DESE and METS are supporting this?

Everyday Math and Investigations are

two of the Elementary Programs given

competitive priority for eMints/METS grants.

(see #8 at above link)

The math programs listed there are the same

programs in the report

On Evaluating Curricular Effectiveness:

Juding the Quality of K-12 Mathematics Evaluations

Committee for a Review of the Evaluation Data

on the Effectiveness of NSF-Supported and Commercially

Generated Mathematics Curriculum Materials

In response to our charge, the committee finds that:

The corpus of evaluation studies as a whole across the 19 programs studied does not permit one to determine the effectiveness of individual programs with high degree of certainty, due to the restricted number of studies for any particular curriculum, limitations in the array of methods used, and the uneven quality of the studies.

Therefore, according to our charge, we recommend that:
No second phase of this evaluation review should be conducted to determine the effectiveness of any particular program or set of curricular programs dependent on the current database.

Your tax dollars are at work, promoting these

commercial products in MO

Another Study including Investigations

And check out this district's savings after dropping EDM:

Article about Everyday Math

Missouri Math

Missouri Math Coalition

A statewide alliance of parents, students, teachers and community members with the mission of promoting authentic math education in Missouri public schools through world-class mathematics standards and high quality curriculum.

There's an informational flyer that you can print out

on this page.

Please Voice Your Opinion

Missouri's weak state math standards and assessments are misleading school districts to choose mediocre instructional materials, believing that they will help students perform better on required mediocre state exams.

Look at the programs reviewed and the conclusions made by the Mathematical Sciences Education Board. Then scroll down here to see the list of "approved mathematics curricula" for eMints/METS classroom grants today.

The Algebra I "End of Course Exam" is not what high school math teachers would consider Algebra I.
We need truth in labeling!

Don't take my word for it - ASK teachers or college faculty in your area for their opinions.

If you feel that there is a problem which must be addressed, PLEASE WRITE:

Missouri House of Representatives
(Look for Members of Committees involved in Education)

Missouri Senate
(Look for Members of Committees involved in Education)

Correspondence to the State Board of Education should be addressed to the Secretary of the Board of Education with a request to forward it to individual Board members. Missouri State Board of Education

Please consider copying your correspondence to the Missouri Math Coalition and to your local School Board.

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How does funding intented for educational technology affect school math programs?

Grant program-approved mathematics curriculum models Missouri METS Coalition/Alliance
"Competitive priority will be given to applicants who have implemented National Science Foundation (NSF) funded mathematics and/or science curriculum that is research-based and standards-based."

Mathematics – Eligible mathematics curricula include the following:
Elementary Mathematics
a. Everyday Mathematics®
b. Investigations in Number, Data and Space®
c. Math Trailblazers™
Middle School (Junior High School) Mathematics
a. Connected Mathematics 2™
b. Mathematics in Context®
c. MathScape: Seeing and Thinking Mathematically™
d. MATH Thematics
High School Mathematics
a. Contemporary Mathematics in Context©
b. Interactive Mathematics Program™
c. MATH Connections®: A Secondary
Core Mathematics Curriculum
d. Mathematics: Modeling Our World
e. SIMMS: Integrated Mathematics

Does this mean that if a school district wants to write a grant for badly needed technology, they have to have adopted these mediocre math materials?

I truly hope not! It's just wrong!!

Citizens Unite!!

Yep. The problem is the curriculum. Our nation's leaders are avoiding the real issue. More money won't magically fix this, but concerned citizens can through their grassroots efforts!

Missouri Math Coalition

A statewide alliance of parents, students, teachers and community members with the mission of promoting authentic math education in Missouri public schools through world-class mathematics standards and high quality curriculum.

Honest Open Logical Decisions on Mathematics Education Reform

The performance of American students in mathematics is mediocre at best. Reform efforts over the past two decades have only made matters worse. We are advocates for school mathematics education reforms that support the mathematics interests and abilities of all students. We advocate programs and policies that help all students achieve success in school mathematics courses, that prepare all students for the broadest options in high school math and science courses, and that give them the opportunity to advance into mathematics based college courses and careers.

Undermining Local Control of Education...

This is disturbing, but I'm afraid it's the truth.

Even the most effective "top-down" implementation

of mediocrity can be extinguished at the grassroots level.

SHOW ME (US) THE MONEY! (reprise)

Here is a great post that explains a recent history of the so-called "math wars", as well as how funding from the National Science Foundation has been awarded to support "math reforms"

It just doesn't make sense that millions of tax-payer dollars are spent to develop and disseminate math programs that so many mathematicians and scientists oppose

Have our tax-dollars been used to fund the demise of our nation's educational promise and economic competitiveness? (A question for NSFs Inspector General)

PLEASE SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH YOUR FRIENDS, FAMILY, SCHOOL PERSONNEL, LOCAL AND STATE REPRESENTATIVES

First Things First

Many parents across the country are shocked to find that their child is not prepared for college-level coursework in any area that would require a strong math background. They are left picking up the tab for mediocre K-12 math programs, and then again in college because it takes 6+ years to complete a 4-year degree when they place into remedial math courses.

One of the first things that President-Elect Obama should do when he takes the oath of office is instruct both Inspector Generals of the Department of Education and the National Science Foundation to thoroughly investigate entry-level math placement for incoming college freshmen, the names of the schools that they attended, and the names of the math programs that those schools used while the child was attending.

It's the right thing to do and it would definitely demonstrate to tax-payers that he is ready to embrace "change that we can believe in" Let's see "transparency and accountability" come to life in 2009!

Happy New Year!