State considers adding to math

By Emily Richmond

Saturday, Nov. 25, 2006 | 7:01 a.m.

With school districts and state legislators expressing different philosophies on how to best teach high school mathematics, the state Board of Education wants to get everyone on the same page.

The question is, what page should that be?

The board will discuss the issue when it meets next week .

Nevada requires three years of high school math for graduation, but doesn't dictate which courses should be taken. Individual school districts can adopt stricter requirements.

Because colleges expect incoming freshmen to have taken four years of math, school districts typically offer a college-prep sequence of math courses such as algebra, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry.

But math offerings can range from consumer math - which teaches such basics as balancing checkbooks and understanding credit card interest rates - to advanced-placement calculus and trigonometry. The mix typically includes geometry and logic courses. The brightest students can graduate with five or more years of math credit under their caps.

The Clark County School District has begun requiring, with the Class of 2007, students to take at least one year of algebra during their minimum three years of high school math. Walt Rulffes, Clark County's schools superintendent, said he was in favor of increasing the district's minimum math requirement to algebra II.

The Washoe County School District, on the other hand, has this year begun automatically enrolling students in a four-year track of math courses that a student can dodge only with parental permission. The district doesn't dictate what those math courses should be.

Clark County is considering mimicking at least a version of the Washoe County four-year math strategy.

With state legislators in coming months expected to discuss high school math requirements, the state school board should get ahead of the curve and come up with its own statewide expectations, said Keith Rheault, state superintendent of public instruction.

That discussion will begin at next Saturday's board meeting, he said.

"We have standards that say what students need to know by the time they finish high school. The question is, do we want to move toward requiring specific classes like algebra?" Rheault said. "Washoe County's done it, Clark County's done it, the Legislature has a bill draft. We need to discuss whether we do something statewide."

The fourth year of math for a college-bound student could be Advanced Placement calculus or trigonometry, Washoe County School District spokesman Steve Mulvenon said. "We're developing a menu of courses."

Rheault said he would support making algebra I a minimum requirement for graduation statewide.

Clark County students have been steadily improving their pass rate on the math section of the high school proficiency exam. The success has been attributed to an intensive campaign by the district, including encouraging more students to enroll in algebra by the eighth grade.

The state's Millennium Scholarship program does not require applicants to complete specific math classes. However, the Nevada System of Higher Education encourages prospective applicants to complete high school work in algebra, algebra II, geometry and trigonometry.

Rheault said the state might be better off increasing the content requirements for high school math classes, rather than issuing a blanket decree by course name.

"There should be some flexibility," Rheault said. "There may be a combination course, maybe with a mix of geometry and statistics, that may make as much sense as a whole year of just geometry."