(US MEDIA GROUP) – In a landmark decision, the California State Board of Education voted on Wednesday to officially adopt a new mathematics framework centered on “equity” and “social justice” for K-12 schools. Following years of development and numerous revisions, the board unanimously passed the 2023 Mathematics Framework for California Public Schools, aimed at reaffirming the state’s commitment to ensuring equal access and excellence in math education for all students.
The 1000-page framework, which underwent three revisions and two public hearings, aspires to reshape the teaching of math standards in the state by emphasizing integrated “big ideas” and culturally relevant approaches. By employing successful strategies utilized by high-achieving nations, the framework aims to challenge, engage, and support all students in achieving a deep and meaningful understanding of mathematics.
State Board President Linda Darling-Hammond expressed her satisfaction with the adoption of the framework, stating, “This framework provides strategies to challenge, engage, and support all students in deep and relevant math learning by building on successful approaches used in nations that produce high and equitable achievement in math.” She further highlighted the importance of sharing lessons learned by educators over the past decade, stating, “This framework provides teachers and schools with a path to greater excellence with greater equity.”
The document emphasizes the significance of cultural relevance and personal connection in math education, aiming to create mathematical communities that reflect California’s diverse population. By incorporating students’ identities, assets, and cultural resources into the teaching process, educators can enhance learning opportunities for all students while also addressing linguistic diversity – a characteristic of California integral to the teaching and learning of mathematics.
Furthermore, the framework includes a section dedicated to integrating “social justice” into lessons, empowering students to examine and address inequities within their lives and communities through mathematical problem-solving. Mathematics educators committed to social justice work are encouraged to provide curricular examples that equip students with the necessary tools and mindset to combat inequities using mathematics.
The reform of mathematics education in California schools originally drew attention when Fox News reported on an “Equitable Math” toolkit in April 2021, which aimed to challenge the notion of objectivity in mathematics. Critics of the reform expressed concerns. In December 2021, a letter of “open concern” signed by hundreds of science and math professors highlighted their apprehension regarding the change, stating, “Subjecting the children of our largest state to such an experiment is the height of irresponsibility.” Additionally, GOP lawmakers in California voiced their displeasure in a separate letter, contending that the new framework would stifle creativity, free thinking, and innovation among students.
The implementation of the new framework was initially delayed by the State Board of Education in 2021. However, with the recent unanimous vote, California is now set to embark on a new era of mathematics education focused on promoting equity and social justice for all students.