Back to school, emphasis on math

Few can argue something isn't amiss in the way math is taught in Washington state and, by extension, the performance of students taking the subject.

There are nearly as many types of math curricula and textbooks as there are students failing the subject. In some districts, the math curriculum isn't aligned with state standards and the result is students faced with unfamiliar content on the math section of the Washington Assessment of Student Learning test. The state Legislature's delay until 2013 of the math WASL as a graduation requirement buys time best spent by taking a serious look at the State Board of Education's math-action plan. It is promising on many levels, one being that it aligns closely with the goals of Washington Learns, the education committee established by Gov. Christine Gregoire.

If the board's recommendations are accepted by Superintendent of Public Instruction Terry Bergeson, the state's 296 districts will narrow their math programs down to three or four. Financial incentives will help districts transition to new textbooks and other teaching materials.

The timeline is necessarily tight: Bergeson's curriculum menu is due by June.

Next up: revising the WASL to make sure questions on the tests reflect what students are learning in the classroom.

Other improvements include raising from two to three the number of math classes Washington students are required to take to earn a diploma.

The key elements emerging from the state board's plan is a promise of clearer standards and a strong sense of priorities by teachers. The best result would be math teachers around the state using curricula linked by common academic goals.

A challenge for Bergeson will be exerting her will over that of the many local school boards around the state. A growing number of school districts, including Seattle and several on the Eastside, are in the midst of adopting new math curricula for elementary-, middle- and high-school students.

This doesn't have to be a problem. Everyone wants the same thing: clear math standards and an educational delivery system made up of quality teachers.

All efforts that help move this system away from the current predicament of one third of Washington high-school graduates needing remedial math in college are welcome.