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San Francisco’s “woke maths” experiment
The Economist ^ | May 18th 2023

Posted on 05/18/2023 12:50:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway

How the pursuit of racial equity provided a lesson in unintended consequences

San Francisco’s school district was in trouble. Only 19% of tenth graders had passed the state maths exam and were not required to repeat a maths course. That number dropped further, to 1%, among black pupils. And so, in 2014 San Francisco decided to move Algebra I from eighth grade (about 13 years old) to ninth grade for all pupils, hoping that an extra year of maths would leave pupils better prepared.

Nearly ten years later, after much controversy, the first evaluation of the change was released in March by researchers at Stanford University. Disappointingly for both enthusiasts, who had hoped to improve racial equity, and detractors, who regarded the scheme as yet another attack on excellence by woke educators, it showed the programme had almost no effect.

(Excerpt) Read more at economist.com ...


TOPICS: Education; Science; Society
KEYWORDS:

1 posted on 05/18/2023 12:50:38 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

If the patents and kids do not value education the kids will not learn ... no matter how much is spent.


2 posted on 05/18/2023 12:53:27 PM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Rurudyne

Parents ... not patents.

Darn typos.


3 posted on 05/18/2023 12:54:06 PM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: nickcarraway

San Francisco decided to move Algebra I from eighth grade (about 13 years old) to ninth grade for all pupils, hoping that an extra year of maths would leave pupils better prepared.
= = =

I was educated using story problems.

Their ‘maths logic’ does not compute.


4 posted on 05/18/2023 12:58:09 PM PDT by Scrambler Bob
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To: nickcarraway

When 90% of Americans were farmers as in 1800, or even 50% as in 1900, it didn’t matter that most people couldn’t do algebra.

Today, when there are practically no strong back/weak mind jobs left that are being done by machines, being able to think is a necessity for first world living—but our masters do not want thinkers but helots, and they are reaping the helot whirlwind.


5 posted on 05/18/2023 12:58:48 PM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: nickcarraway
"...the program had almost no effect."

Ten years ago, 1% of black pupils passed the state maths exam.

What is it today? 0%? Going from 1% to 0% could be "almost no effect."

6 posted on 05/18/2023 1:15:22 PM PDT by ProtectOurFreedom (I don’t like to think before I say something...I want to be just as surprised as everyone else…)
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To: nickcarraway

I bet they can make change when somebody gives them $40 for a $20 rock...


7 posted on 05/18/2023 1:29:04 PM PDT by eyeamok
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To: Rurudyne

Good thing you don’t work in the payroll department.


8 posted on 05/18/2023 1:36:25 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common anymore.)
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To: All

Wanna educate the children? Use the math and English books and skills from a hundred years ago. This current crap doesn’t work and the scores prove it.


9 posted on 05/18/2023 1:41:47 PM PDT by Cobra64 (Common sense isn’t common anymore.)
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To: nickcarraway

The only way to achieve “racial equity” is to execute all non-black students.

They will figure it out eventually....and then try to do it.


10 posted on 05/18/2023 1:43:06 PM PDT by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
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To: chajin

“When 90% of Americans were farmers as in 1800, or even 50% as in 1900, it didn’t matter that most people couldn’t do algebra.”

Farmers actually use algebra.

L


11 posted on 05/18/2023 1:44:20 PM PDT by Lurker ( Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: Cobra64

Everyone has typos.

That’s not what we are dealing with.

Not too long ago I encountered a high school student working the register at a Whataburger drive thru who didn’t know how to make change ... because I had given a few cents extra to get an even dollar back. He had to call over his manager whose expression, as she realized the problem, was one of complete dismay.

And despite her efforts he still didn’t give the correct change ... and it was so sad that I just cut my losses.


12 posted on 05/18/2023 1:45:55 PM PDT by Rurudyne (Standup Philosopher)
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To: Lurker

It’s not surprising that today’s farmers would be like today’s MLB managers, up to their eyeballs in analytics and computation, getting the best yield out of the land.


13 posted on 05/18/2023 2:52:17 PM PDT by chajin ("There is no other name under heaven given among people by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12)
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To: nickcarraway

“hoping that an extra year of maths would leave pupils better prepared.”

Because the previous years of “maths” were so succesful, one more oughta fix the pathetic results.

Obviously there is a republican white male mucking up the works in there.


14 posted on 05/18/2023 3:07:04 PM PDT by Organic Panic (Democrats. Memories as short as Joe Biden's eyes)
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To: Organic Panic

Maths is just the way British people say math.


15 posted on 05/18/2023 3:08:20 PM PDT by nickcarraway
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To: nickcarraway

It’s like Bart Simpson once said to a special ed teacher: So we are going to catch up by going slower.


16 posted on 05/18/2023 4:04:22 PM PDT by Atlas Wept
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To: nickcarraway

“showed the programme had almost no effect”

That’s because somebody with a 70 IQ requires extensive rote training to master making change, and will never, ever master long division.

Algebra lol


17 posted on 05/18/2023 4:29:52 PM PDT by Mariner (War Criminal #18)
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To: nickcarraway

I took Algebra in 8th, Algebra II in 9th and Geometry in 10th.

I also took that in 1983, 1984, and 1985, so maybe the quality of my teachers were better then, too.


18 posted on 05/18/2023 4:35:55 PM PDT by ro_dreaming (Who knew "Idiocracy", "1984", "Enemy of the State", and "Person of Interest" would be non-fiction?)
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To: Rurudyne

I went to a McDonalds after a volunteer rodeo shift one night 3 or 4 years ago. The computers were down, so the high schooler at the window didn’t know how much I owed. I told it’s simple, take the total, multiple it by 1.0825 (the tax rate is 8.25%), and whatever that is is what I owe. She said she didn’t have a calculator. I asked if she had a cell phone, which has a calculator app on it by default. She was shocked I knew how to figure out the exact amount I owed.

Common sense, ain’t.


19 posted on 05/18/2023 4:39:28 PM PDT by ro_dreaming (Who knew "Idiocracy", "1984", "Enemy of the State", and "Person of Interest" would be non-fiction?)
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To: Scrambler Bob

When I grew up, if you were in the advanced classes, you took Algebra I in 8th grade; everyone else took it in 9th grade.

I took it in 8th grade — tied for first with another (8th grade) student at the county Algebra contest, beating out a bunch of 9th graders.


20 posted on 05/18/2023 5:56:14 PM PDT by scrabblehack
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