November 29, 2009 in Letters

Math delay unwarranted

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Randy Dorn proposes a delay of game in holding students and schools accountable to the new math standard in 2013. Before throwing in the towel, consider whether Randy has tried effective execution.

Randy’s team, unchanged from the failed Bergeson administration, has been systematically undermining implementation of the new math standard.

Assessment has devolved into testing only small pieces of the standard. Vital content such as knowing math facts and proficiency with standard algorithms are not to be tested. Publishing these subsets focuses districts on teaching to the test, which guts the standard.

OSPI personnel continue to push Discovering curriculum, contrary to Dorn’s own policy. This curriculum was rated unsound by three out of five analysts. The two supporting this unsound product were a mathematician with financial ties to the publisher and a Bergeson employee who also developed the curriculum selection criteria. Both are clear conflicts of interest.

Professional development for teachers provides definitions contrary to those in the standard for “standard algorithms.” These mixed signals are a confusing moving target for school districts.

Instead of petitioning for a delay of game, Dorn must clean house and focus on unambiguous crisp execution consistent with the Washington Math Standards.

Delay is unwarranted. Execute!

Tim Christensen

State Board of Education Math Advisory Panel

Otis Orchards

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