As ed folks here in Washington State revamp our math standards and continue to debate curriculum, teacher training and assessment issues, it seems the Bush Administration has got the same idea.
According to Ed Week, the National Mathematics Advisory Panel spent most of Wednesday debating and rewriting a 68-page draft of a report to be delivered in final form to the White House by Feb. 28. The report makes recommendations and findings on curricular content, learning processes, training and evaluation of teachers, instructional practices, assessment and research. (No wonder it's 68 pages!)
Created by a 19-member panel of government leaders, professors, school administrators and teachers, some of the report focuses on key issues we all continue to grapple with such as: What are the core features of algebra? (the report says it's concepts like symbols and expressions, functions, and quadratic relations, to name a few.) And what specific concepts are too often neglected in K-8? (the report spells out fractions, whole numbers and elements of gemonetry and measurement.)
Bush Administration officials compare the math panel's mission to that of the National Reading Panel that had a broad impact on the federal Reading First program. They say the panel's advice could guide "Math Now," a federal grant program approved by Congress this year.
We'll keep an eye on this one and see what comes out in Feb. I just hope the final report hits the nail on the head so American students have a better chance of being the sharpest tool in the shed.
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