Math in California

California's 4th and 8th graders score far worse in national math testing than they do in California tests. This means that California is setting much lower standards than those at the national level, a new study by a coalition of 110 CEO unveiled today.

The Vital Signs report, compares students math and science proficiency state by state, and in conjunction with the report, CEOs, members of the national non-profit organization Change the Equation (CTEq), alerted governors to the reports’ findings. Most states have not set the bar high enough when measuring student proficiency in STEM subjects -- for instance, while many states report that most students are meeting state standards, results from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) show only 38 percent of 4th graders and a third of 8th graders are proficient or advanced in math. The CEOs added that states must strengthen instructional supports to ensure students clear a higher bar.

That's the case in California: while 66 percent of fourth graders score at or above proficient in state testing, only 30 percent reach that milestone in national testing. In the eight grade, 30 percent score proficient or advanced in state tests, while only 23 percent do so in national testings.

The CEO's group are advocating science, technology, math education throughout the United States. They're beginning with 100 programs. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact 100 programs can have.