:: Conference Goals

To introduce results of recent theoretical and development work to key mathematics educators and educational policy professionals and to place those developments in a broader context of mathematics education innovation. the plenary and workshop sessions of the 2.5-day conference will address four central questions:

• What are the most important mathematical concepts, skills, and reasoning methods that students of different interests and prior achievement should master in the high school years so that they are well prepared for college, the world of work, and effective citizenship in the 21st century?

• What instructional practices hold greatest promise for effective teaching of mathematics to the diverse student population in U. S. high schools?

• What practices in assessment of student understanding and skills most effectively advance teaching and learning and provide an evidence base for important educational policy decisions?

• What practices in teacher professional development and school change hold greatest promise for meeting the challenge of implementing best practices in mathematics education curriculum, teaching, and assessment?

The goal of the conference is to bring together leaders of state and local school system mathematics programs, mathematicians and other STEM professionals, curriculum developers, educational researchers, and education policy-makers for in-depth discussion of the challenges and opportunities for innovation in high school mathematics. Participation in this conference will provide school system leaders with information and perspectives about future directions of high school mathematics that they can carry back to their state and local work on curriculum, teaching, and assessment. Participation by curriculum developers, teacher educators, and education policy-makers will provide them with insights into their own work developing future mathematics programs, teachers, and policies. Participation by mathematics education researchers will help in framing an agenda of important evaluation and research projects required to inform and evaluate the various ideas for innovation. Working together, these professionals can also begin to establish community action plans for developing and implementing promising innovations in high school mathematics.