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  • Bring the California spirit of innovation to math classrooms

    Bring the California spirit of innovation to math classrooms


    Students at Robbins Elementary work in groups during a math lesson about scale.

    Credit: Sydney Johnson

    The state of California is at the global forefront of technological innovation and artistic inspiration. It’s also a powerhouse economy in its own right, currently the fifth largest in the world. We might expect — we should expect — such a place to deliver a world-class education to the 6 million public school students in its charge.

    This is not the picture that emerges from the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress. These assessments found fewer than a quarter of California eighth graders performing at or above the “proficient” level in math. This represents both a decline from the state’s previous NAEP performance and a significant undershooting of the national average performance for eighth grade math.

    But the good news is that California is on the verge of a major education opportunity: The State Board of Education is scheduled to adopt new math curriculum in 2025, and high-quality instructional materials are a powerful, proven lever for improving student outcomes in math.

    The magnitude of this opportunity was made clear in a recent, California-focused report from the Center for Education Market Dynamics. My partners and I co-founded this nonprofit in 2020 to investigate, illuminate and help improve the murky national curriculum landscape. Our research indicates that 62% of California districts in our sample have in place a math curriculum from the state’s 2014 adoption list for elementary school, and 76% for middle school.

    The continued dominance of these curricula in California is not, on its face, a happy finding. It suggests that millions of the state’s most vulnerable students are saddled with past-generation math textbooks that do not reflect the important curriculum innovations and improvements of recent years. But it also means that state influence is real in California, and it’s big: many, many districts today, 10 years after the last adoption, are still waiting for that state signal to select new math curriculum — even though they don’t have to, as state adoption is nonbinding. California districts are ripe, ready, and hungry for state leadership on this front.

    State education leaders must leverage this upcoming adoption to vigorously encourage publishers to develop high-quality, innovative math curriculum for California’s public schools — and to relentlessly support its uptake and implementation in districts. In the decade since the last adoption, several big demographic shifts have accelerated in the state’s public schools, including an upsurge of English learners (students who are Hispanic/Latino now make up an outright majority, or 56%, of California public school students) and students experiencing poverty (60% of California public school students receive free and reduced-price meals). These students are not exceptional cases, but the mainstay and the heart of the California public school system. And they need the absolute best that the contemporary education market can deliver regarding math curriculum.

    What would that look like? We might see, for example, math curriculum that’s aligned to research-based quality criteria; that intentionally incorporates the best instructional practices for students learning English; that builds systematically underserved students’ executive functioning skills alongside their math skills; and that leverages leading-edge digital technology to engage students and provide just-in-time support to those who are struggling (disclosure: I’m on the boards of both AERDF and Zearn). There’s no shortage of brilliant research and development efforts happening in the world of math curriculum. And state education leaders in California are, right now, in the unique position to bring this innovation to bear in real ways on their students’ math experience.

    California must get this adoption right. Because when it comes to curriculum, what happens in California ultimately ripples across the country. The need is acute, nationwide, for more effective teaching and learning in math — for this generation of students to grow up without giving up on it. Better math curriculum will help us get there, and the state of California can help lead the way.

    •••

    Jeff Livingston is co-founder of the Center for Education Market Dynamics, a nonprofit K-12 market intelligence organization dedicated to improving academic outcomes for underserved students by expanding the adoption and use of high-quality teaching and learning solutions.

    The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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  • Should colleges and universities bring back SATs and ACTs?

    Should colleges and universities bring back SATs and ACTs?


    Credit: ShutterStock

    When the Covid-19 pandemic seriously disrupted the ability of students to take SATs and ACTs, many colleges and universities, including the University of California and California State University systems, either made standardized tests optional or dropped the requirement for admissions. Now, Dartmouth is the first to say that either SATs or ACTs will be required again for fall 2024 applicants, and a few other universities, including Harvard, are following this path. 

    Even before the pandemic, equity concerns were often cited as reasons these tests should not be required; both the UC and Cal State systems have maintained that they will continue to be SAT- and ACT-free.

    To learn what university students think about the potential return of standardized testing, EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps asked them the following questions at seven California colleges and universities:

    “While UC and Cal State have said there are no plans to change their test-free policy, in place since 2020, do you think standardized tests such as these should return? Why or why not?”

    Below are their responses.

    (Click on the names or images below to read what each person had to say.)

    Alex Soriano opposes the return of standardized tests, suggesting that there should be “more holistic ways” to evaluate students equitably. However, he is unsure of what an alternative might look like.

    “In my opinion, based on evaluating different skills … I feel like (the test) doesn’t really evaluate knowledge on the same level,” he said. “I think bringing back standardized tests would bring back [equity] issues.”

     To showcase the disparity of standardized test scores, Soriano references EdGap.org. The website features a map that displays the median household income of neighborhoods and the average SAT and ACT scores in those areas. The map indicates that high-income areas exhibit well-performing test scores in comparison to those from low-income areas. 

    “Coming from the upper-middle-class area of San Diego, my area was super high (in SAT and ACT scores), and it made sense,” Soriano said. “A lot of my friends could afford to pay for the extra tutoring; they could pay for a counselor that can come in and work on standardized test prep, and not everybody is able to afford those services.”

    By Jazlyn Dieguez

    “I think they should (return) just because I think it’s a good (performance assessment) other than grades for colleges because some high schools inflate their GPAs,” Rodriguez said. “It’s kind of a middle ground.”

    After taking the SAT exam once, Rodriguez was satisfied with the “OK” score he received since he wasn’t planning to apply to any universities with a high SAT requirement. Instead, he opted to attend Modesto Junior College and has since transferred to San Diego State University.

    “It’s weird because I know some people are not great test-takers and some students haven’t had the luxury of being in certain classes or receiving tutoring,” he said. “Some people were spending crazy amounts of money to have a good SAT and ACT score. I wasn’t one of those guys, I was just happy with whatever I got.”

    By Jazlyn Dieguez

    “No, I do not believe standardized testing should be reinstated,” Kattaa said. “The SATs are a disadvantage for most college applicants.” 

    Kattaa believes that “a student’s GPA, extracurriculars, admission essays, and letters of recommendation speak more (about) a student’s academic and personal achievements. They are more than just one test.”

    Kattaa also believes that the absence of required standardized tests has increased diversity on college campuses.

    By Aya Mikbel

    “I believe that standardized tests such as these should not return due to the amount of pressure it puts onto students and the possible disadvantage regarding admission status,” Naseer said. However, she sees the advantage of the tests being provided “for those who want to show more dedication.”

    She understands that colleges and universities are looking for “well-rounded students; academics certainly play a greater role when applying to college.” 

    But Naseer is concerned that when students don’t have high scores, “It may cause them to be looked down upon, (and) there are other factors such as general academics or volunteer service that should be prioritized as well.” 

    Naseer continued, “As a student who didn’t take these tests, I feel that doing so allowed me to focus and improve on other areas of my studies/experience.”

    By Aya Mikbel

    “No, I don’t think these tests should be brought back,” Garcia said. “I think there should be a different type of examination process. I didn’t take the ACT or SAT and got in (to UCLA). I think they don’t really evaluate the student as a whole.”

    Garcia added that she thinks the tests don’t “give a very good evaluation of students, academically speaking.”

    By Delilah Brumer

    “We got rid of the SAT and ACT requirements a few years ago, and I honestly think that it’s more fair for people to not have (these tests) as a requirement,” Wolin said.

    Wolin said she was able to get SAT tutoring, but it was expensive for her family, and she’s “very aware that not everyone can afford that.”

    “While I did have a leg up, I know that it wasn’t fair to everyone,” Wolin said. “I think abolishing that requirement was a step in the right direction. I wish I had a better solution for a replacement, but I don’t. At least now, I know they’re focusing on a more holistic approach, which I think is more fair.”

    By Delilah Brumer

    “I think it depends on the college,” Bar said. “For a school like Cal Poly, where a majority of what they are going to take into account is your GPA and test scores, it is different from a private college where they are going to take a more holistic approach.”

    As a student who participated in examinations for his admission into Cal Poly, Bar said that he believed the university could benefit from reinstating test scores in exams, to add more depth to applications. 

    “Right now, Cal Poly doesn’t use essays, so all the application really consists of is biographical information and GPA,” Bar said. “I think there should be another component, like SATs or ACT scores. I think for a school that requires just such minimal information about the applicants, they should require it.”

    By Arabel Meyer

    “They should be test-free because it makes admissions more equal, and all higher SAT scores usually come with higher preparation,” Martinez said. 

    Martinez said she hopes UCs and CSUs would not require test scores because she finds inequality when colleges use standardized test scores for admissions. The SAT takes preparation and financial resources that not all students can access, according to Martinez. 

    “I came from a low-income community and rural community,” she said. “There was no such thing as SAT prep.” 

    Martinez only realized the importance of SAT preparation when her peers began to discuss private tutoring and other resources they had access to. She hopes that remaining test-free will provide greater opportunities for students, regardless of their financial position.

    By Kelcie Lee

    “Having it is a good idea,” Chiu said. “However, the SAT, when you take it, you can learn how to get a good score. So in a way, it’s almost rigged.” 

    She had mixed feelings when it comes to the SAT and ACT; she understands the purposes of assessing students, but also acknowledged flaws of using standardized tests for admissions. 

    “Even if you do get a good score, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re meant to go to one of these top schools.” 

    She believes a better option would involve the UCs making their own test that is “more knowledge-based,” as opposed to the memorization involved in prepping for the SAT. 

    “Ultimately, it’s a weird in-between of whether you should have it or not,” Chiu said.

    By Kelcie Lee

    “I personally think the tests aren’t necessary or helpful. I don’t think they are proof of intelligence.” 

    Williams transferred from Berkeley City College to Sonoma State in 2023. She did not have to take a standardized test to get admitted. 

    “I know people in my life that have told me about their experiences, and that they felt that the test was not concrete proof of whether or not they are intelligent.”

    By Ally Valiente

    Bernales said that he does not support standardized tests making a return because “the tests favor those that have access to more resources.” 

    He is dissatisfied with the inequity. “Families with money can get tutors to help educate their kids to do better and can afford for them to take it multiple times to improve, while some families may not be able to afford it,” Bernales said.

    “Along with that,” he continued, “the [high] school’s funding also can affect the results of the test since a better funded school tends to have higher scores.”

    By Ally Valiente

    “No, because I think a lot of people just aren’t good test takers, and a lot of it’s just really generalized knowledge,” Mlouk said. 

    Mlouk said she did not get a good score on the SAT, but she had a high GPA, which helped her. 

    “I consider (myself) a pretty smart person, but the test does not reflect that at all,” she said. 

    Mlouk said standardized tests like the SAT and ACT aren’t helpful for people who are not good test takers. 

    “It would limit their chances even though they could excel at that school,” Mlouk said.

    By Ashley Bolter





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  • ‘Bring it on,’ Kamala Harris says in fiery speech to teachers’ union

    ‘Bring it on,’ Kamala Harris says in fiery speech to teachers’ union


    Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during the American Federation of Teachers’ 88th national convention,
    Thursday in Houston.

    Credit: AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez

    It may well just have been a case of fortuitous timing, but Vice President Kamala Harris — the likely Democratic nominee for the presidency — gave her most full-throated address on Thursday since President Joe Biden ended his reelection campaign Sunday to an auditorium filled with enthusiastic teachers.

    watch or read the speech

    Watch the speech here.

    Read the transcript here.

    She articulated what seem likely to be the principal lines of attack in what, for her, will be one of the shortest presidential campaigns in American history.  She also reprised some of the education issues that have figured prominently in her career so far. 

    Speaking Thursday in Houston at the convention of the American Federation of Teachers, which, as she noted, was the first union to endorse her candidacy, her speech was in effect a paean of praise not only to teachers, but to everyone working in schools, from bus drivers to nurses. 

    As she has many times, she paid tribute to her first grade teacher at Thousand Oaks Elementary School in Berkeley, Frances Wilson.

    “I am a proud product of public education,” she said in a not-so-subtle rebuttal to former President Donald Trump and his allies’ disparaging descriptions of public schools as “government schools” intent on indoctrinating students with left-wing and “woke” ideologies.   

    Vice President Kamala Harris attended Thousand Oaks Elementary School in Berkeley in the 1960s. The school has been rebuilt since then.
    Credit: Andrew Reed/EdSource

    “It is because of Mrs. Wilson and many teachers like her that I stand before you as the vice president of the United States, and why I am running to become president of the United States,” she said. 

    “You all do God’s work teaching our children,” she told the teachers, all of whom are union members. 

    In what could become the signature slogan of her campaign, Harris framed the contest as one between the future and the past.

    “In this moment we are in a fight for our most fundamental freedoms,” she said, pausing dramatically.  “And to this room of leaders, I say, bring it on.”

    She repeated “bring it on” three times, as the audience roared “bring it on” back to her. 

    She said the choice was clear between “two different visions” of America — one focused on the future, and another on the past, and “we are fighting for the future.” 

    Teachers, by the very nature of their work, are engaged in creating America’s future. 

    “You see potential in every child,” she said. “You shape the future of our nation.” 

    “While you teach students about democracy, extremists attack us on the right to vote,” she declared. 

    And she criticized Republican resistance to gun control, less than a week after a 20-year-old inexperienced gunman nearly assassinated her likely opponent with an AR-15 rifle. 

    “They have the nerve to tell teachers to strap on a gun in the classroom, while they refuse to pass common sense gun safety laws,” she said. 

    Harris also took on some of the ideological issues raised by Republicans and the far-right that have roiled the education landscape. 

    “While you (the teachers) teach about our nation’s past, these extremists attack the freedom to learn, and to acknowledge our nation’s full history, including book bans,” she declared. “We want to ban assault weapons, and they want to ban books.”

    The vice president doubled down on the Biden administration’s ambitious efforts to ease the burden of student loan debt — efforts that have been stymied by lawsuits brought by Republicans and their allies blocking his most ambitious loan forgiveness plans.

    She described a teacher in Philadelphia she met recently who had been paying off her student loan for 20 years but still had $40,000 to pay off, despite being part of the public service loan program that has been in place for years. 

    “We forgave it all,” she said. 

    Her appearance before the AFT, the second-largest teacher’s union (with almost 2 million members) after the National Education Association, may also have been fortuitous for practical reasons.  

    In addition to their financial contributions, teachers’ unions have a large network of volunteers they can draw on to go out into communities, knock on doors, and make phone calls to mobilize support for the candidates they back.  

    Both unions have now formally endorsed her. 

    It is that kind of backing that will make a big difference in the outcome of what almost everyone, regardless of their political affiliation, acknowledges is likely to be a close race.





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