Update On Everyday Math In Central Bucks Coming Wednesday

The Central Bucks School District Curriculum Committee is expected to give an update on its review of Everyday Math in the district during a meeting Wednesday.

According to the agenda, administrators will give an update on its review of materials for Everyday Math 4.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m. at 20 Welden Dr.

The update comes as several Central Bucks parents have asked the school district to stop using everyday math. A petition urging the district to reconsider its use of Everyday Math was created in March.

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.

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 455 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.