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Math and Science: Preparing for the Future - Tuesday, March 16, 2004
Time: 8:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET
It is paramount that America graduate greater numbers of young people who are strong in mathematics and science. Our future depends on them to lead the way in developing strategies and technologies that will keep us safe and prosperous for generations to come.
- Rod Paige, U. S. Secretary of Education
Nearly 50 years ago, the Soviet Union launched Sputnik into space, and America responded to the perceived technology gap by rethinking the way math and science were taught in our schools. Today, with the advent of the information age, educators know that virtually all jobs—not just technical or professional ones—demand a deeper understanding of math and science principles than was necessary in previous generations. The challenge of the 21st century will be to ensure that all students develop mastery of math and science subjects.
At present, however, many American students are lagging behind in mathematics and science achievement:
- One out of every three students in 4th, 8th, and 12th grade performed at the lowest level on the most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) mathematics assessment.
- A substantial achievement gap between white students and their African American and Hispanic peers persists in mathematics despite recent gains for all three groups.
- According to a recent international math and science study, students in nearly all other industrialized nations outperformed U.S. eighth-graders in mathematics and science.
To help reverse this trend, President Bush has called for a renewed focus on improving science and mathematics instruction. Projections indicate that the United States will need more than two million new teachers in this decade, and that 240,000 of them must be prepared to teach mathematics and science. With states reporting alarming gaps in the current number of mathematics and science teachers meeting the “highly qualified” provisions under the No Child Left Behind Act, America faces a time of challenges and opportunities in its quest to remain the leader of the world economy.
The March 2004 edition of Education News will explore questions such as:
- How does the No Child Left Behind Act help to improve math and science instruction and teacher qualifications?
- What does high-quality mathematics and science instruction look like?
- Why is it so important for all children to become “literate” in mathematics and science in the 21st century?
- What should students be learning in mathematics and science at the elementary, middle and high school grades? What must change in the way these subjects are currently being taught?
- What does the research say about the connection between rigorous mathematics and science course selection and future college success, particularly among low-income students?
- How can parents encourage their children to learn math and science outside of the classroom?
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