Math Initiative Bill Online
2010 Session
-Sponsor declined to post the bill due to economic circumstances. Good news: some schools are piloting the program anyway.
2009 Session
SB 159 Text
SB 159 Status
Singapore Bar Model Example - Brilliant
Singapore Math example set in Narnia
Full MA Study (Summary / Detail Report)
Longitudinal Study Released-Singapore Math WORKS-early release-Presentation by Dr. Bisk from Massachusetts
Presentation to Utah Legislature Education Committee on 9-17-08 (free download)
Dr. Yeap Ban Har's Singapore Math Powerpoint Presentation in Utah on 6-12-08 (free download)
Singapore Math: Simple or Complex (article)
Agency Based Education
Signers in Support of this Letter of Recommendations
Total Signatures: 646
Primary Signers
Senate President John Valentine
Senator Howard Stephenson
Senator Margaret Dayton
Dr. David Wright
Oak Norton
Dennis Lisonbee
Secondary Signers (Click here to add your name to the letter)
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All | Legislators | Employers | Educators | School Board Member
Currently sorted by: Educators
Name, City Occupation, Organization |
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| Mrs. Diane Andrus, Lindon, UT Music Educator, Andrus School of Music |
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| Mrs. Elaine Augustine, Lehi, UT Homemaker, Home Educator, Small business owner, Augustine household & businesses |
I am grateful for all the hard work of those working on improving the education of students in Utah. I am now home schooling my children, in part, due to the lack of rigorous math education opportunities. I would like to see Utah become a haven for parents who want more say in how their children educated. |
| Dr. Stephen Babb, Highland, UT Dean of Education, Stevens Henager College |
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| PhD, APRN Lynda Baum, 10938 N 5870 W, UT Psychiatric/mental health provider & supervisor of masters level students, VA |
Sometimes I lie awake at night, and I ask, "Where have I gone wrong?" Then a voice says to me, "This is going to take more than one night."--Charlie Brown, Peanuts [Charles Schulz] "Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."--Douglas Adams "How fortunate for governments that the people they administer don't think."--Adolf Hitler |
| Colonel, US Army (Ret) Kerry Baum, Highland, UT Emergency Manager, Brigham Young University |
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| Colonel, US Army (Ret) Kerry Baum, Highland, UT Emergency Manager, Brigham Young University |
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| Mrs. Karen Bergeson, Bountiful, UT Mom / professional violinist, |
We have homeschooled our children for the last 3 years. I took my children out of school primarily because other children were making fun of my children who loved math. They found math fascinating. However, the negative attitude of the children eventually turned my kids off to math, until I brought them home. They did not want to appear "nerdish". We need to fix the image of how kids see math and science. It is not punishment, or only for "nerds" -- it's fun! I will keep homeschooling until I see major changes in our schools. |
| Dr. Wayne Bishop, Altadena, CA Professor of Mathematics, California State University, LA |
I am very familiar with the Singapore Math curriculum and am highly supportive of this initiative. It will not only be good for Utah, it will be good for the entire country. |
| Dr.. Bastiaan Braams, Atlanta, GA researcher, Emory University |
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| Mrs Elaine Brewster, Provo, UT Voice Instructor/ Storyteller and Teacher, Utah Arts Council |
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| Mrs. LaReta Brinkerhoff, Pleasant Grove, UT Middle school teacher, American Heritage Schools Inc. |
The public school students that come to our school are behind. They are usually tested at one book below where they claim to be. |
| Mr. Roger Browne, Lindon, UT Adjunct Faculty Member, Stevens-Henager College |
Utah has the highest per capita personal computers per person. High tech ventures are also highly concentrated along the Wasatch Front. College-educated individuals and a high concentration of public universities are both among the highest in the nation. It only makes sense that Utah students be challenged, taught and trained to the highest standards in math education. I strongly support the mission statement and goals of the NASA math initiative and Utah's math moonshot. |
| Mrs. Jennifer Bruce, Lindon, UT Housewife/Former Teacher with Nebo School District, |
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| Mrs. Jennifer Bruce, Lindon, UT Currently Homemaker, |
This program is essential to the education of our children. Generations will be blessed if they can receive a sound understanding of true math principles. Utah needs to step up and give our children more. They deserve it. |
| Mrs. Rachel Bunderson, Ogden, UT substitute teacher, Weber County School District |
I have been a substitute for 4 years, and I am also a student at Weber State University. In one of my math elementary class at school, I was exposed the Singapore math program by Dixie Blankinton. I was amazed of the simplicity of this math program. I believe it gives the comprehension of math skills from the beginning. This is what I believe Utah schools are lacking. In addition, the books are very inexpensive compared to other math programs. We don't need to spend more to get a great education. |
| Mr. Scott Cameron, Provo, UT Associate Dean External Relations, BYU Law School |
I am aware of the significant efforts made by Utah Teachers and by the Board of Education to meet the needs of the school children of Utah. Nonetheless, I recommend that we stretch and try this initiative. You have my support individually and collectively and I encourage your close consideration of this measure. |
| Dr. Trudy Christensen, Cottonwood Heights, UT Assistant Professor Digital Media, Utah Valley University |
I have two children in public school and have been very concerned about their math skills. I did some independent research and discovered Singapore Math. (There was a very good article on this topic in a recent edition of "Educational Leadership.") I've been using some of the materials with my children this past summer. I was very impressed with the approach and materials and highly recommend them. I wish my children had been through this program throughout their elementary years. |
| Ms Cindy Dale, West Jordan, UT teacher, Monticello Academy |
Currently using Singapore Math in grades K-9 |
| Mr Andrew Edmonds, Dereham, UT Mathematics Adviser, Norfolk Children's Services, England |
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| Mr. Jesse Elicker, Dillsburg, PA Math Teacher, Cumberland Valley School District in PA |
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| Mrs. Laura Frandsen, Nibley, UT CEO of Frandsen Farms, Frandsen Farms |
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| Mrs Tami Greene, American Fork, UT , |
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| Mrs. Ann Gubler, Tooele, UT Straight Edge, Inc., Chairman, Board of Trustees, Excelsior Academy Charter School |
I have homeschooled and mostly used Saxon Math (I love it!) I have always understood that Singapore was more suited to accelerated students. I think either program would be wonderful to adopt for our state core, but I would urge you to consider Saxon. With it's spiraling method, it catches the learning style of the most kids. Then supplement with Singapore for those who want to move faster. This is the method we will be introducing in our Charter School opening in 2009. Thank you for your much needed efforts! |
| Mrs. Allyne Hall, West Haven, UT High School Counselor, Davis School District |
Too many high school seniors are repeating Algebra 2 or even Geometry and have almost given up on learning math. Most of those students think they are ready for college level math until we tell them that ACT benchmarks for math is 23 for them to be ready to take Math 1050 the university level. We need to get parents on board with the idea that even 3 years of math instruction in high school may not be sufficient. College students shouldn't have to take 3 semesters of remedial math. |
| Mrs. Carolyn Hamilton, Orem, UT Chair, Math Department, Utah Valley University |
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| Helen Harris, Sandy, UT Elementary Gifted Teacher, Retired from Granite School District |
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| Mrs. Wendy Hart, Highland, UT President, Data Specialists, Phoenix10 Technologies, Inc. |
My son is using Singapore Math, and as someone with a degree in Mathematics and a computer business, I am very pleased with the results. I think that all children should have this same opportunity. |
| Mrs. Hollie Hendricks, Grantsville, UT Homemaker, |
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| Dean Carl Hernandez, Orem, UT , |
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| Dr. E. Jeffrey Hill, Orem, UT Associate Professor, BYU |
Singapore Math is just what we need in Utah. I have visited Singapore several times, and they know what they are doing! |
| Mr Dalton Horscroft, Salt Lake City, UT Jr. High Science Teacher, Entheos Academy |
I think this is great and I fully support it. |
| Dr. Jeffrey Humpherys, Provo, UT Assistant Professor, BYU Mathematics Department |
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| Mrs Bonnie James, Orem, UT first grade-private school, |
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| Mrs. Sandy Jensen, Farmington, UT Chair of Board of Directors, Off Broadway Theatre |
I am learning how to use and teach the Singapore method and am delighted. I believe giving students the opportunity to learn math in more than one form is great. Its motivation through a fun process and it's visually stimulating. |
| Mrs. Maria Johnson, Ogden, UT Parent/Community Council member, My own |
As a parent, I became aware of this program. My husband and I took a seminar and are 100% convinced this is the dirction Utah schools should go. We have ordered all the singapore math text books and will be teaching this at our home, so our kids will be ready when the rest of Utah gets a clue! |
| Mr. Ryan Johnson, Ogden, UT Parent/ General Contractor, self |
Where was this program when I went through school. This is the way to learn math. It makes so much more sense. Utah has got to get it figured out and start teaching this to everyone. We will be teaching this in our home from here on out. Hopefully all of Utah will be soon too. |
| Mr. DALE JOHNSON, Lehi, UT Retired Data Base Guru. Mathetician , Retired from State of Nevada IS/ Live in Utah |
It is frustrating that the State of Utah will not give me a teaching license to teach math... Unless I pay them %300 and take some education courses. I have a BS in mathematics. I have 30 years as head database guru State of Nevada. I have 25 years of teaching college night school UNR. Oh yea I did study secondary education in college, all except student teaching. I would love to help the State of Utah if they were not so prestigious. But I will have to stay retired. But I don't want to be retired. Please help. |
| Myra Johnson, Lindon, UT , |
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| Mr. DALE JOHNSON, Lehi, UT Retired Data Base Guru. Mathetician , Retired from State of Nevada IS/ Live in Utah |
It is frustrating that the State of Utah will not give me a teaching license to teach math... Unless I pay them %300 and take some education courses. I have a BS in mathematics. I have 30 years as head database guru State of Nevada. I have 25 years of teaching college night school UNR. Oh yea I did study secondary education in college, all except student teaching. I would love to help the State of Utah if they were not so prestigious. But I will have to stay retired. But I don't want to be retired. Please help. |
| Mrs. Shannon Kallaker, Springville, UT Graduate Program Assistant, Brigham Young University |
I have experience with Singapore Math both here in the United States and abroad (in Europe). It's amazing! Through the Singpore method, math concepts become tangible and children are taught to use their brains in different strategies for finding the answers. Singapore Math utilizes multi-sensory learning--children use sight, hearing, and touch to make the abstract understandable and fun. My own math experience as a child would have been far more successful using this method. I'm buying it for my own children to supplement the material they get at school (materials their math teachers are unhappy with--they want change too!). |
| Mrs. JiHyun Kim, PROVO, UT Math tutor at UVU, UVU |
I strongly agree with the power point proposal. I am looking forward to seeing the result! |
| John Kinsman, St.George, UT Retired / Aerospace Ind., Dixie High School Staff |
It is my opinion, that over the past 50 years our educational system has not kept up with the needs of the of our time. Our students need to be exposed and challenged with what the new frontier has to offer. Math is needed in a new dinension. |
| MS Julie Knittel, Lehi, UT special ed teacher, alpine school district |
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| Kenneth Kuttler, Provo, UT , |
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| Mrs Ana Lima, New york, DC teacher, EBSTB |
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| Mrs. Laurie Lisonbee, Salem, UT Art Professor, |
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| Professor David Manning, Payson, UT Professor - Engineering Graphics & Design, Utah Valley University |
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| Mitch Meleski, Grand Junction , CO math teacher/tutor, self employed |
Singapore Math is a breath of fresh air in its simplicity. The sequence and depth of the material in the program leads children (and adults) to a clear view of the intertwining concepts of mathematics. Children are successful with this program and are therefore love the subject of math. I wish I had been taught using Singapore Math! |
| Dr. R. James Milgram, Boulder Creek, CA Professor of Mathematics, Stanford University |
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| Annette Milner, South Jordan, UT Psych, |
My father was an educator and made math fun for us. My sister is one of the top engineers or consultants for TRAX. She fought an uphill battle in Utah to be treated with equality and was denied grades to academic privileges. This type of discrimination I encountered as well. I was top of my math class and was supposed to be put in a special program for advanced studies, but a young man that wasn't as interested, was put in instead because he would need it more than I would supposedly. I see the same thing happening with my children. My sister moved to Florida where she is given opportunity and considered an absolute genius in her field. I would like to see math support for girls as well as boys. I think making it available and fun, like my father did, would change the world. My brother was also involved in the genetics program. Math wasn't his thing, but chemistry was and the math didn't hurt as it propelled his abilities. I think we can conquer discrimination, but making it available will be difficult. |
| School Director Brian Myrup, Springville, UT Director, Reagan Academy |
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| Belinda Nelson, Sandy, UT 6th grade math teacher, Granite School District |
Coming from CA as a teacher I have been shocked at Utah's habit of passing kids along who have no math skills. The bar should be set high, and math methods that are succeeding need to be explored and implimented. |
| Mrs. Gayle Neuenschwander, Bountiful, UT home maker/former teacher, NA |
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| Mrs Tamra Ockey, Provo, UT Home Parent Teacher, Home |
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| Mrs. Alyn Olson, Spanish Fork, UT retired, |
This looks to me like a simple, wonderful way to teach math and we ought to try it! |
| Polly Parkinson, Salt Lake City, UT , |
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| Mr. Don Paulsen, Cedar Hills, UT Math teacher, Alpine School District |
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| Mr. Ford Paulson, American Fork, UT Physical Therapist, Intermountain healthcare |
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| Mrs. Michelle Poorte, Ogden, UT Elementary Classroom Teacher, Davis School District |
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| Professoor Emeritus Ralph Raimi, Rochester, NY Professor Emeritus (retired Professor), University of Rochester, Rochester, NY |
I congratulate Oak Norton and David Wright on their accomplishment, political as well as intellectual (not that political matters don't engage the intellect) and I wish Utah well in its coming efforts, which are pioneering for the United States. In time, I hope your success will encourage other states to follow you, but I do hope you are not hasty in judging the success of such a dramatic change of mathematics curriculum for the primary schools. |
| Dr. James Rawson, Orem, UT University Administrator, Brigham Young University |
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| Mrs. Nancy RAy, Grady, AL Education Specialist, State Dept. of Education |
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| Alfred Rode, Chula Vista, CA Math/Science Teacher, Sweetwater Union |
Put Singapore curriculum/standards on the list of adoptable materials so school districts can purchase these textbooks. At least provide communities with an opportunity to do what is ethical. Americans are being sadly misled. The claims made by the DOE's exemplary math programs cannot be substantiated and instead these poorly conceived textbooks contribute to the monumental disparity we see in math and science scores in the United States. Compared with other industrial powers, the US is last in student achievement. This is a social crisis of Titanic proportions and must be solved now. |
| Ms. Kimberly Rucker, Pittsburg, CA , |
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| Mr. Robert Sedgwick, Springville, UT 4th Grade Teacher, Nebo School District |
Teaching concepts visually is a much stronger method than teaching concepts using abstract formulas and algorithms. Doing so reaches across learning curves, increases understanding of the language of numbers, and encourages the ability to use numbers effectively. Students will be able to think more effectively about math rather than following a series of steps. |
| Mrs. Carolyn Sharette, Sandy, UT President, American Preparatory Schools |
A key component in this initiative is that we will be setting a standard for curriculum and delivery that we can then hold teachers accountable to. Getting public elementary schools on the same program allows education administrators to then determine if their teachers are successful or not by simply looking at annual student achievement results. At that point, teachers who were successful can be rewarded and teachers needing more training and coaching can get the help they need. I support Singapore math as a solid program, but the systematic application of a single program where comparative data can be used for ongoing quality improvement is essential. |
| Dr. Harold T. Smith, Orem, UT , |
We need the change. |
| Mr. Wayne Smith, American Fork, UT Math teacher, |
Math education has been swinging way out of balance lately and it is time for a course correction. I have seen too many kids hurt in our schools and it is time for quality education that prepares students for the future. |
| Ms. Kristin South, Orem, UT writing teacher and researcher, mother of three kids that love math!, |
Two of my sons have supplemented their in-school math training with home use of Singapore Math for the past year. They have found it to be clear, logical, and fun. I have loved watching my kids sit down to their math without being told, sheerly because they enjoy it and want to know more. I consider it crucial that our children be given the chance to shine at math and science and especially that they be given these opportunities while they are still young enough to think that it can be interesting and not too difficult. |
| Mr. Mikle South, Orem, UT Psychology professor, father of three school-age children, Brigham Young University |
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| Dr. Sandra Stotsky, Fayetteville, AR Professor of Education Reform, University of Arkansas |
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| Janice Strobell, Murray, UT Homeschool mother and business administrator, Mountain West Materials |
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| Mr. muraleedhar sundararajan, chennai, UT , |
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| Department Chair, UVU Engineering Graphics & Desig Darin Taylor, Orem, UT Professor, Department Chair, Utah Valley University |
Having taught college level math for over 16 years in the state of Utah, there is no question that we need to better prepare our students to be competitive on a global level. I am often dissapointed in the number of students I encounter who lack even the most fundamental math skills. |
| Head Counselor Nanette Theobald, Payson, UT High School Guidance Counselor, Provo School District |
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| Kathryn Van Wagoner, Provo, UT UVU Math Lab Manager, Utah Valley University |
Hallelujah! |
| Mrs. Melanie Westcott, Highland, UT currently a homemaker, my family |
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| Mrs. Melanie Westcott, Highland, UT currently a homemaker, my family |
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| Mrs. Ann Whittaker, Orem, UT , |
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| Robin Williams, River Heights, UT Parent and Public Educator, |
I am sold on Singapore math and feel that this initiative is supportive of teachers while moving Utah to a stronger place in mathematics education. I am also supportive because it aligns Utah's math core with the Singapore model. I want to stress that this is the best model, but we need to ensure teachers are supported if we are able to make this change. |
| Chastity Wilson, Orem, UT Teacher, |
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| Professor Mike Wisland, Cedar Hills, UT Professor, UVU |
You spelled it all out. We need improvement! Very few people are coming in with a 10th grade level of math. |
| Mrs. R Woodbury, Pleasant Grove, UT Retired Teacher, School District |
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| Ms Wanda Woodrum, Orem, UT counselor, |
We need memorization and problem speed tests we need basic math with problem solving help |
| Dr. Daniel Zappala, Cedar Hills, UT Associate Professor, Brigham Young University |
It's about time. I have been supplementing my kids' math instruction for years because of the Investigations Math used in the Alpine School District. We need world class math standards and teachers who can teach them. |