The Wyoming legislature deliberated the future of state education this week, and decided to adopt a four-year math requirement in Wyoming public schools while examining the adoption of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).
The state Senate overturned their initial vote from last week to keep math requirements for high school students at three years. A new bill passed Monday increased the requirement to four years.
Senator Hank Coe (R-Park County) argued that keeping the requirement at three years would not sufficiently prepare students for higher-level coursework.
Coe went on to explain that 54 percent of Wyoming high school graduates attending college require enrollment in a supplemental or remedial math course.
Coe and other supporters amended the bill to allow for seniors to take a math related elective as their fourth year requirement.
“It will reinforce what they need to know to go out into the real world of work and get a job,” Coe said in a Wyoming Public Media interview. “Whether you call it business math, or information technology or what. That’s the kind of math that these kids need to know.”
Those against the increase argued the requirement would eliminate student opportunities to take elective coursework.
The Wyoming House of Representatives also passed a bill allowing the State Board of Education to consider adopting NGSS. The Wyoming Senate still has to consider the bill.
Those opposed felt the State Board of Education was moving too quickly in adopting the science standards and certain aspects warranted further discussion.
Representative Nathan Winters (R-HD28) explained his concern with rapid adoption of standards previously rated as average at best.
“It is the prerogative of this body to slow decision making processes in boards of this state when we see issues that come up and we are the elected representatives of the people,” Winters said in a Wyoming Public Media interview.
For some Wyoming educators, the new legislation comes as welcome news.
Becky Colling, a second grade teacher at Saint Anthony’s Tri-parish School in Casper, believes that these education proposals provide students with educational exposure that improves their preparedness for college.
“I believe that the math requirement should be extended to four years because it allows students to be exposed to material that would prepare them more efficiently for higher level college math courses,” Colling said.
Colling expressed her concern that many students attend college and have to take remedial course work before they are eligible to take courses for credit.
“Three years is not enough time for these students,” Colling said. “Many go to college and lose out on class eligibility because they do not have a high enough level of exposure to material that would allow them to be successful in those courses.”
Colling explained that some Wyoming counties are using the NGSS on a district level despite continued debate in the House of Representatives.
“The Natrona County School District is using the new science standards in their schools,” Colling said. “Here at our school though we have not decided yet whether or not to implement them.”
By utilizing the new science standards, Colling believes that students will receive a more diverse science education.
“Sometimes students get exposed to one subject over and over again because that is their teachers preferred subject,” Colling said. “These new subjects eliminate some of that overlap by aligning material and linking subjects together to eliminate gaps.”
“By exposing students to more subjects and academic ideas in turn they are more prepared for higher education expectations and requirements.”
