President Bush signed an executive order last week creating the National Mathematics Advisory Panel.
The order establishes a 30-member expert panel, to be appointed by Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings. Twenty appointees will come from outside the federal government; the other 10 will be officers and employees of various federal agencies.
The panel will examine how schools can better prepare students to study algebra and higher-level math, the role of standards and assessments in improving instruction, teacher training and placement in schools, and methods for strengthening students’ understanding of basic math, calculus, geometry, and other subjects. (“White House Suggests Model Used in Reading to Elevate Math Skills,” Feb. 15, 2006)