California students rank lower in math proficiency than United States average
CITY HALL The United States might have some of the best and brightest students in the world, but they could certainly use some help in math.
Especially in the Golden State. In 2005, only 28 percent of California fourth graders were either advanced or proficient in mathematics, compared to 35 percent nationally. In that same year, about 22 percent of California eighth graders were rated as being advanced or proficient in math, as opposed to the national average of 30 percent, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
In Santa Monica, things seem to be going a bit better as 73 percent of fourth graders tested at proficient or advanced levels in 2006. All in all, the elementary school kids in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District seem to be performing above average in mathematics over the past five years, there has been continual progress in every grade level from second to fifth.
Despite statistics showing that more than 50 percent of elementary-aged students in the district are either proficient or advanced in math, administrators are still concerned about the progress. Statistics suggest less than 50 percent of students in the district achieve proficiency in algebra by the end of their freshmen year in high school.
It’s what made the district set a goal that 100 percent of students in the ninth grade will attain proficiency in Algebra I by the end of their first year in high school.
“Our issues and concerns in mathematics are not unique to Santa Monica Malibu Unified,” Maureen Bradford, director of educational services, said during the Board of Education meeting on Thursday. “We share these concerns with other educators throughout the country.”
Another of the district’s concerns will be to find more math course alternatives to offer students. The district previously mandated that starting with the class of 2007, all students complete three years of math before graduating.
The district adopted the policy starting this year in order to encourage students to take more University of California and California State University course work in order to be eligible for either system.
The UC and CSU schools require three years of math while four are recommended.
The sequence of course work that both systems recommend is algebra I, geometry and algebra II.
Approximately 35 percent of students in the district were in danger of failing to reach this requirement at the semester break this school year.
“We know that algebra is the gatekeeper to higher education,” Bradford said.
Administrators are suggesting alternative courses that students could take during their third year, including pre-calculus, statistics, advanced placement statistics, and a more remedial course called essentials I.
School board member Jose Escarce said he would consider it a success if a student started out with essentials I and moved onto algebra I and geometry. What he doesn’t want to see is a student take algebra I and geometry and take a step backward by enrolling in essentials I as their third course just because there was nothing else to take.
In the coming months, school officials will be looking for ways to reach the goal of 100 percent proficiency in algebra for ninth grade students, and seeking other ways to improve math ability in all grades district-wide.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 19, 2007. Read the original PDF.