In the early days of computers there was a popular saying that went: “Garbage in … garbage out.” The idea was that computers were only as good as the data that was put in them. The same is true with state math standards. Poor standards lead to poor curriculum and substandard state tests. Many of those who are schooled in mathematics agree that the Washington state math standards fall into this category.

The Washington Assessment of Student Learning math test that was recently completed by high school sophomores across the state is a byproduct of our state math standards. The exam does not test basic math skills, nor does it test college readiness in math. Instead, it attempts to assess the confusing and incoherent Washington state math standards: garbage in … garbage out!

Terry Bergesen, the state superintendent of public instruction, was hoping for big gains in the passing rate of this year’s sophomores. Bergesen claims our students need to pass this test in order to make us competitive in the 21st-century global economy. Even if our students improve on this fuzzy test, it is laughable to believe that having high school students pass a poorly written eighth-grade math test is going to help us compete against growing economic and educational powerhouses like China and India.

Bergesen has continuously blamed the poor showing on the WASL math test on teachers and students. She has suggested that we have not been trying and that things would change when students needed to pass the WASL to graduate. The recent results of the WASL math test should put this myth to rest once and for all. Maybe now we can concentrate on the real problem: the Washington state math standards and the fuzzy curriculum it has fostered.

The Washington state math standards have been judged by numerous experts to be logically incoherent, ambiguous, and improperly focused. The Thomas B. Fordham Foundation has carefully analyzed and graded all state math standards three times. They gave Washington a grade of “F” in both 1998 and 2000. In 2005 they graded the new grade-level expectations; the result was still a grade of “F” and they ranked our standards 46th in the nation.

Dr. William Schmidt, an internationally known expert on math education from Michigan State, recently stated in a meeting of parents and state PTA officials in Bellevue that Washington state needs math standards that are coherent, focused and rigorous. The existing state standards lack all of these characteristics.

Is it any wonder that the test based on these fuzzy standards is flawed? It is senseless to continue to throw away millions of dollars on this proven failure. This erroneous assessment not only humiliates our teachers and students, it puts our whole education system in jeopardy because of the No Child Left Behind requirements.

The solution to the problem is to replace our state math standards with world-class standards similar to those in Singapore, Japan or California. This not only would give our students a clear mathematical focus, it would also help eliminate much of the poorly written experimental math curricula that have been adopted by many Washington school districts in order to prepare for the WASL.

Last legislative session Rep. Glenn Anderson cracked open the door when he introduced HB2506, which would have adopted Singapore math standards as our state standards. For the sake of everyone involved, that door needs to be ripped off its hinges during the next legislative session.