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Academics
Topic

Math and Science

How should math and science be taught in California? What courses or pathways would best prepare and equip students to succeed in college and careers? And how does California achieve that while facing a shortage of teachers in both math and science. How well students do in each of these major areas of the curriculum have long-range implications for California’s future. Also see our special project on Teaching mathematics in California.

Commentary
May 9, 2023

Building a culture of belonging is key to keeping diverse girls in STEM pipeline

It doesn’t work to expect Black and brown girls to simply “fit in” and mold to existing environments that weren’t designed for them — they need to feel seen and valued.

Nikole Collins-Puri
Commentary
May 3, 2023

Improving access to computer science can help students catch up after the pandemic

In our increasingly digital world, computer science is a necessary building block that enables students to develop foundational skills that apply across subjects, from computational thinking and interdisciplinary problem-solving, to collaboration and digital citizenship.

Julie Flapan
Commentary
April 24, 2023

It's time to stop stalling action on the state math framework

The debates over math instruction have been mired in misinformation and marred by melodrama — moving the conversation further and further away from the students and educators who so clearly need updated, improved instructional strategies for math.

Rachel Ruffalo and Martha Hernandez
Commentary
April 9, 2023

Let’s move past the acrimony and create a mathematics framework that works for all students

We must create a framework for math instruction in California that can provide all students, in their rich diversity, an opportunity to learn and excel in math.

Jo Boaler
College Readiness
February 7, 2023

Study of LAUSD confirms benefits of four years of math; Superintendent Alberto Carvalho embraces findings

UCLA researchers found that high school seniors who took math, whether statistics or calculus, were significantly more likely to enroll in a four-year college and return the following year.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
January 25, 2023

Don't force a false choice between algebra and data science

Students who don't take Algebra 2 because they're more interested in data science could be shutting themselves off careers in science, technology engineering and math. But data science and Algebra 2 complement each other and should be taught in concert.

Ji Y. Son and James W. Stigler
Commentary
January 17, 2023

Ending California’s math wars requires leadership from Sacramento

While policymakers and advocates are arguing over how best to teach math, an increasing number of California's students are failing to learn math.

Pedro Noguera and Morgan Polikoff
Commentary
December 19, 2022

Science instruction needs the same attention as math and English

Fewer than one-third of California's students are meeting state standards in science. The numbers are almost as bad for math.

Jessica Sawko
Class of 2022
December 14, 2022

First year college students facing what Covid cost them, especially in math

Life after high school has its challenges for the Class of 2022. There's embracing independence and facing what Covid cost them.

Diana Lambert
Testing and Accountability
October 28, 2022

Stanford-Harvard 'scorecard' translates California's test scores into months of missed learning

'Education Recovery Scorecard' shows vast disparities among districts by converting results on NAEP and state tests into a common measure: how much learning declined during the pandemic.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
October 28, 2022

Middle school math needs to be every superintendent’s new priority

New test results point to an urgent need by California to improve learning during pivotal years for education.

David Scarlett Wakelyn
Testing and Accountability
October 24, 2022

2022 California standardized test results wipe out years of steady progress

Smarter Balanced scores fell sharply in both math and English language arts, indicating it could take years for students to fully recover from the pandemic.

John Fensterwald And Daniel J. Willis
Testing and Accountability
October 23, 2022

Scores nationwide crater on national math test, California’s not quite so much

Scores for the nation and California took a historic drop in fourth and eighth grade math on the National Assessment for Educational Progress or NAEP. There was some good news, too, for California, despite the pandemic.

John Fensterwald
Commentary
October 19, 2022

Navigating nuance is key to improving computer science education

Ensuring computer science education is effective and equitable requires involving multiple viewpoints and being flexible.

Julie Flapan
State Education Policy
October 10, 2022

College Corps, with California's first state-run tutoring initiative, is off and running

3,200 college students from 46 campuses will receive $10,000 stipend; half will tutor in 33 school districts, after-school programs in service programs modeled after AmeriCorps and Peace Corps.

John Fensterwald