New Jersey Coalition for World Class Math

Welcome to New Jersey Coalition for World Class Math

The NJ Coalition for World Class Math has actively been following the Common Core Standards and is very concerned that the latest Career and College Readiness Standards for Mathematics draft does not even meet minimum requirements for non-STEM careers and DOES NOT ADDRESS readiness for students pursuing STEM careers at all.

The College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics Draft for Review and Comment was released on September 21, 2009 as part of the Common Core State Standards Initiative (see them here: http://www.corestandards.org/Files/MathStandardsSources). The U.S. Coalition for World Class Math provided review and comments in response to the draft which we submitted to CCSSI.

A copy of our comments can be found here: USCoalitionComments.pdf

Important Note as seen in addendum (page 10 of comments):

The comments we submitted on 10/21/09 emphasized our concern that the Common Core Standards fail to specify the optional, higher-level mathematical content necessary for college-readiness in STEM disciplines. It has now come to our attention that enrollment prerequisites for BA programs in non-STEM fields of many, perhaps most, state universities also require mastery of numerous Algebra II and Geometry topics that are not included in the current draft. This includes the California State University and University of California systems, the University of Texas and Texas A&M systems, University of Illinois and Illinois State University systems, Florida State and University of Florida, Ohio State University, and many others.

This omission of significant portions of essential Algebra II and Geometry content renders the Common Core Standards inadequate for students who will enter undergraduate programs in STEM or even non-STEM disciplines in much of the country. We recommended in our comments that the authors of Common Core Standards follow the methodology Achieve, Inc. used in developing the ADP Benchmarks: Create standards appropriate for all students by specifying essential content up to and including that needed in preparation for study in STEM fields, and identifying as optional those topics required only for students wishing to prepare for study in STEM disciplines. States should not adopt the "College-Readiness" Standards unless they adequately identify the content required for success in credit-bearing mathematics courses in their state universities. The current Common Core Standards draft falls significantly short of this requirement for many states.

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Here is the 9/21/09 draft of College and Career Readiness Standards for Mathematics:

http://www.corestandards.org/Files/MathStandardsSources.pdf

Visit our national site: http://www.usworldclassmath.org/

U. S. Coalition for World Class Math Presents

Design Principles for K-12 Mathematics

Standards and Assessments

Mathematics education in the United States is at a pivotal moment. The participation of 48 states in the Common Core Hope Poster State Standards Initiative (CCSSI)¹ is based on hope that the outcome will improve mathematics and English-language education in our public schools. However, we fear that this initiative may actually make the situation worse. This possibility cannot be ignored.

The NJ Coalition for World Class Math worked in conjunction with our sister coalitions to create the World Class Math Design Principles for K-12 Mathematics Standards and Assessments. The Design Principles are intended to address the major deficiencies and defects that plague far too many of our states' current mathematics standards - including New Jersey's. Our Coalition will use these Principles in evaluating the work of the CCSSI; accordingly, we offer them for consideration to help inform those who represent us, our children, and our public schools at this critical time.

Read Our World Class Design Principles

¹The Common Core State Standards Initiative is being undertaken by the National Governors Association and the Council of Chief State School Officers to "develop a common core of state standards in English-language arts and mathematics for grades K- 12 "http://www.ccsso.org/whats_new/press_releases/13359.cfm

How Do State Standards Influence Your Children's Education?

State core curriculum content standards give school districts the framework to use and the goals to set when teaching a particular subject matter. State standards drive a district's choice of programs, textbooks, and the assessments used to measure student achievement.

That can be a very good thing if the standards are excellent. But if they're not, kids may not be well-prepared to achieve success in college, or the workplace in a global economy.

Are our State Mathematics Standards preparing the students for future success?

Are the State Proficiency Tests, reflecting the standards, meaningful enough?

Remedial Courses for College Freshmen

Read an analysis of college remediation in Diploma To Nowhere. pdf

We believe the problem stems from a weak foundation in math skills beginning in elementary school. Our coalition wants students in our nation to learn Arithmetic and Algebra I well enough so that they will not need to take Remedial Math, namely Arithmetic and Algebra I.

Nationwide 63% of the students taking remedial math do not earn degrees. (source: "Ready For the Future" Presentation by The New Jersey High School Redesign Steering Committee, also quoted by the NJDOE Commission on Higher Education and Achieve, Inc.)

This adds up to tremendous financial expenses for families and lower graduation rates for students.

We Believe That A False Dichotomy Exists in Math Education

Our Coalition's History Regarding Our Efforts to Change NJ's Math Standards Can Be Found Under Archives Here

Several States Have Had Their Standards Changed By New Legislation. Click Here To Read About Legislation in Other States

Please Feel Free to Contact Us And Learn About Us

New Jersey Coalition for World Class Math

A Partner of the U.S. Coalition for World Class Math

Welcome to New Jersey Coalition for World Class Math

State core curriculum content standards give school districts the framework to use and the goals to set when teaching a particular subject matter. State standards drive a district's choice of programs, textbooks, and the assessments used to measure student achievement.

That can be a very good thing if the standards are excellent. But if they're not, kids may not be well-prepared to achieve success in college, or the workplace in a global economy.