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Disclaimers and Notices
New York State Learning Standard in
Mathematics
(Revisited)
In July of 1996 the New York State Board of Regents approved the State Learning Standards in seven subject areas, including the Learning Standards for Mathematics, Science, and Technology (MST). The MST Learning Standards reflect process (Standard 1), content (Standard 3), and problem solving (Standard 7). Mathematical concepts (conceptual understanding), skills (procedural knowledge), and applications (problem solving) should be incorporated into New York State Mathematics programs for students pre-kindergarten through twelfth grade. Standard 3 currently consists of seven key ideas: mathematical reasoning, number and numeration, operations, modeling/multiple representation, measurement, uncertainty, and patterns/functions. Standard 1 integrates mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to assure that students pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions throughout their mathematics program. Standard 7 applies mathematics in the solution of real-life problems and problems in other disciplines.
On October 1, 2003 the Commissioner of Education presented the Independent Panel Report on Math A to the Board of Regents. Commissioner Mills recommended that the Board implement most of the major recommendations immediately. Some of the findings and recommendations of the Independent Panel on Math A included:
Finding 1: The Math A standards lack clarity and specificity (p. 15).
Recommendation 1A: Educationally useful standards must be developed in mathematics for each grade, K-8, and for Math A and Math B, that consist of a clear, well-defined set of skills, the mastery of which is demonstrable (p. 19).
The standards as they are currently written do not easily translate into classroom practice, and they are confusing to teachers, students, and parents.
Recommendation 1B: SED should establish a mathematics standards committee to rewrite the standards into functional form, and to meet regularly in the future to analyze test results, thus ensuring continuous relevance (p. 19).
The committee should include a large cross section of adults including mathematics teachers, university mathematicians, professors of mathematics education, special education teachers, parents, and adults who work with mathematics in real work applications, both in the professions (for example, engineers and accountants) and in the trades (for example, carpenters and electricians). The Panel envisions that this group would meet at least once a year to review the exams against the standards, in order to provide continuity over time.
Recommendation 1C: SED should develop and disseminate suggested curricula for mathematics instruction for each grade K-8, and for Math A and Math B (p. 19).
The Panel wishes to make it clear that it does not recommend this as a mandated or required curriculum, but rather as additional guidance to the field. No curriculum, no matter how strong, can take the place of a gifted classroom teacher. The Panel wishes not to discourage in any way individual creativity either at the classroom level or the district level, but, rather, to provide struggling teachers and schools with a suggested starting point upon which they may build. The Panel also wishes to state that we see this as a need because of the highly sequential structure of mathematics; this idea does not necessarily transfer to other subject areas. The Panel envisions a curriculum development committee of mathematics teachers, and representatives of the mathematics standards committee.
Recommendation 1D: To benefit from the extensive research and deliberation of the current Math A Panel, some of the current Panel members should be included in both new committees recommended in this report, i.e., the standards committee, and the curriculum development committee (p. 20).
Finding 2: The design concept that the Math A exam should be taken by the typical student after three semesters of instruction has not been successful (p. 20).
Recommendation 2: The standards and curricula should be structured so that the typical student will take the Math A exam after one year of high school mathematics (p. 20).
This Panel believes that, if the recommended streamlining and clarification of the standards occur, and if the Math A course is streamlined to a year long course (after the K-8 standards are aligned), and if there is greater curriculum guidance to teachers and districts struggling with this effort, and if the other recommendations in this report are accepted, many more students will reach high levels of mathematical knowledge and skills. There will still be some students who, despite enormous efforts by them and their teachers, will not reach this level. This Panel believes discussion must continue to find ways of helping these students find success; this is outside the charge of this Panel.
In December 2003, Commissioner Mills established the Mathematics Standards Committee. The committee held its first meeting in January 2004. The charge to the Mathematics Standards Committee was to examine the existing Regents standards in mathematics, consider relevant research and other standards from the U.S. and other nations, and then propose modifications to the Regents mathematics standards to improve clarity, specificity, and functionality. The standards are to be challenging, and must represent a significant level of achievement in mathematics. The standards must "consist of a clear, well-defined set of skills, the mastery of which is demonstrable." (Math A Panel Report, page 4)
In November 2004, the Mathematics Standards Committee plans to present their recommendations to the New York State Board of Regents. Their recommendations are based on numerous references; a few key documents the committee used to guide their work include: Principles and Standards for School Mathematics (National Council of Teacher of Mathematics, 2000), Adding It Up: Helping Children Learn Mathematics (National Research Council, 2001), Engaging Young Children in Mathematics: Standards for Early Childhood Mathematics Education (Douglas Clements and Julie Sarama, 2004), and The Math We Need to "Know" and "Do" (Pearl Solomon, 2001)