By CAP Action War Room

U.S. Students Perform Far Below The World Average In Math, And Common Core Can Help

Today, American high school students perform far below the international average in math, despite the subject’s increasing importance for success in a 21st century economy. A new report from the Center for American Progress outlines how conceptual math, a piece of the Common Core standards, better prepares students for using math in real-world situations by not only teaching students procedures for doing math problems—like “carrying the 1”—but also how and why those procedures work.

Common Core standards add conceptual math to the traditional procedural way math is taught, allowing students to gain mathematical fluency and skill proficiency. CAP’s report outlines a few key ways conceptual math leads to improved outcomes for students:

• Traditional math instruction focuses on rote memorization and glosses over the concepts that underlie math. Without a deep understanding of mathematical concepts, American students are not well prepared to problem solve effectively in order to apply their skills in real-world situations.
• Students who learn conceptual math outperform students who are taught to use the traditional algorithmic approach.
• In order to achieve mathematical fluency, students must learn to make connections and draw conclusions from new material. Conceptual math teaches the concepts underlying mathematical procedures, allowing students to do this.

By incorporating a stronger focus on concepts that build understanding behind math formulas and processes, students will be better prepared for a 21st century workforce that relies on problem solving and critical thinking skills. Our colleagues at CAP recommend a few steps that states and school districts can take to ensure the continued transition to higher math standards is successful. For example, states should stay the course with Common Core standards and aligned assessments, and districts should offer additional professional development opportunities for teachers and communicate regularly with parents.

Some experienced leaders and policy makers have joined on to support these recommendations. Gov. Jack Markell (D-DE) and former Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM) took to twitter today to show the importance of this effort. For more detailed recommendations, read the full report here.

BOTTOM LINE: Math matters and our public K-12 schools are not preparing students to compete in today’s economy. But staying the course with Common Core standards and transitioning to conceptual math will better prepare students for using math in real-world situations.

Sure, flowers, greeting cards, and chocolates are all nice gifts . But what do mothers really need?

Let’s start with paid family and medical leave. The U.S. is one of only a handful of countries that do not guarantee paid maternity leave – and to make matters worse, millions of mothers can’t earn even a single paid sick day to use when they get sick or a child has the flu.

How about workplace policies that belong in the 21st century, instead of a Mad Men era? Or policies that would bring our nation’s laws in line with the rest of the world?

That’s why AAUW supports the Family and Medical Insurance Leave Act (FAMILY Act), which would create a national insurance program funded by employee and employer contributions. The FAMILY Act would provide eligible employees with up to 12 weeks of paid leave to care for situations such as their own serious illness, the serious illness of a child, parent or spouse (including a domestic partner), and the birth or adoption of a child.

 Urge Congress to support the FAMILY Act. Send your message today to start the drumbeat of #WhatMothersNeed!

Across the country, people are working hard to make ends meet and provide for their families, yet our nation fails to provide the support people need to manage job and family – and the support businesses need to maintain healthy and productive workplaces. The FAMILY Act would strengthen the economic security of working people, their families, and businesses – and when individuals, families, and businesses are secure, our economy as a whole benefits.

The program created by the FAMILY Act would be funded by employee and employer contributions that would amount to less than $1.50 per week for the average worker, or two cents for every $10 of an employee’s salary.

What does that mean for real people, like AAUW member Stephanie Hnatiw? It means Stephanie could take paid time off to care for her adult daughter in a wheelchair who struggles with cluster seizures, instead of using her vacation days or having her husband use his unpaid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). “The Family and Medical Leave Act was very important to my family, and the FAMILY Act will make it even better for families,” Stephanie says. “I want future generations of women and their families to have it better than I had it.”

So, for all of the moms you know who struggle without basic family friendly workplace policies – we appreciate your sacrifice, but it shouldn’t have to be so hard! Stand with working families today by urging your members of Congress to support the FAMILY Act.

It’s #WhatMothersNeed – it’s that simple.

The same voices pushing for war with Iraq

President Obama is right: many of the same voices urging the United States to reject the deal with Iran in favor of a military approach were some of the loudest voices in favor of war with Iraq.

Congress is home for recess now, and we need to make sure they hear your voice before returning to D.C. to take a vote.

So far over 100,000 veterans, military family members, and VoteVets supporters have taken action on this issue – add your name to theirs today:

Tell Congress: vote for the negotiated deal that is our best chance to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon

The vote can go either way at this point so every Representative and every Senator that comes out in favor of the deal is a major victory.

We have a very unique voice in this debate. It’d be a real shame to let it go to waste.

Thanks for adding your name,

Jon Soltz
Iraq War Veteran and Chairman
VoteVets

Commissioner’s Message

Check out all the events scheduled …http://www.ssa.gov/80thanniversary/events.html

I am thrilled to join our employees and stakeholders in celebrating Social Security’s 80th anniversary. Eighty years ago, on August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt marked the signing of the Social Security Act into law with profound and relevant words:

Read Full Message Watch Our Video

I am thrilled to join our employees and stakeholders in celebrating Social Security’s 80th anniversary. Eighty years ago, on August 14, 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt marked the signing of the Social Security Act into law with profound and relevant words:

Read Full Message Watch Our Video