In some ways, mathematics and science achievement is a good news story, particularly for our younger students. But there are still many challenges ahead to make sure all students have the skills they need for work and citizenship in the 21st century.
What the data say about math and science performance:
Mathematics scores on the 2005 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) for grades 4 and 8 are higher than ever, and the gaps between majority and minority students have begun to shrink again (NCES 2006).
Science scores for grade 4 on the 2005 NAEP are likewise improving with low-income students and students of color showing the largest gains (NCES 2006).
Most students score at the “basic” level: 36 percent of grade 4 students and 30 percent of grade 8 students scored at or above the NAEP “proficient” level in mathematics. Grade 12 scores are about where they were in 1973 (NCES 2005). In science, about one out of three students at grades 4 and 8 scored at or above proficient, and only one in five high school seniors perform at proficient or above (NCES 2006).
State mathematics tests are, for the most part, not as rigorous as NAEP (Hall and Kennedy 2006).
Internationally, U.S. students at grades 4 and 8 scored above the average of nations on the Trends in Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) in 2003, but on the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), U.S. students ranked eighth out of 12 countries (TIMSS and PISA).
The general public thinks students don’t need more mathematics and science (Public Agenda 2006), but business, industry, and politicians think the nation’s economic future is in danger without more mathematics and science education (Business Roundtable et al. 2005).
Teacher shortages and high turnover are a particular problem in mathematics and science fields with 42 percent of secondary schools reporting difficulties in filling vacancies in mathematics and 30 percent in life sciences (Ingersoll, 2006).
Instruction in science and mathematics “is very far from the ideal of providing high quality mathematics and science education for all students” (Weiss et al. 2003).
What research says about raising overall math and science achievement …
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Provide all students with teachers who are qualified and knowledgeable in their subjects, because they make the biggest difference in student achievement. (National Commission, 2000; Education Trust 2002).
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Provide teachers with professional development on content and how to help students learn it (National Science Board 2006; Clewell at al. 2004;Wenglinsky 2002).
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Use curricula shown to increase student achievement (Senk & Thompson 2003; Schoenfeld 2003; What Works Clearinghouse 2004).
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Use technology to the max (National Science Board 2006; Loveless 2004).
… and closing the racial/poverty achievement gap.
All of the above and:
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Inside schools, train teachers to diagnose students’ weaknesses and focus on strengthening those areas (Wenglinsky, 2004).
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Use curricula shown to reduce gaps (Clewell et al. 2004; Schoenfeld 2005).
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Ensure all students have access to computers (National Science Board, 2006).
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Emphasize technology, including calculators, computers, and other high-tech tools (High Tech High Schools, 2006).
Sources
Business Roundtable et al. (2005). Tapping America’s Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative. Washington D.C.: Business Roundtable
Clewell B.C. et al. (2004). Review of Evaluation Studies of Mathematics and Science Curricula and Professional Development Models. Washington D.C.: the Urban Institute.
Education Trust (2002). Add It Up. Mathematics Education in the U.S., Does Not Compute. Thinking K-16, 6(1) Summer 2002). Washington D.C.: the Education Trust.
http://www2.edtrust.org/NR/rdonlyres/15B22876-20C8-47B8-9AF4-FAB148A225AC/0/PPSCreport.pdf
Hall, D. and Kennedy, S. (2006). Primary Progress, Secondary Challenge: a State-by-State Look at Student Achievement Patterns. Washington D.C.: The Education Trust.
High Tech High Schools (2006). http://www.hightechhigh.org
Ingersoll, R. (2006). Understanding Supply and Demand Among Mathematics and Science Teachers, in Teaching Science in the 21st Century. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press. http://hub.mspnet.org/media/data/NSTA_Ingersoll.pdf?media_000000002100.pdf
Loveless, T. (2004). Computation Skills, Calculators, and Achievement Gaps: An Analysis of NAEP Items. Paper presented at the 2004 AERA National Conference.
National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2006). Nation’s Report Card 2005 Assessment Results. Washington DC: U.S. Department of Education http://www.nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard.
National Commission on Mathematics and Science Teaching for the 21st Century (2000). Before It’s Too Late. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Education
National Science Board (2006). Science and Engineering Indicators 2006. Arlington VA: National Science Foundation
Public Agenda (2006). Are American Parents and Students Ready for More Math and Science? Reality Check 2006. New York: Public Agenda http://www.publicagenda.org/specials/realitycheck06/realitycheck06_main.htm
Schoenfeld A.H. & the Toolkit Team (2005). Evidence on Effectiveness of Curricula. Tool in the Toolkit for Change Agents. East Lansing MI: Michigan State University.
Senk, S.L. & Thompson, D.R. (2003). Standards-Based School Mathematics Curricula. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Educational Sciences, 2004. What Works Clearinghouse. Washington D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.
Weiss, I.R. et al. (2003). Looking inside the Classroom: A Study of K-12 Mathematics and Science Education in the U.S. http://www.horizon-research.com/insidetheclassroom/reports/looking/complete.pdf.
Wenglinsky, H. (2002). How Schools Matter: the Link between Teacher Classroom Practices and Student Academic Performance. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 10 (12). http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v10n12/
Wenglinsky, H. (2004). Closing the Racial Achievement Gap: The Role of Reforming Instructional Practices. Educational Policy Analysis Archives, 12 (64). http://epaa.asu.edu/epaa/v12n64/
