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Algebra is one of the biggest hurdles to getting a high school or college degree — particularly for students of color and first-generation undergrads.
It is also the single most failed course in community colleges across the country. So if you're not a STEM major (science, technology, engineering, math), why even study algebra?
That's the argument Eloy Ortiz Oakley, chancellor of the California community college system, made today in an interview with NPR's Robert Siegel.
At American community colleges, 60 percent of those enrolled are required to take at least one math course. Most — nearly 80 percent — never complete that requirement.
Oakley is among a growing number of educators who view intermediate algebra as an obstacle to students obtaining their credentials — particularly in fields that require no higher level math skills.
Their thinking has led to initiatives like Community College Pathways, which strays away from abstract algebra to engage students in real-world math applications.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday July 24 2017, @10:37PM
Honestly it's pretty insulting to say you need special hand-holding just because you're the wrong race. Evidence shows that what's needed for academic achievement is a stable family life and money. That's why AP classes are packed with white kids even in schools that are 70% Latino, not because there's something inherently racist about the way math is taught.