Dive Summary:
- A new report by Duke professor Jacob L. Vigdor from the American Enterprise Institute examines the renewed interest in students' mathematics performance and is the latest to suggest that not all students should take algebra in the eighth grade.
- Pushing students into algebra and other higher-level math courses too early can hurt their knowledge and performance, and high school students continue to perform poorly on math tests despite a renewed focus on STEM subjects, often taking remedial math courses in college.
- According to the report, there are half as many new college graduates who majored in math-intensive subjects as there were 60 years ago, and that progress in the U.S. could slow or be lost if current trends continue.
From the article:
A new report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) tackles the U.S. algebra and mathematics dilemma and is the latest to suggest that not all students should be pushed to take algebra in the eighth grade. "Solving America's mathematics education problem," by Duke professor Jacob L. Vigdor, examines cultural shifts that have resulted in new waves of interest in students' mathematics performance. ...
