Drop Everyday Math, Central Bucks Parents Plead In Petition

Several Central Bucks parents want the school district to stop using everyday math — and they've launched a petition to make it happen.

The petition asserts that Everyday Math, a controversial elementary math curriculum developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project, is not adequately preparing students, is causing students to dislike the subject, and is forcing parents to pay for costly tutors.

And according to the petition, it's not only parents who are frustrated with the program, but also some teachers.

The curriculum "is leaving many students with a fragile foundation and a strong disdain for math. Educators, parents, and mathematicians have declared the ineffectiveness and inadequacy of Everyday Math for years. Furthermore, many parents from our district are forced to supplement math support services with private tutoring," the petition says.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the petition had 192 signatures.

The petition offers alternatives.

"Our math program should focus on more traditional algorithms and traditional based problem solving, rather than a spiraling approach that leaves students perplexed, confused, and without a sound foundation for future math excellence. One program to consider is Hougton Mifflin’s Math In Focus which is based on Singapore Math principles; principles that encourage mastery, rather than confusion," the petition said.

Click here to view the full petition, which includes testimony from educators about the faults of the program.