Mathematics Standards

Mathematics Standards
Research, Articles & Editorials

Model Mathematics Standards (Arizona and Japan)
Achieve, Inc. (2001)
Based on criteria developed by many independent, nationally recognized education experts and educators, Achieve has identified the mathematics standards from Arizona and Japan as the best current models. Though these standards are not flawless, they are among the best examples available against which states and communities can compare themselves. View these standards side-by-side using Achieve's standards database. (See Achieve's Criteria for Benchmarking Standards.)

The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics Highlights from 2000
National Center for Education Statistics (2001)
This publication describes the assessment content and presents major findings of "The Nation's Report Card: Mathematics 2000." It also provides information about practices at home and in school that are related to mathematics achievement, and includes sample test questions and examples of student responses. (Requires free download of Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Academic Excellence for All Urban Students:
Their Accomplishment In Science and Mathematics
Systemic Research, Inc. (2001)
This report offers a summary of initial findings from the National Science Foundation's Urban Systemic Initiative in 22 large urban school districts. The focus of the initiative has been standards-based curriculum and instruction, aligned assessments, policies, professional development, resource alignment, leadership, and partnerships. Overall, the report demonstrates important gains in student achievement, with the largest benefits for districts that have been participating in initiative the longest

Mathematics Frameworks for the National Assessment of Education Progress (1996 and 2000)
U.S. Department of Education (2000)
These documents provide a general overview of the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) and review the process by which the 1996 and 2000 frameworks were developed.

TIMSS Resource Page from the AFT
American Federation of Teachers (2000)
Released in 1997, the Third International Mathematics and Science Study presented the U.S. and the rest of the world with some of the most comprehensive international educational comparisons to date. The AFT's resource page presents news, research, policy reports and editorials pertaining to the TIMSS study and its impact on the way we view our education system, standards, curriculum, and effective instruction.

Principles and Standards for School Mathematics
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2000)
This revised standards from the NCTM is intended as a consensus document, designed to guide for those who make decisions that affect the mathematics education of students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. In addition to the standards and principles, the site also contains links to additional resources and interactive material that support the proper implementation of the revised NCTM standards.

Improving Mathematics Education Using Results from
NAEP and TIMSS
Linda D. Wilson and Rolf K. Blank (1999)
In 1997, two major studies, the National Assessment of Educational Progress and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, were released. This paper analyzes these studies in an effort to explain the wide differences in mathematics proficiency among schools and nations. It also summarizes some of the major differences between these studies, as well as state assessment programs, in their purpose and design. (Requires free download of Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Knowing and Teaching Elementary Mathematics
Richard Askey, American Educator (Fall 1999)
In this journal article for the AFT, Askey reviews a book of the same title as the article written by Chinese mathematics teacher Liping Ma. Ma's book examines the ways in which Chinese mathematics teachers approach teaching complex subjects as compared to teachers in the United States, providing illustrations that help show how the topic under consideration fits into the larger picture of elementary mathematics. (Requires free download of Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Basic Skills Versus Conceptual Understanding
Hung-Hsi Wu, American Educator (Fall 1999)
Berkeley mathematics professor Hung-Hsi Wu, examines the debate between those who advocate teaching "basic skills" in mathematics and those who advocate an emphasis on "higher-order" conceptual understanding. Wu argues that this a false dichotomy and argues that both are necessary for student success. (Requires free download of Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Setting Higher Sights: A Need for More Demanding Assessments for U.S. Eight Graders
American Federation of Teachers (1998)
As American students progress through school, they fall further and further below the international level of competency in mathematics. In this study, the AFT examines the inability of American public schools, as compared to foreign school systems, to help all students achieve high standards. The report suggests that one problem arises from the low competency level implicit in student math assessments in the U.S.

Every Child Mathematically Proficient: An Action Plan
Learning First Alliance (1998)
How can we bring American students to world-class levels of mathematics achievement? The Learning First Alliance tackles this issue in their 1998 action plan. The document covers such topics as improving student achievement and closing the existing racial/socioeconomic performance gap. Objectives involving four key areas (curriculum changes, teacher training, public support, and research-based reforms) are discussed and step-by-step recommendations for action are outlined.

The Formula for Success: A Business Leader’s Guide to Supporting Math and Science Achievement
Business Coalition for Education Reform (1998)
According to recent studies, children today assume that there is no reason why they should strive for excellence in school. This, though, may be a dangerous assumption considering that "almost 90% of new jobs require more than a high school level of literacy and math skills." In this report, the Business Coalition for Education Reform illustrates the value of math and science mastery in the workplace. It addresses the TIMSS findings and offers models by which business and education leaders can support achievement strategies.

Learning from the TIMSS: Results from the Third International Mathematics and Science Study
National Research Council (1997)
What exactly is the Third International Mathematics and Science Study and what does it mean for our schools? In 1997, a symposium was held to answer these questions and to initiate a discussion in hopes of advancing reform. This conference summary opens with a detailed look at the very complex nature of TIMSS. It also includes questions that were raised about the study and address difficult policy issues. The symposium’s major themes are also presented.

Executive Summary: What Students Abroad Are Expected to Know About Mathematics
American Federation of Teachers (1997)
This 1997 report by the AFT and the National Center for Improving Science Education (NCISE) shows much larger percentages of students in France, Germany, and Japan taking and passing demanding math exams than their American counterparts. The report examines the French Brevet exam, the German Realschule exam, and the Tokyo prefecture high school entrance exam. Also compared are the various college entrance examinations administered in each country: the French baccalaureat, the German Abitur, the Tokyo University entrance examination and the American SAT I, AP, and SAT II exams.

Back to Standards Homepage