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A national challenge in the late 1980s to improve education in America generated a national response that led to the formation of state mathematics coalitions. The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics responded to this national challenge by developing substantive standards for mathematics.
The power and responsibility to translate NCTM's national standards into local actions resided in the states. The Mathematical Sciences Education Board of the National Research Council launched a State Coalitions project in 1989. With an Exxon Educational Foundation grant, MSEB created 50 coalitions to sustain local progress toward national goals in mathematics education.
In the state of Kansas, the original coalition, called the Kansas Mathematics Coalition, struggled for its first years with organization issues, direction and funding. But in 1992, it emerged as a driving force in improving mathematics education when it organized the 1993 Kansas Statewide Systemic Initiative proposal. Listed below is a summary of the three KSSI proposals.
The education sector prepared the first two KSSI proposals; the Kansas State Board of Education in 1991, and the higher education with the State Board of Education in 1992. Lack of coordination between K-12 and higher education, and the absence of any business and industry support or participation were criticisms of these efforts.
The deficiencies prompted the 1993 KSSI steering committee to contact KMSEC to organize the third proposal. This contact was made on July 15, 1992. Since the proposal was due on October 15, 1992, there was no time to spare.
KMSEC members immediately organized all stakeholders for input into the proposal building process. Meetings were held with K-12 and higher education staff to build a structure for systemic change in mathematics and science education. This was the first time both groups had worked together on a KSSI proposal and the road was rocky at times. Sparks flew and tempers flared but out of the process came a strong, viable proposal supported by all sectors of education. Meanwhile, KMSEC business members, working with the Governor, organized business and industry support. The result of this effort was a proposal for $127 million with $10 million in National Science Foundation funds. Two contributors to the effort were the Kansas State Board of Education for $96 million and business and industry in-kind support for $14 million.
Although the proposal was not funded by the NSF, its generation provided the foundation for statewide cooperation in improving mathematics and science education in Kansas. KMSEC emerged as a nonpolitical leader in systemic reform at both the policy and content levels. Listed below is a timeline of KMSEC initiatives in support of mathematics and science education in Kansas.
Activities described above.
KMSEC sponsored a conference at Emporia State University to assess the effectiveness of mathematics education reform from a business and industry perspective. About 100 mathematics educators and business representatives discussed the use of mathematics in business and industry operations.
KMSEC business and industry members related desired work-force skills to the Kansas mathematics standards. The presentation to the Kansas State Board of Education reinforced alignment of education initiatives with business and industry needs.
Cooperation among KSSI proposal participants led the Kansas Board of Regents to select KMSEC K- 12 and business members to participate in the Eisenhower proposal review process. The committe revised the request-for-proposals to support national mathematics and science initiatives.
KMSEC designed a model survey for site-based councils to measure the community's support of mathematics education reform in the local school district.
KMSEC rallied statewide support to increase admission requirements for teacher training programs. KMSEC business and industry co-chair a wrote letter of support for the Board of Regents' initiative to require nine hours of mathematics, including college algebra, as prerequisites to the teacher training program.
KMSEC and Kansas Science and Technology Council developed a partnership to promote the study of mathematics and science education with technology in Kansas. KSTC chairperson described the importance of science and technology initiatives in Kansas at the KMSEC December meeting.
KMSEC members served on a committee to raise mathematics admission scores for teacher training programs. KMSEC business and industry co-chair wrote a letter of support for the Kansas Board of Regents' initiative for higher standards.
Mathematics educators discussed the assessment of students' mathematics achievement relative to the mathematics standards. KMSEC sponsored the conference at the University of Kansas for 100 educators in mathematics.
Mathematics and science coalition directors formed the National Alliance of State Science and Mathematics Coalition and elected KMSEC Executive Director as president. The national organization serves as a single-voice for the 50 state-based organizations. Exxon Education Foundation provided a grant for KMSEC to start NASSMC.
KMSEC presented business and industry's system of measuring progress to the Kansas State Board of Education. KMSEC business members demonstrated how continuous improvement measurement of Total Quality Management applied to KSBE's program, Quality Performance Accreditation.
KMSEC requested the Governor of Kansas to proclaim April as Mathematics Awareness Month. The Commissioner of Education, the academic affairs director for the Board of Regents, a representative from business and industry, teachers and students attended the proclamation ceremony in Topeka.
KMSEC led efforts to coordinate mathematics, science and technology activities in Kansas. KMSEC met with the Kansas Science and Technology Council to form a statewide vision for mathematics, science and technology as the economic development infrastructure of the state.
KSBE's productive relationship with KMSEC led the State BOE to form a Business/Education Coalition to address all aspects of education. KSBE appointed KMSEC business and industry co-chair to a position on the B/E Coalition.
The director of the NASA-sponsored Kansas Space Grant Coalition presented KSGC initiatives to KMSEC. The director supported coordinating coalitions' initiatives.
For the first time in Kansas, mathematics and science educators met to discuss areas of cooperation. KMSEC and KSBE sponsored a one-week leadership conference at Wichita State University for about 80 educators in mathematics and science. The success of the pilot project led to more regional conferences in 1995.
KMSEC turned to communication experts to increase public awareness of the importance of mathematics. KMSEC awarded grants to Kansas State University and University of Kansas journalism departments to develop a public relations campaign for the coalition.
Commissioner of Education appointed the KMSEC Executive Director to the Goals 2000 State Panel. The panel develops a comprehensive reform plan for Kansas to reach national goals stated in the Goals 2000: Educate America Act.
KMSEC strengthened the relationship between mathematics and science education communities by sponsoring a conference in Manhattan. KMSEC members and science representatives drafted a proposal to expand KMSEC to science education.
On December 2, KMSEC expanded to science education to form the Kansas Mathematics and Science Education Coalition. The partnership strengthens efforts for reform in mathematics and science education. KMSEC will help implement statewide science curriculum standards, similar to mathematics standards initiated in 1989. KMSEC supports the use of techonology in education because it aids in the application of mathematics and science principles to the real world.
To increase public awareness of mathematics and science education in Kansas, KMSEC awarded a public relations internship to a Kansas State University senior in public relations. The Eisenhower High Plains Consortium for Mathematics and Science funds this new approach to gaining public support for mathematics and science education reform. K-State public relations students recommended a KMSEC internship program to implement the public relations campaign.
A grant awarded KMSEC to design a plan for the construction of a K-16 educational base to support the development of Kansas strategic technologies identified by Kansas Technology Enterprise Corporation.
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