The state has turned to experts from the University of Texas for help in straightening out the math standards used for the math portion of the state’s WASL test.

The Texas team will lead revision of the state’s K-12 mathematics learning standards – a task to be finished in four months. The work starts next week.

Poorly developed math standards get much of the blame for high failure rates on the math part of the test required for high school graduation.

The standards are supposed to determine what students at various grade levels should know and to serve as a guide for instruction by teachers. But outside experts who reviewed the math standards earlier this year found them seriously flawed.

A team from UT’s Dana Center for Mathematics and Science Instruction won a competitive application process.

Here’s our Aug. 31 editorial on a highly critical review of the math standards by outside experts.