Laily Jefferson, Secondary Math Curriculum Specialist, Santa Ana Unified School District
Traci Jackson, Secondary Math Teacher on Special Assignment, Poway Unified School District
Ms. Allison Krasnow, Assistant Principal, Alameda High School, Alameda Unified School District
April Tarango, Instructional Coach K-12 Mathematics, Fresno Unified School District
Ryan Dull, Math Content Specialist, Office of the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools
Victoria Armstrong, Assistant Superintendent, Curriculum and Instruction, Dinuba Unified School District, Tulare County
Heather Rodriguez, Instructional Math Coach, Kings Canyon Unified School District
Chris Fredericks, C&I Specialist - Math and Science, Fowler Unified School District
Karie Mullassery, Secondary Math Teacher on Special Assignment, South San Francisco Unified School District
Dr. Ken Spence, AP College and Career, Lindsay Unified School District
Nick Lopez, Mathematics Staff Development & Curriculum Specialist, Tulare County Office of Education
Prof. Michael Gardetto, Dept. Chair Mathematics, Placer High School
Lorenzo Rodriguez, Math Teacher and Department Chair, Magnolia High School, Anaheim Union High School District
Gregory Wattonville, Math Teacher and Department Chair, South High, Kern High School District
Cassiopeia Guthrie, District Curriculum TOSA, Escondido Union High School District
Andrew Shields, Curriculum & Instruction Coordinator: Mathematics and Science, The Classical Academies Charter Schools, North San Diego County
Jennifer Silva, Program Coordinator of Mathematics, Moorpark Unified School District
Angie O'Neal, Assistant Principal, Curriculum & Instruction, Visalia Unified School District
Benjamin Scinto, High School Principal, St. Helena High School, St. Helena Unified School District
Mike Rich, Associate Superintendent, Curriculum & Instruction, Professional Development Modesto City Schools
Marty Flowers, Associate Superintendent of Secondary Education, Rocklin Unified School District
Dr. Sarah Olson, Sr. Director, Curriculum/Instruction & Professional Development - Math/Science, Modesto City Schools
Danielle Martling, Secondary Math Instructional Coach, Rocklin Unified School District
Laura Nunez, Math Department Chair, East Palo Alto Academy, Sequoia Union High School District
Dr. Elin P. Cervantes, Counselor on Special Assignment, SSFUSD
Janette Duran Alonzo, Learning Director, Visalia Unified
Sean Burns, HS Math Teacher, Co-Dept Chair, Moorpark High, Moorpark Unified School District
Luz Valdez, Math Coordinator, Merced County Office of Education
Mrs. Lynne Budd, Education Specialist, Valley Center Pauma Unified School District
Aaron Little, Principal, Valley Center High School
Melody Dennert, Assistant Principal, SVUSD
Shannon McCabe, School Counselor, Santa Susana High School, SVUSD
Dee Campbell, Instructional Math Coach TK-12, Modesto City School District
Lucy Machado Rocha, Head Counselor, Hilmar Unified School District
Mrs. Victoria Gallagher, Math Co-Department Chair, Los Alamitos High School
Amanda Walford, High School Math Teacher/Department Chair, Valley Center Pauma Unified School District
Sara Villarreal, Instructional Coach, Visalia Unified School District
John Kanemoto, Math Coach, Modesto City Schools
Tiffany Castillo, Elementary Mathematics Manager, Fresno Unified School District
Jeremiah Concepcion, Math Teacher and Department Chair, Hilmar High School, Hilmar Unified School District
Alyssa Dossat, Math Department Chair, Northwest Prep
Jay Sorensen, Ed Tech Coordinator, Oxnard Union High School District
Duane, Habecker, Senior Mathematics Coordinator, Merced County Office of Education
Kelly Cox, Math Department Chair, Nova University School
Jane Napora, School Counselor, Ventura Unified School District
Allen Magram, Mathematics Department Chair, Pajaro Valley High School, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Portia Atcherson, Counselor, Castro Valley High School, Castro Valley Unified
Terry Redfern, Director – Mathematics, Pajaro Valley Unified School District
Mr. Clinton Williamson, Mathematics Curriculum Facilitator, Sierra Pacific High School, Hanford JUHSD
Katy Chamberlin, High School Counselor Dept. Chair, Placer High, PUHSD, Placer County
Blaine White, School Counselor & AP Coordinator, Del Oro High School
Rachel Stevenson, Counselor, Placer Union High School District
Dr. Carrie Warda, Director of Pupil Services, Placer Union High School District
Christina Lincoln-Moore, Founder, Black Womxn in Mathematics Education, Inc. / Los Angeles County
Melissa Brewer, Principal, Hilmar Unified School District
Julie LaFollette, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, Hilmar Unified School District
Dr. Philip Ogbuehi, Coordinator, Secondary Mathematics, Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD)
Ryan Hoffman, Teacher, Math Department Chair, Professional Development Leader, Santa Monica High School
Angela Mackenzie, Director of Educational Technology and Library, Computer Science Department Chair, St. Margaret's Episcopal School
Rosa Serratore, District Mathematics/Science Coordinator, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified
Marae Cruce, Principal, Santa Monica High School
Jill Dupras, School Counselor, Quincy Jr/Sr High School
Ellen Byron, Instructional Math Coach, Elk Grove Unified School District
Janice Cloward, Coordinator of Curriculum and Instruction, Secondary, Jurupa Unified School District
Robert Santiago, Mathematics Department Head, Rubidoux High School
Dionne Aminata, Founder & CEO, MathTrust
Sonny Sajor, Math Instructional Specialist, Oxnard Union High School District
Dr. Wendy Stratton, Principal of Henry M. Gunn High School, Palo Alto Unified School District
Mr. Terry O'Keefe, Math Teacher, Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator, Math Department Chairperson Colfax High School, Placer Union High School District, Placer County
Stephanie Angel Torres, Secondary Instructional Math Coach, Fremont Unified School District
Shannon Calden, Director of Learning and Achievement, Santa Cruz City Elementary
Julie Garcia, Senior Director of STEM, San Diego Unified School District
Jessica Walsh, Program Manager UTK-12 Math, San Diego Unified School District
Roberta Pace, Director, College and Career Readiness, Jurupa Unified School District
Dr. Angela Meeker, Associate Superintendent, Educational Services, Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Dr. Marcia Russell, Senior Director, District Support and Leadership, Santa Cruz County Office of Education
Dr. Jessica Glantz Kiernan, Assistant Superintendent, Soquel Union
Michelle Stewart, Superintendent/Principal, Happy Valley Elementary School District
Mike Heffner, Superintendent/Principal, Bonny Doon Union Elementary School District
Jena Hurst , Mathematics Curricular Team Lead, Plumas Unified School District
Bonnie Ng, Secondary Instructional Math Coach, Castro Valley Unified School District
Jennifer McRae, Assistant Superintendent, San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
Tim Zalunardo, Executive Director, Educational Services, Santa Rosa City Schools
Samuel Martinez, Secondary Director, Educational Services, Santa Rosa City Schools
Maggie Cenan, Math and Computer Science Department Chair, Archer School for Girls
Nancy Nauman, Assistant Principal - Curriculum and Instruction, El Diamante High School
Timothy Elms, Learning Director, El Diamante High School, Visalia Unified School District
April Fox, MTSS Academic Coach, Bakersfield City School District
Dr. Tony Alteparmakian, Academic Coach, Panama-Buena Vista Union School District
Zenaida Gallardo, Math coordinator, Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Jessica Barr, Director of Operations, Kern County
Melinda Harma, RSP Specialist, Lucia Mar Unified School District
Tom Lewis, Secondary Math coordinator, St Helena Unified
Alisa Hamilton, Math Specialist, Kern County Superintendent of Schools
Shaleen Gill
Melissa Donez, Director of Instructional Services, Kern High School District
Kimberly Brown, Math Department Chair, North High, Kern High School District
Elizabeth Julienne, K-12 Math Program Specialist, San Juan Unified School District, Sacramento County
Ms. Shawn Kivley, M. Ed, Lead Teacher - Mathematics Focus, Folsom Cordova USD, Sacramento County
Cora Ross, School Counselor, Henry M. Gunn High School
Stephanie Jones, Math Teacher and Co-Department Chair, Mission Viejo High School, Saddleback Valley Unified
Jessica Andaya, Instructional Coach, Santa Ana High School, SAUSD
Sara Zimmerman, Education Specialist, San Leandro Unified School District
Caitlin Brand, Mathematics Department Chair/Teacher, Moreau Catholic High School, Hayward, CA
Denise Franke, Department Chair, Teacher Sunnyvale School District
Ms. McIlroy, Math Teacher, Curriculum and Instruction Coordinator Marin Waldorf School, Marin County
Kirsti Schroeder, Director Curriculum, Instruction, and Professional Development Twin Rivers Unified School District, Sacramento CA
Michelle Nelson, Assistant Principal Crowne Hill Elementary, TVUSD
Sonya Castillo, Teacher - Math Dept. Chair San Leandro Unified School District
Dom Lam, Middle School Math Teacher, Math Leader and Site Technology Integration Specialist FDR School, JESD
Christopher Frankland, Assistant Principal Redwood High School, VUSD, Tulare Co
Kenneth Hall, Targeted Intervention Specialist Chapman Heights Elementary (Yucaipa-Calimesa JUSD)
Cheryl Stamper, Principal Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. School
Dr. Chad Mabery, Assistant Superintendent - Instruction Laguna Beach Unified School District
Lorena Marquez, Los Angeles County
Jean Maddox, Math Intervention Teacher/Math Coach Tulare County
Dr. Stephen Pietrolungo, Principal Simi Valley Unified, Monte Vista School
David Byer, Instructional Coach & Parent Alhambra Unified SD
Kelly Henderson, Special Education Dept Chair Santa Rosa City Schools
Nicole Bandy, RTI Coordinator Vacaville Unified School District
Kimberly Duenas, Teacher Mentor/Coach Long Beach Unified School DIstrict/Cotsen Foundation
Maria Montagne, Assistant Director River Oaks Academy, VCOE
Wendy Schroeder, Retired, Mathematics Teacher, Former Dept Chair, NBCT Teacher, Mathematics Coach, Los Angeles Unified School District
Annie Altberg Rodriguez, Adolescent Program Curriculum Coordinator, Eagle Peak Montessori School
Debra Stucke, Math Department Chair, Hillsdale High School, San Mateo Union HS District
Jennifer Clarke, Instructional Coach, Palm Springs Unified
Dino Luna, Instructional Coach/Teacher On Assignment, Fontana Unified School District
Dr. Kelly Kent, President Board of Education, Culver City Unified School District
John Martin, Vice Principal, Madera South High School
Lara Cohen, Numeracy Interventionist, Los Angeles Unified School District
Lisa Rudolph, Math Teacher and Math Department Chair, Orinda Union School District
Andrew Huffaker, Instructional Coach - Mathematics and Science, Whittier City School District
Javier Ramos, Elementary Principal, Imperial Cross Elementary, Imperial Unified School District
Elizabeth Montagne, Math Education Coach, San Diego Unified
Kerry Edelstein, Education Specialist /New Teacher Mentor, Pajaro Valley Joint Unified School District
Andrew Walter, Math Curriculum Specialist, PAEMST Stockton Unified
Jeffrey Hanson, Math Teacher, Department Chair, Napa Valley Unified
Christyn Flores, Instructional Coach, Stockton Unified School District
Whitney Holton, Associate Superintendent, Teaching and Learning, Campbell Union School District
Mary Kershaw, Math Intervention/ Math TOSA, Templeton Unified School District
Kristin Savage, Department Co-Chair, Instructional Coach, Math Teacher, Highland High School, KHSD
Sara Norris, Assistant Principal, Mission Hill Middle School, Santa Cruz City Schools
Katie Pettersen, School Psychologist, Santa Clara Unified School District
Sherri Morgan, Executive Director/ Superintendent, Long Valley School
Claudia Martinez, Instructional Coach, Northam Elementary, Riverside Unified School District
Katie Koehn, MCOE Math Coordinator, Merced County Office of Education
Ashley Meese, Principal, Kirkwood Elementary School District
Anthony Ransick, Dean of Student Behavior and Supports, Kern High School District
Brian Russell, Math Department Chair, Washington Unified (Yolo)
Susanne Melton, Region 18 Migrant Education Program Director, Melton Region 18, Migrant Education Program Director, San Luis Obispo County Office of Education
Tosha Felder, Education Specialist, Math Co-Teacher, Bellflower School District
David Woodford, Instructional Coach, Stockton Unified School District
Mary Ann Sheridan, Immediate Past President, California Math Council-North
Amber Hardy-Soto, Director of Mathematics, iLEAD California
Laura Marroquin, Education Specialist, Santa Clara Unified
Lisa Bieler, Instructional Technology Coach/TOSA, Beverly Hills Unified School District
April Major, K-8 Instructional Coach, Vista La Mesa Academy, Lemon Grove School District
Julie Gallaway, Secondary Math Content Specialist, Hesperia Unified School District
Ms. Veronica Miranda, Director of Educational Services, St. Helena Unified School District
Mrs. Atoosa Abascal, Instructional Coach, Culver City Unified
Jennifer Brenner, Math Department High School Specialist, Springs Charter School
Stephanie Fyfe, Math Specialist, Riverside County Office of Education
Kristi Sedlak, Mathematics Content Specialist & AP/Gen Statistics Teacher/Reader, Hesperia Unified School District
Fawn Nguyen, Math Teaching & Learning Specialist
Brian Henderson, Math Department Chair/Teacher Miramonte High School, Acalanes Union HSD
Heather Rodriguez, Math Instructional Coach, Kings Canyon Unified School District
Janet Orloski, Math Content Specialist, Hesperia Unified School District
Tamika Hollingsworth, MA Math Intervention Specialist (6-8) (University Professor) (High School Parent of a Student of Color), Kern County
Kevin Rees, Math Teacher (former Math Department Chair), Marin Academy, an independent school in Marin County
Mathew McClenahan, Principal, Oak Park High School, Oak Park Unified School District
Polly Jackson, Secondary Math Teacher Specialist, Glendale Unified School District
Imani Blackwell, Curriculum Coordinator Open Charter Magnet, Los Angeles Unified School District
Robin Midiri, Math Teacher/Dept Chairperson, Oak Park High School, Oak Park Unified School District
Dianne Willson, Math Program Specialist, Grades 7-12, Elk Grove Unified School District
Malaysia Onyeocha, Curriculum and Program Manager for Math and Science, Napa County Office of Education
Troy Hayes, Superintendent, Alpaugh Unified School District
Alefiyah Lokhandwala, Math Instructional Coach San Francisco Unified School District
Sean Burns Teacher, Co-Dept Chair Moorpark High, Moorpark Unified School District
Melissa Sackett, Assistant Principal, Alameda Unified School District
Katelyn Carter, Special Education Coordinator, Endeavor Charter School
Sarah Mathy, Central Office Resource Teacher, San Diego Unified School District
Carmen Ceremuga Instructional Math Coach Walnut Creek School District
Deborah Atwell, Math Coordinator STEM Math Unit, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Dr. Leo Magallon, Principal, Northview High School, Covina Valley Unified School District
Nicholas Abruzzo, Assistant Principal, Los Angeles County Office of Education (LACOE)
Ann Cardoza, Instructional Coach, Hillsborough City School District
Courtney Ortega, Secondary Math Coordinator, Oakland Unified School District
Maria Hirsch, Secretary Greater, Los Angeles Mathematics Council (affiliate of CMC and NCTM)
Hannah Pulaski, Math Teacher, Department Head, Valley Oak Middle School, Visalia Unified School District
Charice Nusse, District Math Coach, Dinuba Unified School District
Warren Takaya, Math Teacher, Department Chair, La Cumbre Junior High School, Santa Barbara Unified School District
Kari Finch, Counselor, Encinal Jr/Sr High
Andrea Moneypenny, School Counselor, Colfax High School, Placer Union High School District
Gaia Pine, Instructional Coach, San Leandro Unified School District
Mariana Kayichian, Assistant Principal, Los Angeles Unified School District
Dr. Nadirah Nayo, Director Curriculum, Instruction, Professional Development & Ed Tech, Pasadena Unified School District
Jamie Kearns, Math Department Chair, Vallejo City Unified School District
Meena Tahiliani, Middle School Director of Teaching and Learning, Crystal Springs Uplands School
Lisa Stone, Mathematics Coach, San Diego Unified School District
Kim Villalpando, Program Specialist, Oak Park Unified School District
Lori Ransdell, Mathematics Coach, Berkeley Unified School District
Dr. Ma Bernadette Andres-Salgarino, President, California Mathematics Council
Tamara Henry, Math Instructional Coach, Oakland Unified School District
Ryan Blair, Math Department Chair, Visalia Unified School District
Chris Vue, Mathematics Instructional Support Coach, Central Unified School District
Monica Perez, Grade Level Chair, Los Angeles Unified School District
Mary Orvell, Math Specialist and Department Chair, Connecting Waters Charter Schools
Carter Graham, Dean of Teaching and Learning, Marin Primary and Middle School
Alexandra Duggins, Director of Mathematics, Bright Star Schools
Dr. William Malone, K-12 Math Specialist, Temecula Valley Unified School District
Erin Fitzgerald Haddad, Mathematics Instructional Coach, Los Angeles Unified School District
John Daniel, Math Teacher, Department Head, Good Shepherd Middle School, Marin County
Ellen Barger, Associate Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction, Santa Barbara County Education Office
Sunny Chin-Look, Math Instructional Specialist, Alhambra Unified School District
Marian Murphy-Shaw, Educational Services Director, Siskiyou County Office of Education
Jessica Mejia, Secondary Math Coordintator, Los Angeles County Office of Education
Dr. Steve Tietjen, Ed.D. Merced County Superintendent of Schools, Merced County Office of Education
Sara Green, Mathematics Program Manager, Alameda County Office of Education
Emily Tietjen, State and Federal Programs Senior Coordinator, Merced County Office of Education
Lena Kortoshian, Teaching and Learning Senior Director, Glendale Unified School District
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To: Richard Leib, Chair, Board of Regents, University of California
"We, the undersigned school, district, and county education leaders, are writing to express our grave concern about the University of California’s Board of Admissions and Relations With Schools’ (BOARS) review of Subject Area C within the A-G requirements. We understand that BOARS’ recent recommendation will result in significant changes, affecting widely-adopted courses in statistics and data science that were previously approved as advanced math courses under Area C.
Our schools and districts have adopted such courses, because they provide an innovative 21st century experience that excites and engages students, impart tangible quantitative skills needed for a wide variety of today’s careers and academic fields, and offer new ways for students to interact with and learn mathematics, especially for students who may not otherwise see themselves in the subject. Revocation of Area C status will significantly reduce our ability to foster students’ statistical and data competency or incentivize enrollment in these programs, at a time when such quantitative abilities are increasingly necessary for functioning personally and professionally in the 21st Century.
Moreover, it was only four years ago when BOARS explicitly expanded the definition of advanced math courses under Area C to allow these programs. “The opportunity to expose students to a wide range of options in math pushes their critical thinking skills and could expose them to another way of thinking that might not be presented to them,” the BOARS chair said at the time. Most of the courses in question were developed at UC campuses and other California universities, with grant funding from the National Science Foundation, the California Math Readiness Challenge Initiative, and private foundations. Revoking those 21st-century options for students seeking to attend the university strikes us as out of step with the major changes taking place in math curricula at the postsecondary and high school levels around the country, changes that have been endorsed by several national mathematics organizations and examined by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine.
We are also extremely troubled by the process under which this review has taken place, with no opportunities for input and a lack of transparency from the university. To our knowledge, at no point during this policy process have school districts, education leaders, or classroom educators been consulted for input on decisions that directly impact our work to serve millions of California students. Nor have K-12 leaders been asked for any information about how these statistics or data science courses are being implemented, who they are serving, and what benefits we have observed.
Though BOARS recently appointed a work group to ostensibly explore these questions, it includes no faculty from any of UC’s graduate schools of education, who are well if not best-positioned to inform these issues. Nor does it include a sufficiently diverse representation of university faculty from across the disciplines—including non-STEM disciplines—to represent the full spectrum of UC students’ academic and career interests. Concurrently, at least four of the work group’s members signed public letters opposing high school data science courses prior to their appointment to the workgroup. These decisions do not demonstrate balance, let alone well-informed decision-making, but rather a clear attempt to pre-select an outcome before any meaningful discussion, external research, or stakeholder engagement has taken place.
Furthermore, absent clear communication from the university—or even timelines as to when we might expect clear communication—school leaders have been left in the dark, trying to decipher mixed messaging in newspaper articles and even Twitter (“X”) feeds up until this point. Policy decisions conducted at-whim and released with mixed messaging leaves us ill-prepared to set curriculum, make critical staffing decisions, answer important questions from parents and families, and aid students with their course plans for current and future years. Moreover, permitting and then moving to retract Area C status for courses immediately conveys a damaging signal of uncertainty to students regarding the value of their completed or ongoing academic coursework, irrespective of when any new policy takes effect. This action also sets a dangerous precedent for admissions decision-making, especially when considering an entire course category with diverse adaptations and thousands of students enrolled statewide is only represented by a cursory review of three curricula. Such uncertainty only compounds the challenges faced by our current high school students who are still recovering from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on their academic pursuits.
Lastly, this possible policy reversal is part of a growing trend of shifting signals about admissions and articulation policy from BOARS. In 2018, BOARS recommended a change to increase Area D science course requirements from two to three years. After two years of uncertainty, this recommendation was abandoned after a university-commissioned study by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) found that it would cause harmful impacts on the state’s historically marginalized students and substantial staffing challenges for schools. In 2022, many school districts were abruptly forced to remove previously allowed A-G status for dual-enrollment opportunities with community colleges, only after several programs had been developed, approved, and advertised locally. At the time, draft memos were released as policy, with promises for further clarification going unfulfilled. As in the current case, we are aware of no consultation taking place between university leaders and K-12 officials, which contributes to our impression that valuable data and feedback are routinely ignored by BOARS.
Before any further disruptive changes are made, we call upon university leadership to adopt a new and more inclusive process to review the academic necessity for changes to math requirements, how any changes will impact students, and how they align with current research and practice in secondary education.
Past examples show that oversight from university leadership and inclusion of multiple perspectives often leads to the most effective practices. For example, in 2018 after the PPIC study commissioned by the University, the proposed changes to the science requirement ultimately did not move forward due to a myriad of potential harmful consequences revealed by PPIC. Critical issues were raised only through the inclusion of education researchers and interviews with over 41 districts and classroom educators.
We would welcome the opportunity to be included in the current policy discussions about math courses as well as future issues, as part of our shared mission to advance educational opportunities for students in California and beyond."
