Regarding National Standards:
Mathematics education in the United States is at a pivotal moment. The participation of 46 states in the Common Core State Standards Initiative (CCSSI) is based on hope that the outcome will improve mathematics and English-language education in our public schools. However, we fear that this initiative may actually make the situation worse; if the math standards that result from the Common Core Initiative are mediocre – or worse – it will reignite the math wars and create a national crisis in mathematics education. This possibility cannot be ignored.

Accordingly, the US Coalition for World Class Math worked in concert with our national affiliates to create the World Class Math Design Principles for K-12 Mathematics Standards. The Design Principles are intended to address the major deficiencies and defects that currently plague far too many of our state mathematics standards. Our Coalition will use these Principles in evaluating the work of the CCSSI; we offer them for consideration to help inform those who represent us, our children, and our public schools at this critical time.

A national standard doesn’t necessarily improve the state standards- it will just be different. A national standard also takes into account the needs and learning models of at least 46 other states– who is to say that would be an improvement for Missouri? It is far easier to make the appropriate changes to a state standards (that adjust for issues within the state system) than to make changes to a national one, especially since one has to collaborate with 46 (or more) other states.

or review what Missouri’s math professor’s have to say about our math standards at: http://missourimath.org/

California and Massachusetts definitely have the best math standards in the nation. Missouri cannot even pretend to compete.

Missouri math standards have received an “F” from the Fordham Foundation: http://www.edexcellence.net/doc/Missouri.pdf
and a “D” from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce

PLEASE WRITE A FOLLOW-UP POST.