By: R. James Milgram (Stanford University)
(Editors note: remember, this is what Gov. Hassan, Sen. Hosmer, Exec. Councilors Pappas, and VanOstern think is GOOD for YOUR children)
Kindergarden-7th Grade:
“Absolutely nothing in CC will prepare students to take Algebra 1 in grade 8. “
CC places children behind BEFORE Middle school: (reducing likelihood of getting on the CA ‘advanced’ math path; and thereby selective colleges). “K-7 standards are mathematically incompetent”
- CC does not require proficiency with addition and subtraction until Grade 4 (a grade behind our international competitors).
- CC does not require proficiency with multiplication using the standard algorithm (step-by-step procedure for calculations) until Grade 5 (a grade behind standard expectations).
- CC does not require proficiency with division using the standard algorithm until Grade 6 (a grade behind our international competitors).
- CC starts teaching decimals in Grade 4 (about two years behind the more rigorous states) and fails to use money as a natural introduction to this concept.
- CC fails to teach in K-8 about key geometrical concepts (e.g., area of a triangle, sum of angles in a triangle, isosceles and equilateral triangles, etc.).
- Excludes: sum of angles of a triangle, except that it magically expects students to know it in grade 8
- Excludes: fluent conversion between different forms of fractions – regular fractions, decimals, and percents
- CC fails to teach prime factorization. Consequently, CCS does not include teaching about least common denominators or greatest common factors.
Algebra 1: critical components missing which are required for Algebra 2 and Calculus: (Source: Ze’ev Wurman)
1. division of monomials and polynomials (only addition/subtraction/multiplication is covered).
2. Derive and understand slopes of parallel and perpendicular lines.
3. Manipulate & simplify rational expressions
4. Multi-step problems with linear equations and inequalities
5. Multi-step problems with four operations between polynomials.
6. Multi-step problems involving manipulation of rational expressions
7. Solve a system of two linear inequalities in two variables and to sketch the solution sets.
CC de-emphasizes algebraic manipulation, a prerequisite for advanced mathematics. Instead, CCS redefines algebra as “functional algebra,” which does not prepare students for STEM careers.
Non-Calif. this was added in Calif.’s CC version, but missing in the National CC standards):
8. Solving Equations and inequalities with absolute value, and problems with such.
9. Solve problems with quadratic expressions
Algebra 2: critical components missing which are required for Calculus: Source: Zeev Standards Testimony
- composite functions
- combinations and permutations
- finite and infinite arithmetic and geometric sequences
- mathematical induction
- CC excludes certain Algebra II and Geometry content that is a prerequisite at almost every four-year college.
Geometry:
CC replaces the traditional foundations of Euclidean geometry with an experimental approach.