Everyday Math Feedback

Dear Mr. King,

I spoke about Everyday Math (EM) at yesterday's board meeting. Due to time constraints, I did not get to finish my thoughts on the subject. Please do not expand this program to our upper elementary students. As a mother of 3 kids enrolled in this district, I urge you to consider what is in the best interest of the children. You do not have enough data to show that this program is working in our district. Waiting for the results of next year's standardized test scores would be the right thing to do.

There is much controversy surrounding this program and the tide seems Tobe turning in math education toward a more balanced approach. Districts around the country are headed in a different direction. Over 220 Professors of Mathematics and Science including department heads from Caltech, Stanford, Harvard, and Yale, 7 Nobel Laureates and winners of the Fields Medal, the highest honor bestowed in mathematics, all endorsed an open letter to the US Secretary of Education publicly denouncing Everyday Math and other similar programs in a full page ad in the Washington Post. Are they all wrong?

The School Board should reconsider the decision to approve the use of Everyday Math for our K-4 students and should not be expanding it to our upper elementary students. It's my understanding that the district is concerned about losing $47,000 in grant funds and wants to rush to expand this program before those funds expire. If six students are pulled from LPS because of this program, the district will lose more than $47,000. Please do not rush to make this decision because grant funds may or may not be lost. Our children deserve the best math education.

Please review the recommendations made by the National Math Panel convened by President Bush here:

_http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/index.html_ (http://www.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/mathpanel/index.html) Everyday Math will seriously limit the academic and economic future of our students.

Please implement a more balanced approach and reverse the damage inflicted by this grossly inadequate math curriculum.