Dive Brief:
- Math experts and educators largely agree that the Common Core standards for high school math need to be retooled.
- Opinions differ on whether the standards cover too much (perhaps even more than before their introduction), don't have enough depth for college readiness, or skip entire skills all together, according to Education Week.
- Part of the problem, some critics say, is that reviewers weren't given enough time to look over the high school portion of the math standards due to the focus placed on K-8, though it's likely that many Common Core states will adopt processes to review and adjust the standards.
Dive Insight:
Some individual standards reportedly contain enough topics for 6 months, but because the high school math standards are organized by topic rather than grade level, there are reportedly "curricular gaps," and pre-calculus is avoided entirely outside of "plus standards" that exist beyond Algebra II.
That there's this much concern over the high school standards while the K-8 standards have generally been lauded is, of course, an issue that needs to be addressed — especially with new tests rolling out. That said, the adjustment process doesn't have to be a difficult one. California, for example, has added a geometry standard where one expert said it was lacking. If they listen to the input from experts in the field, states shouldn't have too hard of a time bringing the high school standards the same recognition as their K-8 counterparts.
