The 2011 Mathematics Framework supports improved curriculum and instruction with standards that emphasize focus, coherence, clarity, and rigor.

• FOCUS. The 2011 standards define critical areas of focus at each grade level with a deeper concentration on fewer standards. Mathematics education in the United States has been criticized as “a mile wide and an inch deep.” In what ways has Massachusetts answered that criticism by adopting the 2011 standards?
• COHERENCE. The 2011 standards provide clear connections within and across grades: they are organized into clusters that represent the progression of the big ideas of mathematics, linking major topics across several grades. Think about how this focus on coherence and big ideas affects the way you or your district colleagues present math to your students.