[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-587841-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-0-en-105":81,"doc-detail-587841-en":130},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","advanced-math-pathways-in-new-england-recommendations","Advanced Math Pathways in New England - Recommendations","","Advanced Math Pathways in New England examines how access to rigorous advanced coursework affects long-term student outcomes and why calculus-centered pathways can be controversial. The report assesses the advanced math landscape across New England, including state-level work to expand and diversify course options. It highlights evidence on real-world relevance of skills such as statistics compared with calculus and evaluates reforms like graduation requirement revisions, updated admissions criteria, and new high school data science courses, culminating in actionable recommendations.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/","Document",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/","Research & Report",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/advanced-math-pathways-in-new-england-recommendations/587841/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/advanced-math-pathways-in-new-england-recommendations/587841.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Melati","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-30","2026-10-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",5,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"Why is access to advanced math coursework important for students’ long-term outcomes?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"Advanced math coursework is linked to higher likelihood of attending four-year colleges, persisting in STEM majors, stronger college performance, and higher long-term earnings. Yet access remains limited for many U.S. students, especially those in high schools with many students of color and/or low-income students.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What is the main controversy around requiring calculus in high school?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Supporters view calculus as a pinnacle of rigorous preparation for later STEM study and earnings. Critics compare its limited real-world use to earlier elite academic signals, arguing that pressure to take it can narrow students’ options.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How do reforms aim to diversify advanced math options in New England states?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Reform efforts include revising state graduation requirements, modernizing admissions criteria for higher education institutions, and creating new high school data science courses. The report describes how these changes increase flexibility and diversify course offerings.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},587841,1792211394,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,88,92,96,100,105,110,114,119,122,126],{"id":22,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":85,"show_sort_weight":86,"slug":87},"Story & Novel",90,"story-novel",{"id":26,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":89,"show_sort_weight":90,"slug":91},"Literature",80,"literature",{"id":33,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":93,"show_sort_weight":94,"slug":95},"Exam",70,"exam",{"id":55,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":97,"show_sort_weight":98,"slug":99},"Comic",60,"comic",{"id":101,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":102,"show_sort_weight":103,"slug":104},6,"Technology",50,"technology",{"id":106,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":107,"show_sort_weight":108,"slug":109},7,"Healthcare",40,"healthcare",{"id":111,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":112,"slug":113},8,30,"research-report",{"id":115,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":116,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":118},9,"Religion & Spirituality",20,"religion-spirituality",{"id":117,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":120,"show_sort_weight":117,"slug":121},"World Cup","world-cup",{"id":123,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":123,"slug":125},10,"Lifestyle","lifestyle",{"id":127,"doc_module":4,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":128,"show_sort_weight":55,"slug":129},19,"General","general",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":131},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":132,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":111,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":117,"language":139,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":140,"faqs":141,"seo_title":142,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":143,"read_time":103,"preview_page_count":4},962085570644,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_994ba38a5ba835b3df7d355c54d3ed8d","About Fordham  \nThe Thomas B. Fordham Institute promotes educational excellence for every child in America via quality research, analysis, and commentary, as well as advocacy and exemplary charter school authorizing in Ohio. It is affiliated with the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation, and this publication is a joint project of the Foundation and the Institute. For further information, please visit our website at [fordhaminstitute.org. The](fordhaminstitute.org. The) Institute is neither connected with nor sponsored by Fordham University.  \nSuggested Citation  \nKuwayama, Heena and Adam Tyner. Advanced Math Pathways in New England. Washington  \nD.C.: Thomas B. Fordham Institute (April 2025) .  \n[https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/research/advanced-math-pathways-new-england](https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/research/advanced-math-pathways-new-england)  \nAcknowledgments  \nThis report is made possible thanks in part to support from the Barr Foundation and our sister organization, the Thomas B. Fordham Foundation. We thank Heena Kuwayama and Adam Tyner for collecting data and authoring the final report. We also thank Ian Burfoot-Rochford, Pat Fitzsimmons, Joshua Lack, Beth Lambert, Rachael Ledwidge, Jennifer Michalek, Adrian Mims, Ryan Parkman, and Ian Stith for providing their perspectives on secondary math pathways in the New England region. We appreciate the work of Chester E. Finn, Jr., Michael J. Petrilli, and Amber M. Northern for providing feedback on drafts, Stephanie Distler for managing report production and design, and Victoria McDougald for overseeing media dissemination. Finally, our gratitude goes to Rebecca Mahoney for copyediting and Dave Williams for laying out thereport’s figures.  \nContents  \nIntroduction ..................................................................................................................................... 3  \nData and Methodology .................................................................................................................... 5  \nThe Advanced Math Landscape in New England............................................................................. 6  \nState-level Work in Developing Math Pathways in New England ................................................... 9  \nRecommendations......................................................................................................................... 13  \nAppendix: State-Specific Trends .................................................................................................... 15  \nEndnotes ........................................................................................................................................ 17  \nIntroduction  \nThe benefits of advanced math coursework for students' long-term outcomes of high school students are well-documented. Rigorous math course-taking has been linked to a higher chance of attending a four-year college,[1] majoring and persisting in a STEM major (i.e., science, technology, engineering, or mathematics),[2] better academic performance in college,[3] and higher long-term earnings. [4] However, access to such coursework is limited for many students in the United States, particularly for students attending high schools with a majority of students of color and/or low-income students. [5]  \nIn recent years, policymakers have taken an interest not only in expanding access to advanced math coursework overall, but also in diversifying the types of advanced math courses available to students. These efforts help to align each student’s classes in high school with their intended postsecondary major or career interest.  \nHowever, the role of one advanced math course in high school, specifically calculus, has proven controversial. To some, it is the pinnacle of rigorous high school work and the foundation for later advanced study and lucrative STEM careers. By this reasoning, dropping it as the target for advanced students would amount to a further erosion of acade","cbCaikBEQkiSGFUN","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaikBEQkiSGFUN","pdf",60496265,"English","# Introduction\n# Data and Methodology\n# The Advanced Math Landscape in New England\n# State-level Work in Developing Math Pathways in New England\n# Recommendations\n# Appendix: State-Specific Trends\n# Endnotes","[{\"question\":\"Why is access to advanced math coursework important for students’ long-term outcomes?\",\"answer\":\"Advanced math coursework is linked to higher likelihood of attending four-year colleges, persisting in STEM majors, stronger college performance, and higher long-term earnings. Yet access remains limited for many U.S. students, especially those in high schools with many students of color and/or low-income students.\"},{\"question\":\"What is the main controversy around requiring calculus in high school?\",\"answer\":\"Supporters view calculus as a pinnacle of rigorous preparation for later STEM study and earnings. Critics compare its limited real-world use to earlier elite academic signals, arguing that pressure to take it can narrow students’ options.\"},{\"question\":\"How do reforms aim to diversify advanced math options in New England states?\",\"answer\":\"Reform efforts include revising state graduation requirements, modernizing admissions criteria for higher education institutions, and creating new high school data science courses. The report describes how these changes increase flexibility and diversify course offerings.\"}]","Advanced Math Pathways in New England - Recommendations | PDF",1792063289]