Educators debate algebra’s real value

Some question its usefulness; others see it as essential

NEW YORK needs algebra?

That question muttered by many a frustrated student over the years has become a vigorous debate among American educators, sparked by a provocative new book that argues required algebra has become an unnecessary stumbling block that forces millions

Who to drop out school or college.

“One out of 5 young Americans does not graduate from high school,” said political scientist Andrew Hacker, author of “The Math Myth and Other STEM Delusions.” “This is one of the worst records in the developed world. Why? The chief academic reason is they failed ninth-grade algebra.”

Hacker, a professor emeritus at New York’s Queens College, argues that, at most, only 5 percent of jobs make use of algebra and other advanced math courses.

He favors a curriculum that focuses more on statistics and basic numbers sense.

“Will algebra help you understand the federal budget?” he asked.

Many U.S. educators, including the architects of the Common Core standards, disagree, saying math just needs to be taught more effectively.

“Every study I’ve ever seen of workers in whole bunches of fields showsthat you have to understand formulas, you have to understand relationships,” said Philip Uri Treisman, a professor of mathematics and of public affairs at the University of Texas at Austin. “Algebra is the tool for consolidating your knowledge of arithmetic.”

Bill McCallum, a professor at the University of Arizona who played a lead role in developing the Common Core standards for math, said hewould oppose any division of K-12 students into an algebra track and a nonalgebra track.

“You might say only a certain percentage of kids will go on to use algebra, but we don’t know which kids those are,” he said.

In New York City, home to the nation’s largest public school system with 1.1 million pupils, just 52 percent of the students who took last year’s statewide Regents test in Algebra I passed, mirroring statistics elsewhere in the country.

Rather than scaling back on algebra, New York City educators have announced an “Algebra for All” initiative that aims to keep students on track by providing specialized math teachers in fifth grade, before algebra is introduced.

“We believe in high standards,” said Carol Mosesson-Teig, director of mathematics for the city Department of Education. “And we believe that the best way to serve the students is to strengthen the instruction.”

About50communitycolleges in 14 states offer an alternative track called Quantway, developed by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, that seeks to develop quantitative literacy.

“It includes some basic algebra concepts, but you don’t learn how to factor polynomials or solve complex equations,” said math department Chairman Fred Peskoff.

Project director Karon Klipple said the foundation devised Quantway and a statistics track called Statway in 2011 because of the sheer numbers of students dropping out of community college due to algebra. Sixty to 80 percent of community college students nationwide test into remedial math, and most don’t pass it, she said.

of

high