The Failure of Math Education in the United States

Let's not mince words: Math education in the United States is a failure. Yes, we are better than some countries, we have some good teachers, and we do produce some world-class mathematicians, but when regarded on the whole, one can only conclude that as a system it has failed Americans. The institutions that should be most concerned, the Schools of Education have not been effective in addressing the issue.

One response has been denial through demolishing an appropriately erected straw man. Apologists will explain falling SAT scores in Mathematics by pointing out that a much larger fraction of the student population takes the test now than in the past, and so this group necessarily will include more underprepared people. Perhaps this is the case, although even this argument is not completely clear. The perceived premium on scoring well has led to the creation of an entire industry to prepare students for this test which one would think should improve scores. Other factors also cloud the issue, but even if this argument is correct it misses the point.

The appropriate comparison is with other countries, and here there is little doubt that our international standing is middling at best. A PISA (Program for International Student Assessment) study in 2006 placed the average score for 15 year-olds on math literacy statistically significantly under 31 countries, higher than 20 (mostly third world( countries, and on the same level as six countries. The TIMSS studies which assess the 4th and 8th grades rank us higher, but the comparisons, taken together, give the impression that the longer students attend our schools the more they fall behind students from other countries, since our comparative standing drops from 4th grade to 8th grade to 15 year-olds. Given the fact that we have far more resources and the illusion that we are devoted to equal opportunity, it makes clear these results are unsatisfactory. Unfortunately even when the problem is recognized, the standards of scholarship are so low in the Departments of Education that no effective plan to attack the problem has emerged.

Math failure has significant consequences. As a nation it cripples our ability to compete internationally. Thus far, we have been spared the full consequences of our ineptitude because our economic position has attracted talented immigrants to fill the gap of what we should produce, but this will change as our economic prominence diminishes. Even more importantly, it short-changes our people economically. We have always felt that US citizenship should guarantee at least an opportunity to compete equally with others in the world, but an inability to understand mathematics has severe economic consequences that often are not recognized by those with the handicap.

No one doubts the crippling effect of illiteracy but, but in the US too many people think that to be inept mathematically--well join the crowd. You won't perceive math illiteracy to be a problem when it seems that most are in the same boat. But the loss to are citizens can be seen in all the immigration loopholes we create in order to get technically qualified employees. These represent losses of well-paying jobs for Americans. It is also remarkable that so many small businessmen come from the ranks of new immigrants rather than natives. One cannot help but think that the former gained the math savvy to assess business opportunities, while far fewer of the latter have those skills.

Finally, it seems to me that many of our political difficulties stem from the fact that so many eligible voters vote fail to recognize their own economic interest, and are thus susceptible to outrageous distortions.