Following our latest report release, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution devotes a “Get Schooled” blog post to the report, The Mathematics of Opportunity: Rethinking the Role of Math in Educational Equity. Quoting extensively from the report, columnist Maureen Downey ties it to concerns about lagging math performance among Georgia high school students.
A new study examines the pivotal role that math plays in student achievement, calling it a “key mechanism in the distribution of opportunity.” The Mathematics of Opportunity: Rethinking the Role of Math in Educational Equity says that while math requirements are seen as a foundation for academic success, they can also become a filter that stops many students in their educational tracks, especially students of color.
“Misconceptions about math ability — like the assumption that only some kids can learn math — magnify existing inequities in the education system,” said Pamela Burdman, senior project director of Just Equations, project of the Opportunity Institute that is re-conceptualizing the role of mathematics in educational equity. “Math can serve as a foundation for success in school, work, and life, but it can also be wielded in ways that arbitrarily close doors to educational advancement.”
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