Math and Science

To be competitive in today's knowledge-based economy, young people need to master higher level skills in math and science.

Student Achievement

Unfortunately, not all of Washington's high school graduates exit high school with the necessary math skills. Of high school graduates who immediately enroll in Washington community or technical colleges, almost half require remedial math courses.

Source: Role of Pre-College (Developmental and Remedial) Education for Recent High School Graduates Attending Washington Community and Technical Colleges, State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, December 2007

As our Citizens' Report Card on Washington State Education shows, nearly half of 10th grade students cannot pass the Math WASL, and almost two-thirds fail the Science WASL. Numbers are equally worrisome in almost every other grade.

Source: OSPI

Failure rates among Latinos, African Americans, and Native Americans are even more disturbing. The achievement gap between White/Asian students and all others hovers around 30 percentage points.

Source: OSPI

Math Reform

High school graduation requirements are under review by the State Board of Education. The Legislature raised the math requirement from two years to three, and directed the SBE to determine the content of that third year (2SHB 1906). The SBE is considering requiring all students pass, at minimum, Algebra II instead of Geometry. Entrance to all of Washington's four-year colleges and universities requires at least three years of math, where the third year is at minimum Algebra II. To earn an associate degree at any community of technical college in Washington, students must demonstrate mastery of Algebra II. Many certificate programs at community and technical colleges also require demonstrated mastery of Algebra II concepts.

Washington is also in the process of finalizing new math standards. The revised standards are meant to set higher expectations for students, identify areas of emphasis, and increase clarity. The current draft of standards breaks down expectations and competencies by grade for K-8 and by course for high school (9-12). The high school standards are grouped two ways-Algebra I-Geometry-Algebra II and Mathematics 1-Mathematics 2-Mathematics 3-to accommodate different math curriculum structures. The draft standards include recommendations for math courses beyond Algebra II/Mathematics 3; standards for such courses will be developed by the end of the 2008-09 school year.

Currently, Washington does not maintain a list of approved curricula or textbooks, meaning there is little uniformity across the state. In November 2006, SBE, OSPI and the Professional Educator Standards Board created the Joint Mathematics Action Plan. In this plan, the three entities called for the creation of a mathematics curricular menu. Once the new math standards are adopted, OSPI (along with SBE, contractor and advisory panel) will select a narrowed list of aligned texts and materials. According to the P-20 Council, this will be done for the three grade spans. In the most recent timeline from OSPI, it will make three recommendations for Algebra I, Geometry, Integrated Math I, and Integrated Math II. These recommendations to SBE are anticipated in March 2009.

Passing the Math WASL is no longer a graduation requirement and will now be phased out by 2014. Instead, students will need to pass end of course exams in Algebra and Geometry.

Teacher Shortages

In addition to low student test scores, teacher shortages in math and science are growing in the state. According to a 2007 survey of the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, districts reported considerable shortages of teachers in math and science. Washington recently increased the math graduation requirement from two to three credits to help ensure graduates are better prepared for life after high school. To accommodate the new requirement, districts estimate they will need an additional 450 math teachers to teach added classes. Agencies within Washington recognize the growing need for more teachers and are working on solutions.

Teacher shortages in math and science are thought to be related to the high-paying careers available to those with math and science degrees. The average Washington teacher salary in 2005-06 was $45,724.

Below are average salaries of math- and science-related occupations in Washington in May 2006:

Occupation	Average Salary ($)
Mathematician	93,660
Electrical Engineer	75,930
Chemist	68,890
Statistician	65,630
Accountant/Auditor	59,360

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The PESB also surveyed Washington's higher education teacher preparation programs. In 2007-08, there are 307 math teacher candidates enrolled, and the programs have a capacity to enroll nearly five times that number. Even though these institutions of higher education have the space for more math teacher candidates, Washington's schools may need to look elsewhere. In anticipation, the Joint Mathematics Action Plan calls for the expansion of alternative route programs, improvement in recruitment and retention strategies, and expansion of educator retooling programs.

Resources

Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction

Washington State Board of Education