Those views were supported by a multiyear study done for the U.S. Department of Education that indicated that TERC was the least successful of four math programs studied. In fact, the results gave high marks to one reform math textbook series and to another traditional approach. TERC spokesman Ken Maher said the study used an early version of TERC and that the program may do better later.
The choice of textbooks, which is left up to local school districts, is likely to come under scrutiny if the state school board takes action this year to make the changes that are being pushed nationally.
Donna Watts, who is in charge of math curriculum for the state, said an outside group called Achieve was hired to review the math standards. Achieve's review was completed in February, but Watts had said the document would not be released to the school board until fall, after a full review. After The Baltimore Sun filed a Freedom of Information Act request asking the document to be released, the department announced it would make the Achieve report public after the state school board receives a copy at its May meeting.
