[ARUME] FYI: Response of Secretary Riley to the Open Letter

[Annie Selden <aselden@ASU.EDU>]

For those of you following the Open Letter to
Secretary of Education Riley regarding "exemplary"
and "promising" programs in K-12 2 math education,
here is his response.

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>From the Department of Education website
See  http://www.ed.gov/News/Letters/000106.html
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January 6, 2000

Dr. David Klein
Professor of Mathematics
California State University, Northridge
Northridge, California 91330

Dear Dr. Klein:

I am writing in response to the open letter that you and your cosigners
recently sent regarding the work of the Mathematics and Science Expert
Panel.

We certainly appreciate the interest that you and other research
mathematicians are taking in the mathematics achievement of America's
children. While our students are not yet performing at the level we want,
they are doing better than many Americans think. Mathematics scores from
the National Assessment of Educational Progress, the Nation's report card,
increased significantly at grades 4, 8 and 12 between 1990 and 1996.
Several states, including Connecticut, Michigan, North Carolina and Texas,
are reporting significant gains in mathematics scores. Moreover, during the
past two decades, high school students are taking more years of
mathematics, more students are taking advanced placement mathematics
courses, and SAT and ACT mathematics scores are increasing.

Nonetheless, results on the Third International Mathematics and Science
Study indicate that we do not yet generally have a world-class mathematics
education in place. We must harness the energies and expertise of many
stakeholders to turn this around.

We should start by identifying areas of agreement and working
collaboratively on areas of disagreement. One area of agreement, for
example, is that the very best mathematics programs must include mastery of
basic skills and the use of those skills in solving complex problems.
Another is that America's children need:  traditional basics -- being able
to add, subtract, multiply, and divide, and be accurate with simple mental
computation; and the basics of a new information age -- communicating
mathematical ideas, applying mathematics in real-world settings, and
problem solving.

The recent decision of the Expert Panel is clearly an area of disagreement.
We certainly respect that there are different and deeply held viewpoints on
this issue. However, we do not agree with your assertion that both the
panel and the criteria it used were outside of the existing mathematics
education mainstream. It is important to note that the Panel concluded that
each of the ten programs had demonstrated a measurable difference in
student learning. Undoubtedly  there are other materials that can or will
demonstrate achievement gains in both basic skills and problem solving. If
you or others cosigning the letter have such materials or programs, we
welcome their submission in the next round.

Another concern voiced in your letter centered on the representation of
active research mathematicians on the panel. Input from the public,
including those who have signed your letter, on the future composition of
the panel is welcome. We agree that additional representation of research
mathematicians knowledgeable about K-12 mathematics education would
strengthen panel deliberations.

Most important, of course, the final decision of what program to use rests
in the hands of local educators. We hope that the work of the Panel, along
with evaluations from other groups, informs this critical decision.

Much remains to be done to improve student achievement in mathematics. The
Department of Education is prepared to work with all parties in this most
important effort.

Yours sincerely,

Richard W. Riley

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