Before persistent criticism stalls much-needed change in K-14 mathematics, school board members should weigh critics' objections against the strong case for reform made by leading professional organizations in mathematics and education. Traditional approaches are not yielding satisfactory student learning. Recent innovations show great promise.…

Examines the consequences of assigning student grades using test-score averaging on course materials, tests, and learning. Proposes an alternative method of grading based on progressive improvement by the student that emphasizes the learning of concepts. (MDH)

This paper discusses a radically different set of assumptions to improve educational outcomes for disadvantaged students. It is argued that disadvantaged children, when exposed to carefully organized thinking-oriented instruction, can acquire the traditional basic skills in the process of reasoning and solving problems. The paper is presented in…