Important, But Not for Me: How Parents and Students See Math and Science Education in the Public Sch

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Important, But Not for Me How Parents and
Students See Math and Science Education in the
Public Schools
Public Agenda

• ETSU Confronting the Math and Science Challenge
• May 29, 2008
• Jonathan Rochkind

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Who We Are

• Public Agenda
• Nonpartisan, nonprofit
• Opinion research and engagement
• Focuses on the gaps between leaders and the public

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Our Research

• Reality Check 2005/2006
• Public Agenda, commissioned by the Wallace
  Foundation, conducted nation-wide research on a
  variety of education issues with
• 1,379 parents of children in public school
• 1,342 public school students in grades 6-12
• 721 public school teachers
• 252 school principals
• 254 school district superintendents
• Some questions were replayed from a 1994 study we
  conducted First Things First

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Our Research

• Important But Not For Me - 2007
• Public Agenda, commissioned by the Ewing Marion
  Kauffmann Foundation, conducted in Kansas and
  Missouri, with emphasis on Kansas City, research
  that focused solely on peoples views of math and
  science
• 1472 interviews with parents of students in
  secondary school, and 1295 students.
• Twelve focus groups with parents, students and
  teachers
• Fifteen interviews with business, education and
  community leaders

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• General Nationwide Views on Education

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Most Parents Say Schools Today Are Better Than
Before
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Parents Are Optimistic That The Schools Are
Preparing Their Children Adequately
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60 percent of parents do not think that low
standards are a serious problem

• of parents saying it is a problem that
• academic standards are too low, and kids are not
• expected to learn enough

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And Think Schools are Instituting Standards Well
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Concerns About Standards Have Dropped

• of parents who say the following are a very
  serious
• problem in their childs school

Lack of emphasis on basics
Low academic standards
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The Problems Facing Local High Schools Are More
Social Than Academic
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Parents concern about math and science education
has fallen since the mid-1990s
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• Kansas and Missouri Math and Science

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The Urgency Gap Leaders

• Todays global language for economic
  competitiveness is math and science.
• --Business leader
• We are creating a class society based
• on the gaps of those who are scientifically
• and mathematically advanced and
• those who arent.
• --Scientist

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We look for workers who are about to graduate
from college in a lot of very technical fields
often we just cant find anyone --Scientist
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Parents do think the U.S. is falling behind other
countries
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And Agree that Advanced Math and Science Lead to
Opportunity
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Yet, the Amount of Math and Science Their
Children Are Learning Is Fine
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Math and Science Education Does not Need to
Quickly Improve
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Parents Say Their Students Teachers Are
Succeeding
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And While Basic Math is Considered Essential
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Higher-Level Math and Science are Not
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Algebra, Though, Is Considered Essential
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• If you have a child that decides that they dont
  want to go to college, why should they have to
  take a bunch of math and science? Maybe they
  decide they dont want to become a doctor or
  computer whizI think the drive, ethics, and work
  ethic are more important than math or science per
  se
• --A suburban parent

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Only Half Of Students See Strong Science And Math
Skills As Absolutely Essential
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And Only About 4 In 10 See Computer Skills As
Absolutely Essential
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Students also Dont See Higher-Level Math and
Science As Essential
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Students Are Likely to Think that All Students
Can Learn Math and Science
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And Most Students Think Teachers Are Helping Them
Learn A Lot
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They do not Think Math and Science Kids are Uncool
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Theyre More Likely to Think the Problem is
Relevancy
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• I hate math just because its hard for me to
  understand how thats ever going to come back and
  help me. Theres just not a point.
• --Suburban student
• Science doesnt matter unless you want to become
  a doctor or something like that.
• --Exurban student

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More than 4 in 10 Would Be Unhappy With a Career
that Relied on Math or Science
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African-American and Hispanic Students are Less
Satisfied with Their Math Teachers
Kansas/Missouri Students Report Their Math
Teachers Are Mostly Succeeding When It Comes To
Knowing a lot about the subject
Giving students extra help
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And African-American And Hispanic Students Are
More Concerned About Improving Math And Science
Students Outlook on Math and Science Courses
(National data)
Kids not being taught enough math and science is
a very or somewhat serious problem in their
school
Greatly increasing number and quality of
math/science courses would improve high school a
lot or quite a bit
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The Urgency Gap

• Leaders say schools must do more to create strong
  minds in math and science our countrys success
  is at stake.
• And though parents are generally aware that the
  US is falling behind in math and science
  opportunities

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The Urgency Gap (Continued)

• The satisfaction with their schools and their
  teachers indicates complacency in both parents
  and students
• Basic math and science is viewed as essential by
  both parents and students
• But they do not think understanding of higher
  level math and science is essential in high
  school

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Closing the Gap Parents Recommendations on
Improving Math and Science
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Students recommendations (national data)
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Students Recommendations
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What Can Leaders do?

• Draw the clear connection between mastery of math
  and science with more job opportunities and
  economic success.
• Make the distinction that while it is essential
  for everyone to know basic math and science, a
  key to economic success is knowledge of advanced
  math and science

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• A Tale of Two Cities
• Atlanta, Georgia
• Erie, Pennsylvania

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Parents in Both Cities Found Their Children Were
Prepared For High School Math And Science
who say their kids were Well or Somewhat
prepared for math and science when entering high
school
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And Believe Their Children Will Have The Skills
To Succeed In College
Child will have skills to succeed in subject in
college
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But Many Parents In Atlanta Are Concerned Their
Kids Are Not Being Taught Enough
Parents who say schools should have more of each
subject
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Parents In Atlanta Are Also More Likely To Think
Many Subjects, Including Advanced Math And
Science, Are Essential
Parents who say this is absolutely essential to
teach in schools
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In Atlanta, More Say Schools Should Fix Math And
Science Right Away, In Erie Say Nothing Needs To
Be Fixed
Atlanta
Erie
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Parents In Erie Are Far More Likely To Think
School Are Doing A Good Job
Erie
Atlanta
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Erie Is Far More Concerned That Few Good Jobs Are
Available, Even With Math And Science Skills
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• For complete survey results and current updates,
  visit Public Agenda Online at www.publicagenda.org
  .

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