Low Math Proficiency Scores for the US Students - Assignment Example

RUNNING HEAD: POLICY MEMO: LOW MATH PROFICIENCY SCORES FOR U.S STUDENTS Policy Memo: Low Math Proficiency Scores for U.S students Name: Course: Institution: Date: Policy Memo: Low Math Proficiency Scores for U.S students To: The United States National Commission on Mathematics Instruction CC: United States Department of Education From: Subject: Policy Memo: Low Math Proficiency Scores for U.S students Date: Summary One of the most persistent concerns of policy makers and business leaders in the United States (U.S) is the increasing gap in mathematics and science scores between American students and students from other industrialized nations which negatively affects their global competitiveness. Therefore, there is a need to make urgent policy changes at the elementary school level to address the global competitiveness of U.S students. This memo provides evidence of the policy issue of low math scores in the U.S, outlining the policy timeline, its context and the views, values, objectives and resources of various stakeholders important to this issue. The memo concludes by recommending the implementation of performance –based pay structures for elementary math teachers to make math teaching more attractive and implementation of a nation-wide policy to allow high performing or gifted students to skip grades. Issue Math skills have been identified by economists as the most significant for economic growth as they are a reliable proxy for science skills and a pre-requisite for productive labour and technological innovation. It has often been a complaint of business leaders and policy makers in the U.S that a high number of students graduate without the necessary math and science skills to become competitive in the global economy (Tomsho 2009). Economists have expressed concern that the low math scores could translate into a reduction in economic growth by almost half a percentage point annually, describing the issue as an “economic time bomb” (Kronholz 1994). Studies conducted by the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance have estimated that the problem could cost the U.S $ 75 trillion over the next 8 decades (Kronholz 2004, Hanushek et al 2010). This issue points to shortcomings in the existing educational policies and programs put in place to improve educational outcomes such as the No Child Left Behind Program (NCLB). Therefore, there is a need to make urgent policy changes at the elementary school level to address the global competitiveness of U.S students in terms of math and science skills. Context There are two dimensions to this issue, the global context and the domestic context. Globally, this is reflected by the low percentages of high-achieving math students in the U.S as compared to those of other Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries which have consistently outperformed U.S students in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) math test (OECD 2006). At a domestic level, The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) tests have also revealed stagnation in learning progress for advanced level math across all levels of education for several states. This also points to an external (global) as well as internal (inter-state) gap (Banchero 2011, NCES 2011). The issue of low math literacy scores needs to be addressed at a domestic level in both the state and national context. Stakeholder Analysis There are various stakeholders who both influence and have been affected by the issue of low math scores. Principally, business leaders and employers have often complained that U.S graduates lack the necessary math skills to be competitive in the global economy as compared to their peers in other OECD countries. The issue is illustrated by the fact that U.S employers have traditionally relied on foreign applicants to staff top jobs in the high-tech industry such as graduates from Asian countries such as Japan, China and South Korea whose students have consistently outperformed American students in PISA math literacy tests (Hanushek et al 2009, Tomsho 2010). However, recent legislative immigration regulations have impeded employers’ ability to recruit foreigners and this could translate to lower productivity unless domestic graduates have math skills to compete at a global level. Other stakeholders such as the government have also expressed concern over the issue of low math scores as reflecting deficiencies in U.S education policy. Legislators also have a critical role to play in ensuring appropriate legislation is in place to support existing and recommended education policies. In particular, public schools stand to be affected in terms of funding under the NCLB unless they are able to raise math scores and bridge the gap between economically privileged and high performing students (in states such as Massachusetts) and under-privileged or minority groups such as Hispanics (Hanushek et al 2011, NCES 2011). The issue has also attracted interest from politicians with President Barrack Obama recently urging players in the education sector to make sure that the U.S can “out-innovate, out educate, and out-build the rest of the world. (The Huffington Post 2011)” Policy Recommendations To address the issue of low math scores in the education system, two key policy recommendations are proposed Implementation of a performance based pay structure for elementary school math teachers in every state to make math teaching more attractive and improve the quality and delivery of the math curriculum. While this recommendation implies increased costs, it is necessary to address the issue at an elementary level and would translate to long term savings according to the Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance (Hanushek et al 2010). Formulation and implementation of gifted or high performing student policy to allow high-performing students to skip grades contingent on passing standardized tests and participating in math teaching programs for their peers. This would promote the development of students with advanced math proficiency skills and provide an incentive for gifted students to take part in math teaching programs. Policy Timeline 2000: The U.S participates in the first PISA math, reading and science literacy tests for 15 year olds conducted by the OECD. Tests are to be conducted every three years. The U.S ranks at 19th position in the math literacy test with a mean score of 493 below the OECD average of 500 (OECD 2006). 2002: The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act passes through Congress and is signed into law by President George W. Bush. The law mandates that every child be brought up to a level that the state deems to be proficient through standardized tests. Among other issues, the law is designed to help close the achievement gap between schools and boost math performance (NCES 2011). 2003: Bi-annual NAEP assessments are initiated for reading and mathematics at grades 4 and 8 to assess progress in learning (NCES 2011). 2003: The U.S ranks 24th out of 29 OECD countries in the PISA math literacy test scores with a mean of 483 below the average of 500 and 61 points behind top-ranking Finland (at 544) for OECD countries, a notable decline from 2000 (OECD 2006, NCES 2011, Hanushek et al 2010). 2005: NAEP tests show improvement in math scores for both 4th and 8th graders from 238 to 235 points and 278 to 279 points respectively (NCES 2011). 2006: The U.S ranking on the PISA math literacy tests continue to decline to 32nd with a score of 474, 24 points below the OECD average of 498. This shows an increasing gap between other OECD member countries and the U.S. (OECD 2006) 2007: NAEP tests show improvement for both 4th and 8th graders in math scores by 2 points (NCES 2011). 2009: The U.S ranks 31st out of 74 countries and 25th out of 33 OECD countries in the PISA math literacy test with an improved score of 487 but still below the OECD average (OECD 2009). 2009: NAEP tests show stagnation in math scores for 4th graders but a slight improvement for 8th graders (NCES 2011). 2011: NAEP tests show slight improvement in math scores with the percentage of students performing at the proficient and advanced level at an all time high (NCES 2011). Stakeholder Analysis Diagram References Banchero, S. (2011). Brightest Stall, Low Achievers Gain: Some Say Top Students Need Attention Given to Weaker Performers, as Smart Kids' Scores Barely Move. The Wall Street Journal, 12 November. Retrieved on 8 October, 2012 from < http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203537304577032091650691280.html > Hanushek, E.A, Peterson, P.E. & Woessman, L. (2010). U. S. Math Performance in Global Perspective: How well does each state do at producing high-achieving students? Boston: Harvard Program on Education Policy and Governance & Education Next Taubman Center for State and Local Government. Retrieved on 8 October, 2012 from < http://media.hoover.org/sites/default/files/documents/TT-Report-global-perspective.pdf > Kronholz, J. (2004). Economic Time Bomb: U.S. Teens Are Among the Worst at Math. The Wall Street Journal, 7 December. Retrieved on 8 October, 2012 from < http://online.wsj.com/article/0,,SB110236760101392346,00.html > National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) (2011). The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2011 (NCES 2012–458). National Center for Education Statistics, Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2006). Assessing Scientific, Reading and Mathematical Literacy: A Framework for PISA 2006. Paris: Author. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2009). PISA 2009 Assessment Framework - Key Competencies in Reading, Mathematics and Science. Paris: Author. Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) (2010). PISA 2009 Results: What Students know and can do - Student Performance in Reading, Mathematics and Science (I).Paris: Author. The Huffington Post (2011). U.S. Students' Low Math Test Proficiency Could Have Consequences For GDP. Retrieved on 8 October, 2012 from < http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/17/math-test-proficiency-naep- pisa_n_929498.html > Tomsho, R. (2009). U.S. Math Scores Hit a Wall: National Test Shows No Gains for Fourth- Graders, Slight Rise for Eighth-Graders. The Wall Street Journal, 15 October. Retrieved on 8 October, 2012 from < http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125552998655384945.html > Read More