Tag: recommendations

New York students’ math scores lag the national average and have remained stagnant for many years, despite massive increases in per-pupil funding. In May, the New York State Department of Education (NYSED) launched a Numeracy Initiative to address the issue. Unfortunately, its guidance will lead to even poorer math instruction. The initiative has released a series of Numeracy Briefs, which aim to instruct educators in “best practices for effective mathematics instruction.” The briefs were produced by TeachingWorks, a group led by University of Michigan professor Deborah Loewenberg Ball. The group’s goal, according to its website, is to promote “teaching to create a more just society” and to develop “equitable, skillful teaching.” The briefs quickly caused confusion and concern among educators who attended NYSED’s professional development sessions. Some noticed that the guidance from NYSED contradicted well-established math pedagogy, as well as advice from other experts in the field. They reached out to Benjamin Solomon, an associate professor in school psychology at the University of Albany, who has conducted several webinars on math instruction. He wrote a letter to NYSED commissioner Betty Rosa detailing the Numeracy Briefs’ inaccuracies and questionable practices. The letter garnered support from more than 160 teachers, parents, and researchers, all of whom signed a petition calling for the briefs to be withdrawn. Solomon’s letter states that the briefs cite only two meta-analyses to support their recommendations and rely mostly on books and articles-all while ignoring the substantial body of research that constitutes the science of math. As Solomon noted, “the briefs are mostly [TeachingWorks’] opinion.” Asked to comment on Solomon’s letter, NYSED responded by stating, “Attempts to distort or politicize this work will not deter NYSED’s commitment to advancing high-quality, equitable mathematics instruction for every student in New York State.” Open Book New York has no records showing how much NYSED paid TeachingWorks to produce the briefs. NYSED should disclose the amount so the public can understand how much was spent to develop guidance that leaves educators and students so confused. State legislators should also hold hearings to investigate how the briefs’ recommendations diverge from established math science.