Final answer:
Research on 7th-graders' math education highlights gaps in the current curriculum, particularly in fundamental areas such as fractions, percentages, and division. Top-ranked nations in math and science often recruit the best teachers, and U.S. students' international performance necessitates education reform. The current decade-old math curriculum is deemed insufficient.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject of research regarding 7th-graders' math education indicates that current math curriculum does not adequately cover essential math skills. An examination of the High School Exit Exam results reveals deficiencies in the teaching of fractions, percentages, and long division. These findings are a cause for concern among educators and have prompted the entire math department, totaling 16 teachers and 7 staff members, to request a curriculum review.
Furthermore, the nations that top the ranks in science and math typically share characteristics such as recruiting top teachers, according to test results like the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA). Whereas the spending per student in the U.S. on K-12 education has climbed, standardized tests including the SAT demonstrate that academic achievement has stagnated, and internationally, U.S. students often perform poorer in comparison.
The need for a renewed focus on math education is further underscored by the fact that the current curriculum, in use for over a decade, no longer meets students' needs. Consequently, education reform is a vital topic of discussion among economists, especially considering the static level of academic achievement despite increased spending.