Dive Brief:
- A new a new online math assessment program, Math On, is aimed at helping evaluate the math progress of students in grades 3-5.
- Publisher Marshall Cavendish Education says that its Math On instruction is rigorous and that it mirrors PARCC and Smarter Balanced testing, with all questions aligned to Common Core State Standards.
- Common Core standards have long been held up as a positive development for math instruction, yet their implementation history has been spotty, with criticism arising over allegations of flawed assessments.
Dive Insight:
Recently, U.S. Secretary of Education John B. King has called for schools to broaden their focus beyond math and reading, saying that the incorporation of more science, social studies, world languages and the arts, saying that those subjects are "critical to learning." K-12 educators may want to think twice before committing their valuable time to math revamps, and instead rethink how other subjects can be better incorporated into classroom instruction in order to provide a more well-rounded education.