OCTM Board Meeting

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OCTM Board Meeting

• Mathematics from a National Perspective
• Cathy Brown
• May 2007

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Research says we havea significant challenge

• 2003 US 15-year olds ranked 24 out of 29 OECD
  countries on PISA.
• U.S. better than Portugal, Italy, Greece, Turkey
  and Mexico

• PISA 15 year olds
• NAEP grade 12
• Emphasis (Horizon Research)

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NAEP Results (High School)

• 23 at or above proficient
• 61 at or above basic
• 39 below basic

• Highest Math Course Taken
• Calculus 18
• Pre-calculus 21
• Algebra II 41
• Geometry 12
• Algebra 1 or lt 8

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So.

• Relative underachievement internationally
• Grade 12 underachievement
• Achievement gaps
• Algebra II is a mirage for many
• Instruction makes a difference
• No wonder there is all this attention!

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The pipeline

• 1985 3,800,000 Kindergarten students
• 1998 2,810,000 High school graduates
• 1998 1,843,000 College freshman
• 2002 1,292,000 College graduates
• 2002 150,000 STEM majors
• 2006 1,800 PhDs in mathematics

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Some promising guidance

• Relevance
• Clarity and appropriateness of
• expectations
• Conceptually-based instruction
• Meaningful rigor
• Time
• Professional Collaboration
• Accountability

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What are the TIMSS leaders focusing on?

• Student creativity
• Collaboration
• Communication
• Problem solving
• Critical thinking
• Sound familiar? How ironic if they implement our
  standards before we do!

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CCSSO Mathematics and Science Education Task
Force Recommendations
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• The CCSSO Mathematics and Science Education Task
  Force convened to address a common set of
  concerns.
• The performance level of U.S. students on
  international assessments is substantially below
  that of students in many other nations.
• One-third of our high school graduates are not
  prepared to enter postsecondary education or the
  workforce.
• The number of U.S. students graduating from
  advanced degree programs in mathematics and
  science continues to decline, and the majority of
  our graduate students in these subjects come from
  countries outside of the United States.
• Directly related to student performance is
  teacher quality.

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Purpose and Objectives

• To examine policy and practice to improve
  mathematics and science education across the P-12
  system, particularly at the middle and high
  school levels
• To identify for widespread dissemination current
  successful models and practices in P-12
  mathematics and science education
• To identify for widespread dissemination
  principles of practice in high quality
  professional development, and delivery of
  instruction in P-12 mathematics and science
  education

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• ACHIEVE
• Created in 1996 by governors and concerned CEOs
• Bipartisan, independent, non-profit
• Works with states to improve the quality of
  standards, tests and accountability systems
• Organized 1999, 2001, and 2005 National Education
  Summits
• Prepare all young people for postsecondary
  education, work and citizenship by raising
  academic standards and achievement in America's
  schools.

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The American Diploma Project

• Achieve worked with partner organizations and
  five partner states Indiana, Kentucky,
  Massachusetts, Nevada and Texas.
• Two components Workplace and Postsecondary
  Studies
• Two year study involved a workplace study by
  Anthony Carnevale Donna Desrochers and input
  from wide variety of K-12, higher education and
  business representatives.
• Outcome Identified must-have knowledge and
  skills graduates will need to be successful in
  college and the workplace.

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Types of Good Jobs

• Well-paid, Skilled White-Collar Jobs Include
• Financial Services Support
• Administrative Support
• Health Technicians
• Human Services
• Sales Managers

• Highly Paid, Professional Jobs Include
• Managers
• Engineers
• Legal Professionals
• Licensed Medical
• Teachers
• Financial
• Insurance
• Information Technology

• Well-paid, Skilled Blue-Collar Jobs Include
• Protective Services
• Crafts Workers
• Mechanics
• Repairers
• Service Technicians

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ADP Workplace Study Key findings What does it
take to succeed in good jobs?

• In Mathematics, Algebra II was the threshold math
  course for most workers in good jobs.
• Important content for work included Algebra,
  geometry/measurement, data analysis/statistics,
  fluency with computation
• Employers emphasized importance of workers being
  able to think creatively and logically and to
  identify and solve problems.

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A strong high school curriculum improves college
completion and narrows gaps
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Completing at least Algebra II plus other
courses. Source Adapted from Adelman, Clifford,
U.S. Department of Education, Answers in the
Toolbox, 1999.
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ADP Network 29 states now committed to raising
achievement
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The Rising Above the Gathering Storm report of
the National Academies issued four
challenges Increase America's talent pool by
vastly improving K-12 mathematics and science
education. Sustain and strengthen the nation's
commitment to long-term basic research. Develop,
recruit, and retain top students, scientists, and
engineers from both the U.S. and abroad. Ensure
that the United States is the premier place in
the world for innovation.
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NMP Task Groups Work to date has focused on 4
areas, covered by task groups in the following
categories Conceptual Knowledge and
Skills Learning Processes Instructional
Practices Teachers Future work will
include Assessment Task Group (to be formed at
Chicago Meeting, April 2007) Discussion across
task groups on research needs in support of
mathematics education
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Research Questions

• Conceptual Knowledge and Skills Task Group
• What are the elements or major topics of algebra?
• Does the sequence and depth of study of
  mathematics topics leading to algebra affect
  algebra achievement?
• What are the mathematical essentials at the
  elementary and middle school levels which
  correlate to success in algebra?

Websitehttp//www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/math
panel/index.html
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What are Curriculum Focal Points? The most
important mathematical topics for each grade
level, preK-8 Cohesive clusters of related
ideas, concepts, skills, and procedures that form
the foundation for higher-level mathematics More
than a single objective, standard, expectation,
or indicator Not discrete topics for teachers to
present and check off as mastered by students
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Number of 4th-Grade Learning Expectations per
State by Content Strand
Reys, et al., 2006
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Why Identify Focal Points?

• Need to address long lists of learning
  expectations
• Concern of mile wide, inch deep curriculum
• Identify a focus of mathematics instruction and
  student learning, preK-8
• Begin discussion of appropriate curricular
  expectations
• Identify key mathematical ideas all others build
  upon

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NCTM Curriculum Principle

• a well-articulated curriculum gives
  teachers guidance regarding important ideas or
  major themes, which receive special attention at
  different points in time. It also gives guidance
  about the depth of study warranted at particular
  times and when closure is expected for particular
  skills or concepts.
• Principles and Standards, p. 16

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What Are Curriculum Focal Points?

• Three per grade level, preK-8
• Often represent multiple content strands
• Describe the majority of instruction for a
  specific grade level
• Taken together across grade levels, provide the
  major components of a mathematically sound,
  coherent and cohesive preK-8 curriculum

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Whats happening at High School?

• NCTM Board Move forward
• Task Force Timeline for the project
• Writing Group Create Lens Focal Points
• Traditional Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II
  ( Probability Statistics)
• Integrated
• Grade Level