1. Math-Science Initiative
Preparing America’s
Future
Math-Science Initiative
Susan Sclafani, Assistant Secretary
US Department of Education

2. No Child Left Behind Key Principles
Increase accountability for student performance
Focus on what works
Reduce bureaucracy and increase flexibility
Choices for students and parents

3. We spend more on Education then we do on Defense
We spend more on Education then we do on Defense. (We spend 380 billion on Defense vs. 501 billion on Education)

4. On two national reading assessments (NAEP Long-Term Trend & New NAEP), scores have remained flat despite increased funding.

5. Economic Change Changing nature of the workforce.
Fastest growing jobs require some education beyond high school.
Employers express concern about the lack of essential skills among students.
In today’s world, financial capital, technology, information, and goods flow freely across borders. In order to maintain the advantage or to even compete in the global economy, We need a workforce that is well educated and entrepreneurial.
Today’s workplaces, are also changing as the marketplace increasingly provides companies with incentives to be as lean and flexible as possible. Employers need to rely on people who can handle multiple tasks, interact well with their colleagues, respond to varying customer needs, identify problems, and make quick decisions on how to fix them.
“Most employers say high school graduates lack basic skills. Over 60% of employers rate graduates’ skills in grammar, spelling, writing and basic math as only “fair” or “poor” One study estimated the cost of remedial training in reading, writing, and mathematics to a single state’s employers at nearly $40,000 a year” (The American Diploma Project, Ready or Not, 2004)

6. Skill Level Changes 1950 1997 Skilled Unskilled 20% 15% Unskilled 60%
Professional
20%
Professional
20%
Skilled
65%
Recent increase in the immigrant population competing for unskilled jobs
Most unskilled jobs do not pay enough to support a family on
1950
1997
National Summit on 21st Century Skills for 21st Century Jobs

7. Graduation Rates for the United States
All Students
70%
White
72%
African American
51%
Hispanic
52%
Manhattan Institute Data from Public High School Graduation and College Readiness Rates in the U.S. (September 2003)

8. 12th Graders Scoring “Below Basic”
Losing Our Edge?
NAEP 2000 Math Assessment
12th Graders Scoring “Below Basic”
35 percent of all students
56 percent of Hispanic students
69 percent of African-American students
60 percent of low-income students
23 percent of students with college-educated
parents
On international assessments, the math performance of our high school students is mediocre.
But many of us do not realize just how dismal their performance really is.
More than one-third of 12th graders scored “below basic” on the NAEP math assessment in What does “below basic” really mean? Let’s look at some examples.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2000

9. A Question Most “Below Basic” Students Answered Incorrectly
Chris wishes to carpet the rectangular room shown below. To the nearest square yard, how many square yards of carpet are needed to carpet the floor of the room if the closet floor will not be carpeted? (1 square yard = 9 square feet)
This is math question most “below basic” students answered incorrectly.
Keep in mind that students were allowed to use calculators throughout the exam.

10. NAEP 2002 Reading Assessment 12th Graders Scoring “Below Basic”
Losing Our Edge?
NAEP 2002 Reading Assessment
12th Graders Scoring “Below Basic”
26 percent of all students
39 percent of Hispanic students
46 percent of African-American students
40 percent of low-income students
18 percent of students with college-educated
parents
On international assessments, the math performance of our high school students is mediocre.
But many of us do not realize just how dismal their performance really is.
More than one-third of 12th graders scored “below basic” on the NAEP math assessment in What does “below basic” really mean? Let’s look at some examples.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2002

11. High Expectations?
In 2003, 66 percent of entering freshmen at 4-year colleges and universities reported that they had studied or done homework for less than six hours per week during their senior year of high school.
As a part of our regional summits on high school reform, we invited students to sit at the table in the form of a panel. When asked if they felt they were being challenged, the majority of them replied that they are not being asked to do as much as they are capable of
Sax, L.J., et al. The American Freshman: National Norms for Fall 2003

12. College remediation rates Entering freshmen, 2000
All
28%
Public 2-year
42%
Public 4-year
20%
Private 4-year
12%
Nearly a third of the students who enter postsecondary education in this country do not have the academic foundation needed to do college-level work.
Last November, the National Center of Education Statistics published the results of a new survey of institutions of higher education about student participation in remedial courses during the school year.
The survey found that:
28% of all freshmen who entered postsecondary education in 2000 were placed in remedial courses – this is 671,000 students.
42% of freshmen at 2-year public institutions—generally, community and technical colleges—were placed in remediation.
20% of freshmen at 4-year public institutions were enrolled in remedial courses.
12% of freshmen at private 4-year schools were placed in remediation.
NCES last conducted this survey in Though the issue of college remediation has received a great deal of attention from educators and policy-makers since that time, NCES found that the proportion of freshmen who enroll in remedial courses has not changed since 1995.
Source: NCES, Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000,

13. Community college freshmen placed in remediation, by subject, 2000
Reading, writing, or math
42%
Reading
20%
Writing
23%
Math
35%
Freshmen entering community colleges in 2000 had the greatest problems with math: 35 percent lacked college-ready math skills and were placed in a remedial math course.
But the reading and writing skills of a significant number of entering freshmen also fell short of what they needed to enroll in college-level courses.
About one in four students were placed in a remedial writing course and one in five were placed in a remedial reading course.
Source: NCES, Remedial Education at Degree-Granting Postsecondary Institutions in Fall 2000.

14. Teacher Impact Value Added Studies
Children assigned to three effective teachers in a row scored at the 83rd percentile in math at the end of 5th grade, while children assigned to three ineffective teachers in a row scored at the 29th percentile.
William Sanders, University of Tennessee
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

15. Subject Matter Knowledge
High school math and science teachers with a major in their field of instruction have higher achieving students than teachers who are teaching out-of-field.
These effects become stronger in advanced math and science courses in which the teacher's content knowledge is presumably more critical
(e.g., Brewer & Goldhaber, 2000; Monk, 1994; Monk & King, 1994; Rowan, Chiang, & Miller, 1997; Chiang, 1996).
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

16. Impact of Professional Development
When professional development is focused on academic content and curriculum that is aligned with standards-based reform, teaching practice and student achievement are likely to improve.
Wiley and Yoon, 1995; Brown, Smith and Stein, 1986; and Kennedy, 1998.
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

17. What’s Needed, Pinky Nelson
Teacher Preparation and Professional Development.
Targets content in benchmarks and standards
Incorporates elements of good instruction
Works in context of curriculum materials
Coherent curriculum K-12
Tells a story
Published research on student learning of specific ideas
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

18. What’s Hard to Hear, Pinky Nelson
Most science teaching is ineffective in K-14
Most students are not learning much science
Teaching and learning science is hard
It does not have a mechanical component like math and reading
Most curriculum materials are not research based and do not help teachers teach or students learn
Only about 1000 hours are available to teach science K-12: 50 hrs/yr in K-5, 100 hrs/yr in 6-12
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

19. Relationship Between “Liking Math” and Doing Well
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

20. Constructivist Approaches Skills-based Approaches
The Math “Wars”
Constructivist Approaches
Skills-based Approaches
Knowledge is constructed
Knowledge is imparted
Children should develop their own understanding
Children should master standard facts & concepts
Authentic problems
Skill-relevant problems
Intrinsically motivated
Extrinsically motivated
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

21. Impact Research Results
Classroom-based assessment +
Structured peer feedback
Tracking -
Understanding
Direct instruction
+ - ?
Discovery
Authentic problems
Work and practice
Curriculum ?
Implementation
System alignment
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

22. Coherent Curriculum – A+ Countries
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

23. Goals of Mathematics-Science Initiative
Increase public awareness of the vital importance of mathematics and science education
Recruit, prepare, and retain teachers with strong mathematics and science backgrounds
Develop a comprehensive research framework on mathematics and science learning and assessment
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

24. Math-Science Initiative Web-based Resources
Math Summit 2/6/03
Papers, Webcast, PowerPoints
Teacher Professional Development Action Plan
Public Engagement Campaign
Science Summit 3/16/04
Equip state and local education leaders with current knowledge about high schools. Seven regional summits were recently held to get the process started. Technical assistance is also being provided through follow up calls with the states as well as through print and electronic materials;
Develop the expertise and structures within the Department of Education to provide effective technical assistance and support to state and local governments; and
Facilitate a national dialogue to raise awareness about the need for significant reform in American high schools.

25. Math-Science Partnerships
State Competitions
Partnership of Departments of Math, Science or Engineering and High Need School district
May include colleges of education, other school districts, CBOs, informal science entities, or corporations
Research-based evaluations
Funding based on numbers of students in poverty

26. Preparing America’s Future Key Principles
High expectations for all
Innovative learning structures that fully engage students
High-quality teaching and leadership, and
Accelerated transitions to work or additional education.
Proficiency is the floor not the ceiling
Increase the amount of advanced placement and dual enrollment courses being offered, and increase the amount of students taking them
Build schools that work around the 21st century teen who is used to computer and video games and surfing the internet.
Though there are many great teachers, there are many poor ones too. Teachers who have the attitude that they get paid whether children learn, or who don’t believe that every child can learn, who are not willing to adapt their curriculum to the needs of their students, and many who do not have a major in the subject they are teaching.

27. Jobs for the 21st Century
Striving Readers Initiative: $200 million in grants to 50 to 100 school districts to implement effective reading interventions for middle or high school students.
Math and Science Partnerships: $120 million in grants for interventions to increase achievement in mathematics for secondary students.
Adjunct Teacher Corps: $50 million to recruit mid-career professionals to teach math and science in middle and high schools.

28. Jobs for the 21st Century
Advanced Placement (AP): $28 million for professional development for AP teachers in high-poverty high schools.
State Scholars Initiative: $12 million to expand the State Scholars program to all interested states.
Enhanced Pell Grants: $30 million to enhance Pell Grants to reward low-income students who participate in the State Scholars Program by taking a rigorous high school curriculum. Up to an additional $1,000 per year to students in the first two years of college.

29. Smaller Learning Communities
High schools larger than 1000
$.5million-$1 million per school over five years
Focus on academic achievement for all students
Sustainability grants for first time
Option for adolescent literacy grants
The Secretary turned around the Houston School District when he was Superintendent, by involving the Community. He is very big on the concept, and he is very excited about working with the Kiwanis on this project.