1. Quantitative Reasoning Instruction—Serving Students with Innovation and Inter-Segmental Collaboration
Cheryl Aschenbach, Basic Skills Committee Chair, ASCCC
Virginia May, Educational Policies Committee Chair, ASCCC
Katherine Stevenson, Director of Developmental Mathematics, CSU Northridge
Instructional Design and Innovation Institute
San Jose Marriott, March 17, 2017

2. Overview
History and requirements for transfer from the California Community College to the California State University in regard to Quantitative Reasoning and mathematics
The Academic Senate of the California State University Quantitative Reasoning Task Force: Report and Recommendations
Quantitative Reasoning Task Force Recommendations— opportunities in Basic Skills: reinforcing and applying Quantitative Reasoning skills in disciplines other than math
Questions…

3. Acronym Tutorial
FYI:
ASCCC – Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
CCC – California Community Colleges
CSU – California State University
UC – University of California
CCCCO – California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office
BOG – Board of Governors
GEAC – General Education Advisory Committee (to CSU Chancellor)
IGETC – Intersegemental General Education Transfer Curriculum
QR – Quantitative Reasoning

4. Educational Policies Committee, Chair: Ginni May
History and Requirements for transfer from the California Community College to the California State University in regard to Quantitative Reasoning and mathematics
Educational Policies Committee, Chair: Ginni May

5. History – CCC Math Requirement
Associate Degree Requirements increased to Freshman Composition and Intermediate Algebra* in the CCC System:
Adopted by the Academic Senate in Spring 2005
Approved by the Board of Governors in September 2006
Effective for all students admitted to CCC beginning Fall 2009
*either Intermediate Algebra or another mathematics course at the same level, with the same rigor and with Elementary Algebra as a prerequisite, approved locally (from Title 5 § 55063)

6. History – CCC Math Requirement
Alternative courses are permitted (encouraged) by Title 5:
Leading up to the 2006 vote, many on the Board of Governors were reluctant to approve the change in graduation competencies because they feared it would simply become another barrier to students (especially CTE).
The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges made a commitment to the Board of Governors that it would actively encourage, support, and promote alternative courses; That is, courses with content different from the traditional Intermediate Algebra curriculum may also be acceptable.

7. History – CCC Math Requirement
In addition the Title 5 language includes…
The competency requirements for written expression and mathematics may also be met by obtaining a satisfactory grade in courses in English and mathematics taught in or on behalf of other departments and which, as determined by the local governing board, require entrance skills at a level equivalent to those necessary for Freshman Composition and Intermediate Algebra respectively.

8. CSU GE-Breadth Area B4 Mathematics and Quantitative Reasoning
Area B4 courses must emphasize the development of student’s mathematical and quantitative reasoning skills beyond the level of intermediate algebra, which must be a stated prerequisite.
From CSU Office of the Chancellor, Guide for CSU Reviewers

9. Attempts at meeting Math and QR requirements
Community college faculty have worked to identify pathways to associate degree and transfer level mathematics…
The Academic Senate has made it clear that they will encourage discipline faculty to identify, design and/or implement pathways, but will not take a position on any particular pathway…
The Academic Senate encourages faculty to work with discipline experts and organizations such as AMATYC and CMC3 to help determine effective and appropriate pathways.
CMC3 – California Mathematics Council of Community Colleges
AMATYC – American Mathematics Association of Two Year Colleges

10. Attempts at meeting Math and QR requirements
A number of pathways have been designed and implemented throughout and beyond the state of California:
Statway/Quantway—Carnegie Foundation
New Mathways Project—Charles A. Dana Center, University of Texas at Austin
California Acceleration Project (CAP)—California Community Colleges Success Network (3CSN), an initiative of the CCCCO
Home grown pathways at many institutions…

11. The Situation in a nutshell…
CSU and UC require that all transfer level math courses have at least a prerequisite of Intermediate Algebra;
Title 5 requires that courses that meet math competency have Elementary Algebra as a prerequisite;
Many of the pathways do not have an Intermediate Algebra course as a prerequisite, some do not have Elementary Algebra as a prerequisite, and some have no prerequisite at all;
There is not agreement among discipline experts as to what prerequisites should be required.

12. The Situation in a nutshell…
Students entering CSU as Freshmen:
Pass intermediate algebra with grade C or better in high school
Pass ELM (or test proficient) in order to take a GE Area B4 course (some campuses also require an intermediate algebra diagnostic test, but not all)
Students entering CSU as transfer student:
Pass a GE Area B4 course (all GE Area B4 courses must have intermediate algebra as prerequisite)
ELM: arithmetic, elementary algebra, geometry, very little intermediate algebra – does not test for intermediate algebra proficiency
CCC Transfer students held to a higher standard than those CSU students that passed ELM (did not test proficient) and were not necessarily required to take an intermediate algebra diagnostic test

13. The Response in a nutshell…
Exemption to Executive Order 1065
Waiver for 6 districts to offer a Statway model to transfer granted in 2010, a 7th district was added later
Track students through transfer and baccalaureate graduation
CSU Executive Order 1065 and 1100 – Explicit Prerequisite Requirement of Intermediate Algebra for Transfer level Mathematics
Executive Order September 2011
Executive Order February 2015

14. The Response in a nutshell…
The CSU Council of Math Chairs reported to GEAC
Statway at the CSU does not prepare students for college level courses
Not scalable
Poor outcomes
ELM – Entry Level Mathematics Test for all Freshmen at CSU
Arithmetic, geometry (area and volume), and beginning algebra skills
CSU Council of Math Chairs’ Statement on Entry Level Mathematics and Statway 30 April 2015

15. The Response in a nutshell…
On the recommendation of GEAC, the CSU authorizes temporary recognition of statistics pathways curriculum in satisfaction of the Quantitative Reasoning requirement for transfer admission and completion of lower-division coursework in general education.
Expires at the beginning of fall term 2019
Monitor efficacy of statistics pathways
Inform subsequent revision of permanent policy
Note – as of January 24, 2017, no new pilots accepted until more data analysis takes place…

16. The Response in a nutshell…
At the request of GEAC, the CSU-AS passed Resolution AS
Establishing a Task Force on the Requirements of CSU General Education Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning (B4) Credit
Recommends including UC, CCC, K-12, discipline experts in math, and a representative from CAP

17. General Education—Quantitative Reasoning
Quantitative Reasoning as part of the General Education pattern is the purview of all faculty,
We must engage in the intersegmental dialog – What are the expectations (in Quantitative Reasoning) for citizens holding a baccalaureate degree?
CSU Council of Math Chairs’ concern is that these pathways do not prepare students for college level courses.

18. Co-Chair: Dr. Katherine Stevenson, CSU Northridge
Academic Senate of the California State University Quantitative Reasoning Task Force: Report and Recommendations
Co-Chair: Dr. Katherine Stevenson, CSU Northridge

19. Web Link: Quantitative Reasoning Task Force Report
Final Report
20 October2016
Guiding Principle:
Educational Policy must balance access and opportunity to achieve equity. (Page 1)
Web Link: Quantitative Reasoning Task Force Report

20. Task Force (QRTF) 21 members, 16 advisors, 10+ guests
In Spring 2016, the QRTF was formed to review CSU policies and practices related to quantitative reasoning
QRTF membership was representative of CSU faculty from several disciplines and external partners including K-12 teachers, UC, CCC, and CDE
The QRTF submitted a final report to the ASCSU in Fall 2016 with four recommendations on the future direction of CSU quantitative reasoning
21 members, 16 advisors, 10+ guests

21. Task Force (QRTF)
Balancing Access (who gets in) and Opportunity (what they get out).
K-12 preparation and readiness at entry
Relevance of the education we provide
Time to Degree
Equal treatment for both freshmen and transfer students and how that’s related to intermediate algebra requirements

22. Define Quantitative Reasoning
The ability to reason quantitatively is a stable combination of skills and practices involving:
(i) the ability to read, comprehend, interpret, and communicate quantitative information in various contexts in a variety of formats;
(ii) the ability to reason with and make inferences from quantitative information in order to solve problems arising in personal, civic, and professional contexts;
(iii) the ability to use quantitative methods to assess the reasonableness of proposed solutions to quantitative problems; and
(iv) the ability to recognize the limits of quantitative methods.
Quantitative reasoning depends on the methods of computation, logic, mathematics, and statistics.
(Page 9)

23. Revise quantitative reasoning requirements
“ The Task Force took the view that quantitative reasoning is more than just a single course taken to satisfy a general education requirement. It is the sum total of quantitative work necessary to support a student’s major, interests, career and civic responsibilities.” (Page 8)

24. Recommendation IIA
Separate foundational and baccalaureate quantitative reasoning requirements. The Task Force recommends ending the use of prerequisite language to impose a de facto foundational quantitative reasoning requirement. Instead it recommends defining separate foundational and baccalaureate requirements that are reasonable and equitable. (Page 11)
BQR
FAQ

25. Social & Behavioral Science
Recommendation IIA
Heath Care
Teaching,
Education
FAQ
Humanities
STEM
Business
Arts, Performance, Design
Social & Behavioral Science
Law Enforcement

26. Recommendation IIB
Define baccalaureate quantitative reasoning. To earn a baccalaureate degree from the California State University, students shall:
(i) develop and demonstrate a proficient and fluent ability to reason quantitatively in a broad spectrum of the contexts defined by California State Standards for High School;
(ii) develop and demonstrate a general understanding of how practitioners and scholars solve problems quantitatively in a range of disciplines;
(iii) develop and demonstrate an in-depth understanding of how practitioners and scholars solve problems quantitatively in a specialized area (e.g., the major); and
(iv) be prepared to develop their ability to reason quantitatively after graduation in the various contexts defined by personal, civic, and professional responsibilities.
(Page 12-13)

27. Social & Behavioral Science
Recommendation IIA
Heath Care
Teaching,
Education
FAQ
Humanities
STEM
Business
Arts, Performance, Design
Social & Behavioral Science
Law Enforcement

28. Recommendation IIC
Upon entering the California State University in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree, students will be prepared to develop their ability to reason quantitatively in the broad spectrum of courses involving quantitative reasoning offered within the CSU (including, but not limited to, B4 courses). In particular, a student who has satisfied the foundational quantitative reasoning requirement shall have:
Demonstrated proficiency and fluency in the combined skills found in the California State Standards for K– 8, Algebra 1, and Integrated Math 1;
Practiced the skills in the K-12 California State Standards for Mathematics in a variety of contexts that broaden, deepen or extend K-8, Algebra 1 and Integrated Math 1 skills,
Continued

29. Recommendation IIC continued
Developed the eight Common Core mathematical practices, which are the abilities to:
  Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
  Reason abstractly and quantitatively
  Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
  Model with mathematics
  Use appropriate tools strategically
  Attend to precision
  Look for and make use of structure
  Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning.
(Page 14)

30. Ensure equitable access and opportunity to all CSU students
Recommendation IIIA:
The Task Force recommends that equitable policies be established to provide transfer and developmental math students with increased access to quantitative reasoning courses that can open up opportunities in these students’ majors, interests, careers, and civic lives.
(Page 17)

31. Recommendation IIIB
Require four years of high school quantitative reasoning. The Quantitative Reasoning Task Force recommends that four years of high school quantitative reasoning coursework be required as part of the CSU admissions criteria (per ASCSU Resolution AS /APEP).
(Page 18)

32. Recommendation IIIC
Ensure early and appropriate quantitative reasoning courses for CSU first-time freshmen. The Task Force recommends reevaluating quantitative reasoning requirements in the context of the student’s educational goals and proficiency at entry. For first-time freshmen in the CSU, it therefore recommends:
Foundational quantitative reasoning proficient students shall take a baccalaureate quantitative reasoning class within the first two terms at the CSU. Options shall exist in the context of the student’s major and interests.
Foundational quantitative reasoning not proficient students shall demonstrate proficiency within two terms of enrollment via a CSU-approved method. They shall take a baccalaureate quantitative reasoning class within two semesters of demonstrating proficiency. Options shall exist in the context of the student’s major and interests. This recommendation is intended to accommodate corequisite remediation, at the option of the institution providing the instruction.
(Page 21)

33. Recommendation IIID
Establish equitable articulation of quantitative reasoning credit for transfer students. Community college students should be assessed by the community colleges as proficient or not proficient in foundational quantitative reasoning in alignment with the standards above. Prior to transfer, they should demonstrate foundational quantitative reasoning proficiency and earn the appropriate minimum grade in a course that transfers for B4 credit.
Such students will not necessarily be considered proficient in baccalaureate quantitative reasoning, as certain campuses may require upper division work for this designation. Articulation for foundational quantitative reasoning proficiency will follow the existing approval process for B4 transfer approval. The Task Force supports the creation of options for both foundational and baccalaureate quantitative reasoning that teach skills and practices in the context of the student’s major and interests.
(Page 22)

34. Recommendation IV
Create a CSU “Center for the advancement of instruction in quantitative reasoning”.
As soon as possible, the CSU should create a Center for Advancement of Instruction in Quantitative Reasoning to act on the Task Force’s current and subsequent findings, and to support the high-quality instruction in high schools, community colleges, and public universities that will better serve the state.

35. Where Things Are At Now
ASCSU formally received the report and requested that recommendations be implemented.
CSU ELM test development committee has endorsed and recommended implementation of recommendations
CSU Math Council has endorsed the report and recommendations
Campuses provided their thoughts and concerns to the CO by 6 February CSU Responded recently.
CO has begun implementation of the Center for Improvement of Mathematics Instruction
Conversations are ongoing with a wide array of stakeholders

36. Basic Skills Committee, Chair: Cheryl Aschenbach
Opportunities in Basic Skills: reinforcing and applying Quantitative Reasoning skills in disciplines other than math
Basic Skills Committee, Chair: Cheryl Aschenbach

37. Changes = Opportunity
The proposed changes in definition and application, including replacing intermediate algebra requirements with a foundational quantitative reasoning requirement, means that CCCs have an opportunity to reconsider how to best provide more experiences with quantitative reasoning in more contexts.
“To meet the needs of all community college students who plan to transfer to the CSU, these new standards may require new approaches” (CSU QRTFR 23).

38. Recommendation 1: Define Quantitative Reasoning
”The ability to reason quantitatively is a stable combination of skills and practices involving:
the ability to read, comprehend, interpret, and communicate quantitative information in various contexts in a variety of formats;
the ability to reason with and make inferences from quantitative information in order to solve problems arising in personal, civic, and professional contexts;
the ability to use quantitative methods to assess the reasonableness of proposed solutions to quantitative problems; and
the ability to recognize the limits of quantitative methods” (9).
These skills and practices can be reinforced in many disciplines

39. Developing QR Skills
“Coursework designed to address the foundational quantitative reasoning requirement should provide opportunities for students to deepen and broaden QR skills in a wide variety of contexts…as well as frequent opportunities to engage in learning experiences that promote the Common Core’s mathematical practices” (23).
Those opportunities and experiences should occur across the curriculum – English, social sciences, mathematics, CTE, and more...

40. Questions…