Blog Posts

Those are important issues; however, this post is concerned with students on the opposite end of the distribution of achievement: students who struggle with math.  Over the past decade, math scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) have been declining at the 25^thpercentile, indicating that struggling students are falling even further behind their peers. Moreover, as schools recover from the pandemic, the percentage of students with disappointing math achievement is sure to go up. What does the framework portend for them? What evidence does the framework rely upon to build its recommendations for these vulnerable youngsters?

May 15 2022, Tom Loveless

San Francisco Unified School District  (SFUSD) adopted a detracking initiative in 2014-2015 school year, eliminating accelerated middle and high school math classes, including the option for advanced students to take Algebra I in eighth grade. The policy stands today. High schools feature a common math sequence of heterogeneously grouped classes studying Algebra I in ninth grade and Geometry in tenth grade. After 10^thgrade, students are allowed to take math courses reflecting different abilities and interests.

Mar 13 2022, Tom Loveless

Richard E. Clark, Paul A. Kirschner, and John Sweller (2012).  Putting Students on the Path to Learning: The Case for Fully Guided Instruction.

Feb 03 2022, Tom Loveless

Tracking is back in the news. Controversy erupted in Virginia earlier this year when a proposal was floated requiring every student to take the same math class through 10th grade. The idea was quickly abandoned, with officials explaining that it’s “just a thought process right now.”

Oct 04 2021, Tom Loveless

The Education Exchange: Understanding the Failure of Common Core - Education Next

A “blunt instrument” to share common standards for college-readiness across states wound up on the ash heap. Tom Loveless tells the story in a new book.

Education NextEducation Next

Aug 30 2021, Tom Loveless