CA Consultant Charged Schools $5,000/hour to Remake Math Curricula

Jo Boaler, a former Stanford math professor, who left her teaching role in 2006 over criticism of her academic work, returned to her teaching role in 2010, and began consulting for public school districts in California, charging $5,000 an hour, according to The Stanford Review.

According to the article, Boaler was one of the authors of the California Math Framework, which encourages school districts to lower educational standards.

For example, she criticized the current curriculum’s “rush to calculus” and algebra, and called gifted children a myth. Her curriculum advocates for more lessons that are themed around contemporary political topics like labor unions, with one lesson having students advocate for a living wage, the Stanford Review reported.

The California Math Framework has received criticism from academics, politicians, and parents.

One critic is Jelani Nelson, a professor at UC Berkeley. He criticized the low standards of the framework, as well as Boaler for charging Oxnard School District $5,000 per hour for her consulting services.

When her exorbitant consulting fees were made public, Boaler alleged harassment and says she contacted the police, even though the fees were public information from the Oxnard School District, according to a tweet by Nelson.

No public school district should be wasting $5,000 an hour on a singular consultant, especially one known for advocating for lowering educational expectations.

With underpaid teachers, a lack of technology in classrooms, and outdated textbooks, schools can surely spend their funds to increase educational standards, not lower them.

The #WasteOfTheDay is brought to you by the forensic auditors at OpenTheBooks.com

This article originally appeared at Real Clear Policy

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