David Bressoud Macalester College, St. Paul, MN The Future of High School Mathematics Washington, DC September 26, 2008

Algebra is fundamental. Whether a student is heading into precalculus, statistics, or a course in quantitative literacy, facility with and understanding of many different aspects of algebra is essential for college-level work.

Advanced Mathematics and Science Coursetaking in the Spring High School Senior Classes of 1982, 1992, and NCES

YearPrecollege Precalculus level Calculus and aboveTotal , , ,000 2,423, , , ,000 2,502, , , ,000 2,843, ,022,000 1,029, ,000 2,828, ,000 1,105, ,000 2,890, ,165,000 1,179, ,000 3,192,000 CBMS data, does not include introductory statistics

YearPrecollege Precalculus level Calculus & aboveTotal %8.2%6.8%21.0% %7.2% 20.4% %6.9%6.5%20.6% % 5.4%19.8% %7.2%5.3%18.9% %6.8%4.9%18.5% CBMS and NCES data

YearPrecollege Precalculus level Calculus & aboveTotal %8.2%6.8%21.0% %7.2% 20.4% %6.9%6.5%20.6% % 5.4%19.8% %7.2%5.3%18.9% %6.8%4.9%18.5% CBMS and NCES data

CBMS and College Board data

CBMS data

Of the high school students who graduated in 1992 and studied “calculus” while in high school, 31.5% took precalculus in college. From the transcript analysis of the National Education Longitudinal Study begun in 1988

College faculty have a responsibility to hold realistic expectations of students and find more effective means of engaging and supporting them.

The American Freshman, CIRP data

College and high school faculty must work together: To identify the core skills and understandings that all high school students should master. To ensure that all high school math teachers are equipped with a profound understanding of these core skills and understandings.

“A focus on teaching must avoid the temptation to consider only the superficial aspects of teaching: the organization, tools, curriculum, content, and textbooks. The cultural activity of teaching – the ways in which the teacher and students interact about the subject – can be more powerful than the curriculum materials that teachers use.” Stigler and Hiebert (2004), Improving mathematics teaching, Educational Leadership

“A focus on teaching must avoid the temptation to consider only the superficial aspects of teaching: the organization, tools, curriculum, content, and textbooks. The cultural activity of teaching – the ways in which the teacher and students interact about the subject – can be more powerful than the curriculum materials that teachers use.” Stigler and Hiebert (2004), Improving mathematics teaching, Educational Leadership PowerPoint available at