Panel to sound alarm on Math Ed - But will the public care?

“More than four in 10 students surveyed say they would be "quite unhappy" if they ended up in a career with a math or science focus.”

The National Mathematics Advisory Panel, set up by President Bush to examine math education, will warn that the U.S. has to change the way math is taught to keep from losing out internationally, according to the Wall Street Journal. The panel's report was due to be released this week, and the Journal warned it would recommend teachers focus on "quick and effortless" understanding of the essentials.

If true, this isn't the first time leaders in business, science and education have warned about lagging math skills among American students. But surveys by the non-profit Public Agenda show that parents and students haven't heard the alarm.

Reality Check surveys find parents' concern about math and science achievement has actually declined since the mid-1990s. Only one quarter of high school students say lack of emphasis on science and math is a problem in their own school. And in a Kansas City area study, Public Agenda found just 25 percent of Kansas/Missouri parents think their children should be studying more math and science; 70 percent think things "are fine as they are now."

While leaders warn that math and science skills will be critical for jobs in the future, Public Agenda found most American students don't see this affecting their lives. More than four in 10 students say they would be "quite unhappy" if they ended up in a career with a math or science focus. Just 41 percent say having great skills with computers and technology is essential and half say that understanding science and having strong math skills are essential.

Abstract arguments for more math and science courses (such as international

competitiveness) didn't have much traction in the research. But the idea that math courses would give students a leg up in college admissions or in the job market was a much more powerful argument.

Read the final report
www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/report/final-report.pdf

Read The Wall Street Journal story: http://biz.yahoo.com/wallstreet/080305/sb120465579132610785_id.html?.v=2

Read Public Agenda studies on this topic:

"Important, but Not for Me": http://www.publicagenda.org/research/research_reports_details.cfm?list=110

Reality Check: Are Students and Parents Ready for More Math and Science: http://www.publicagenda.org/research/research_reports_details.cfm?list=96