A recent 2014 survey conducted by the Education Week Research Center indicated Alabama is below par in several categories pertaining to academic achievement.

Alabama ranked number 44 out of 50 states with an overall grade of C- in the Chance for Success category. This section captures the importance of education in a person’s lifetime from cradle to career, according to the report.

Assistant Professor of Mathematics Mary Jane Prude said she believes the education department as well as the mathematics department is trying to equip students with knowledge needed to go out an teach.

“We could definitely strengthen our teacher education, especially in the math department,” she said. “We would like to establish more classes on how to teach —we want to build the fundamentals of arithmetic.”

The study indicated Alabama scored 46 out of 50 states for an overall grade of D- in K-12 academic achievement. The categories with the lowest scores were fourth and eighth grade reading and math.

Fourth grade and eighth grade math scores in the state of Alabama totaled 29.8 percent and 19.7 percent on a National Assessment of Education Statistics proficiency scale. These scores rank Alabama with lowest and second lowest math scores in the nation, according to the report.

“Right around third grade is when students begin having trouble in math because it requires a higher order of thinking,” Prude said. “That’s where we really need good math teachers — in elementary grades.”

Early education math students at UNA are required to pass the Alabama Math, Science and Technology Initiative (AMSTI), said Professor of Early Childhood Education Ruth Dumas.

“The curriculum is overseen by an AMSTI specialist and incorporates hands-on material that ties into common core,” Dumas said. “(UNA) Students are required to take this elementary education math course and meet all standards to earn a math certification.”

The AMSTI certification is currently for first grade only, she said.

“The lag in education would improve if we could have more one-on-one time with our students and more individualized programs here at UNA,” Dumas said.

Undergraduates are absolutely being equipped with the knowledge needed to go out and teach students, senior elementary education major Katie Montgomery said.

“As long as students are willing to work hard, truly listen and apply what they have learned, they will be ready to teach,” she said.

Alabama has now adopted the College and Career Ready Standards, which is basically common core with a few tweaks, and education should improve, Montgomery said.

“It has a larger focus on writing which is much needed because writing has been left behind, she said. “It all starts in kindergarten and first grade.”

The education lag is coming from standardized tests, Montgomery said.

“Every student learns differently which makes anything standardized not all that accurate in my opinion,” she said.

Lacey Cheney, music education major, said the secondary education classes are way too general.

“There are people from every content area all in the same classroom, which can be great, but a lot of times the information we are learning in our classes is very over-generalized to fit to every subject,” she said. “I wish we had quite a few more classes that were content-area specific.”