AACTE Urges Immediate Action on Findings of Math Panel Report

 

CONTACT:
Alyssa Mangino,
amangino@aacte.org
or 202.478.4596 

Washington, D.C. (March 14, 2008). The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (AACTE) urges immediate action on the recommendations of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel’s final report. Dr. Sharon P. Robinson, AACTE President and CEO, confirms that “AACTE-member institutions are eagerly seeking the information the Panel has identified as not available,” notingthat AACTE testified to that effect in its Comments to the National Math Panel.

Dr. Robinson urged an increase in the level of financial support associated with the report’s
recommendations. She noted the report’s finding of insufficient rigor or quality on the part of research which is essential to improving professional training. It also found an “urgent need” to evaluate supportfocused interventions likely to reduce mathematics achievement gaps that are so prevalent in our society. “We need to get this information funded…and fast,” Robinson said.

In addition to the panel’s recommendation of a national summit and an association forum, Dr. Robinson
stated that, “AACTE calls upon the Congress, the states, the business, and the philanthropic communities
to develop a sustained funding stream to support the essential research and development efforts that the
Panel identified.”

Entitled, “Foundations for Success,” the report was released yesterday by the U.S. Department of Education
at the Longfellow Middle School in Falls Church Virginia. It was the product of the nearly two-year effort
of a 17-member presidentially appointed National Mathematics Advisory Panel charged with making
recommendations on improving mathematics education based on the best available scientific evidence.

For more information, please contact Alyssa Mangino, AACTE communications manager, at
amangino@aacte.org  or 202.478.4596.

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