One report dealt specifically with mathematics.

“A Comparative Review of Curriculum: Mathematics and International Studies in the Secondary Schools of Five Countries” (Max Eckstein, Susanne Shafer, Kenneth Travers)

This study compared the curricula of the U.S., Japan, West Germany, U.S.S.R., Canada

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• Another report dealt with academic courses taken.

“A Study of High School Transcripts, 1964-1981”

(Clifford Adelman)

– Compared courses that high school graduates took over this period of time

– Found that student spent less time in academic courses

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7 Regional Public Hearings

1. Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education,Stanford University

Found specific areas of concern:

• “Critical shortages of physics, mathematics, and chemistry teachers exist at the secondary level.

• The average salary of a beginning math teacher with a bachelor’s degree is now only 60% of the beginning salary offered by private industry to bachelor degree candidates in mathematics.

• Substantial number of unqualified persons are teaching science and mathematics in secondary schools.

• Even certified science and mathematics teachers at the secondary level are in need of in-service training.

• New sequences of science and math courses and materials are needed which match stages of intellectual development of children.” (p. 54)

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7 Regional Public Hearings

2. Language and Literacy, Houston

3. Performance Expectations in American Education, Philadelphia

4. Teaching and Teacher Education, Georgia State University

5. College Admissions and the Transition to Postsecondary Education, Chicago

6. College Curriculum: Shape, Influence, and Assessment, University of Rhode Island

7. Education for the Gifted and Talented, Harvard University

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Findings about Content and Expectations

• From 1964 to 1979, the percentage of students in the general track has grown from 12% to 42%.

• Only about 31% of high school graduates complete intermediate algebra.

• Only 1 year of mathematics is required for graduation in 35 states.

• In 13 states, at least 50% of the credits required for graduation are electives.

• Minimum competency examinations often become the maximum standards.

• A majority of students could master 80% of their textbook before opening the book. (pp. 61–64)

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Findings about Teaching

• Teacher education programs are heavily weighted with education methods courses rather than subject courses.

• Many teachers must supplement income with part-time or summer jobs.

• Severe teacher shortages exist in certain fields, such as mathematics, science, and special education.

• About half of new math teachers are not qualified. (p. 66)

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Recommendation A: Content

““We recommend that State and local high We recommend that State and local high school graduation requirements be school graduation requirements be strengthened and that, strengthened and that, at a minimumat a minimum, , allall students seeking a diploma be required to lay students seeking a diploma be required to lay the foundations in the Five New Basics by the foundations in the Five New Basics by taking the following curriculum during their 4 taking the following curriculum during their 4 years of high school: (a) 4 years of English; (b) years of high school: (a) 4 years of English; (b) 3 years of mathematics; (c) 3 years of science; 3 years of mathematics; (c) 3 years of science; (d) 3 years of social studies; and (e) one-half (d) 3 years of social studies; and (e) one-half year of computer science. For the college-year of computer science. For the college-bound, 2 years of foreign language in high bound, 2 years of foreign language in high school are strongly recommended in addition school are strongly recommended in addition to those taken earlier.” to those taken earlier.” (p. 70)(p. 70)

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Implementing Recommendation A

“The teaching of mathematics in high school should equip graduates to: (a) understand geometric and algebraic concepts; (b) understand elementary probability and statistics; (c) apply mathematics in everyday situations; and (d) estimate, approximate, measure, and test the accuracy of their calculations. In addition to the traditional sequence of studies available for college-bound students, new, equally demanding mathematics curricula need to be developed for those who do not plan to continue their formal education immediately.” (p. 71)

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Implementing Recommendation A

• “The curriculum in the crucial eight grades leading to the high school curriculum should be specifically designed to provide a sound base for study . . . (and) foster an enthusiasm for learning.” (p. 72)

• Encouraged “the efforts by . . . The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics to revise, update, improve, and make available new and more diverse curricular materials.” (p. 73)

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Recommendation B: Standards and Expectations

“We recommend that schools, colleges, and universities adopt more rigorous and measurable standards, and higher expectations, for academic performance and student conduct, and that 4-year colleges and universities raise their requirements for admission. This will help students do their best educationally with challenging materials in an environment that supports learning and authentic accomplishment.” (p. 73)

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Recommendation C: Time

““We recommend that significantly more time be We recommend that significantly more time be devoted to learning the New Basics. This will devoted to learning the New Basics. This will require more effective use of the existing school require more effective use of the existing school day, a longer school day, or a lengthened school day, a longer school day, or a lengthened school year.” (p. 75)year.” (p. 75)

• To implement the recommendation, the committeerecommended:

– a 7-hour school day for 200–220 days– high school students should have more

homeworkassigned

– placement and grouping should be based on academic progress and instructional needs

rather than on age.

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Recommendation D: Teaching

• “Persons preparing to teach should be required to meet high educational standards, to demonstrate an aptitude for teaching, and to demonstrate competence in an academic discipline.”

• “Salaries for the teaching profession should be increased and should be professionally competitive, market-sensitive, and performance-based.”

• “Master teachers should be involved in designing teacher preparation programs and in supervising teachers during their probationary years.” (pp. 76–77)

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Recommendation E: Leadership and Fiscal Support

“We recommend that citizens across the Nation hold educators and elected officials responsible for providing the leadership necessary to achieve these reforms, and that citizens provide the fiscal support and stability required to bring about the reforms we propose.” (p. 78)