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The path from eighth to ninth grade is a big step for many students — bigger than many even realize. Some students, along with their parents, understand that the math courses they take starting in middle school could determine their college options and potential career choices.

What happens when antiquated governance structures confront innovative approaches to math education? A great deal of confusion and little benefit, according to panelists at a recent California legislative hearing that was scrutinizing recent admissions policies at the University of California. 

What does it mean to be valued in society for your mathematical ability? Why do we associate math skills with a higher probability of success? And what happens to students like me, an education doctoral student, who wouldn’t consider themselves naturally gifted in math?

In my high school Algebra I class, an 11th grader sat quietly by the door. He had struggled with math anxiety and disruptive behavior in the past, and his discomfort was palpable. I was in my 13th year of teaching, using immersive group problem-solving and hands-on activities that engaged even my most reluctant students.

There’s a conundrum in college mathematics policies: Taking prerequisite math courses in college doesn’t appear to increase most students’ chances of completing calculus, yet most higher ed institutions continue to require them.