Math & Science

Be sure to check out our materials and learn more about important math and science initiatives! To order copies of any of our Math & Science Matter materials, email info@partnership4learning.org or call 1-800-550-KIDS.

Currently, many of Washington’s students do not receive the basic math and science foundation they will need to be successful in an increasingly complex and competitive world.

To help strengthen the state’s math and science programs, the State Board of Education and the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction are currently revising Washington State’s math standards to ensure they are of high quality. Any changes to the standards will then be incorporated into the WASL. In 2007, the State Legislature also provided approximately $50 million for professional development for teachers in math and science.

Organizations like the Transition Math Project and Washington State LASER continue to provide access to high quality math and science tools and learning opportunities for teachers, parents and students. And the Partnership, along with 16 other labor and business organizations, has launched the College & Work Ready Agenda, a coalition advocating for a shared set of priorities, one of them being to improve math and science K-12 education and alignment.

Why are we doing all of this? Because math and science matter.

• Nationwide, the number of jobs requiring technical training is growing five times faster than other occupations.
• Washington leads the nation in jobs for people with bachelor degrees in science and engineering, but is 38th in the number of students graduating with these degrees, forcing employees to look outside of Washington to fill these high-wage jobs.
• Research shows that the highest level of math taken by students in high school is the greatest indicator of their chances to earn a bachelor’s degree, regardless of race, background or income.