College & Workforce Readiness News in Brief

NCTM Issues Warning On Math Substitution

By Liana Loewus — March 22, 2016 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics has released a statement cautioning states and districts that allowing computer science courses to substitute for a high school math course could undermine students’ math preparation.

More than half of states allow computer science to count as a math or science credit toward high school graduation. The number of states with such policies has increased quickly over the past few years, in part because groups like Code.org have advocated for computer science to be recognized as a core subject.

NCTM President Diane Briars says that can be a bad move in states that only require students to take two math courses to graduate.

“When you only have a two-course requirement, that’s a minimum mathematics requirement. In that case, allowing computer science to substitute for a mathematics course would really undermine students’ mathematics preparation very seriously.”

A version of this article appeared in the March 23, 2016 edition of Education Week as NCTM Issues Warning On Math Substitution

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Assessment Webinar
Reflections on Evidence-Based Grading Practices: What We Learned for Next Year
Get real insights on evidence-based grading from K-12 leaders.
Content provided by Otus
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Student Well-Being Webinar
Creating Resilient Schools with a Trauma-Responsive MTSS
Join us to learn how school leaders are building a trauma-responsive MTSS to support students & improve school outcomes.
School & District Management Live Online Discussion A Seat at the Table: We Can’t Engage Students If They Aren’t Here: Strategies to Address the Absenteeism Conundrum
Absenteeism rates are growing fast. Join Peter DeWitt and experts to learn how to re-engage students & families.

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

College & Workforce Readiness Spotlight Spotlight on CTE and Beyond: Expanding Opportunities for Students
This Spotlight will help you explore innovative approaches to CTE, real-world learning experiences, and more.
College & Workforce Readiness Q&A College Board's CEO on How AP Courses Are Changing for the AI Era
College Board CEO David Coleman on AP’s shift toward career readiness, AI’s impact, and new courses in cybersecurity and business.
7 min read
College Board President David Coleman attends an announcement event on March 5, 2014, in Austin, where College Board officials announced updates for the SAT college entrance exam.
College Board President David Coleman spoke with Education Week last month about the organization's move to design AP courses with input from the business community.
Eric Gay/AP
College & Workforce Readiness Not Your Parents' CTE: How Career and Technical Education Is Evolving
School districts are redefining CTE to expose students to a broad range of potential careers.
5 min read
Hard hat on a stack of books, next to a wrench and screwdriver.
iStock/Getty
College & Workforce Readiness These AP Classes Were Designed to Attract Students of Color. Did They?
New data show two new Advanced Placement courses helped boost participation among Black and Latino students.
3 min read
Data shown on a computer screen.
iStock/Getty