National Mathematics Advisory Panel Reports of the Task Groups and Subcommittees

For students to compete in the 21st-century global economy, knowledge of and proficiency in mathematics are critical. Whether headed to college or to the workforce, today's high school graduates need solid mathematics skill. The National Mathematics Advisory Panel was created in 2006 and charged with reviewing the best available scientific evidence and making recommendations on improving mathematics education with a focus on readiness for and success in algebra. This report contains findings and recommendations on topics including curricular content, learning processes, instructional practices and materials, teachers, assessments and future research priorities. The following chapters are included in this report: (1) Introduction; (2) Report of the Subcommittee on Standards of Evidence (Valerie F. Reyna, Camilla Persson Benbow, A. Wade Boykin, Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst, and Tyrrell Flawn); (3) Report of the Task Group on Conceptual Knowledge and Skills (Francis "Skip" Fennell, Larry R. Faulkner, Liping Ma, Wilfried Schmid, Sandra Stotsky, Hung-Hsi Wu, and Tyrrell Flawn); (4) Report of the Task Group on Learning Processes (David C. Geary, A. Wade Boykin, Susan Embretson, Valerie Reyna, Robert Siegler, Daniel B. Berch, and Jennifer Graban); (5) Report of the Task Group on Teachers and Teacher Education (Deborah Loewenberg Ball, James Simons, Hung-Hsi Wu, Raymond Simon, Grover J. "Russ" Whitehurst, and Jim Yun); (6) Report of the Task Group on Instructional Practices (Russell Gersten, Joan Ferrini-Mundy, Camilla Benbow, Douglas H. Clements, Tom Loveless, Vern Williams, Irma Arispe, and Marian Banfield); (7) Report of the Subcommittee on Instructional Materials (Robert S. Siegler, Bert Fristedt, Vern Williams, Irma Arispe, Daniel B. Berch, and Marian Banfield); (8) Report of the Task Group on Assessment (Camilla P. Benbow, Susan Embretson, Francis "Skip" Fennell, Bert Fristedt, Tom Loveless, Wilfried Schmid, Sandra Stotsky, Irma Arispe, and Ida Eblinger Kelley); and (9) Report of the Subcommittee on the National Survey of Algebra I Teachers (Tom Loveless, Francis "Skip" Fennell, Vern Williams, Deborah Loewenberg Ball, and Marian Banfield) -- Final Report on the National Survey of Algebra Teachers for the National Mathematics Advisory Panel Subcommittee (Thomas B. Hoffer, Lekha Venkataraman, E.C. Hedberg, and Shobha Shagle). Appended to the main report are: (1) Presidential Executive Order 13398; and (2) Rosters of Panel Members, U.S. Department of Education Staff, and Consultants. (Individual chapters contain references, tables, figures, and appendixes.)