National Mathematics Standards Launches with Liberty Common Educator Among Lead Contributors

A major initiative to reshape mathematics education in the United States has officially launched with the release of The Archimedes Standards: Model PreK–12 State Mathematics Standards, developed jointly by the National Association of Scholars (NAS) and Freedom in Education. These standards provide a lucid, unpoliticized, content-rich framework for PreK–12 mathematics instruction, aiming to elevate the quality of mathematics education across the country.

Designed to assist governors, legislators, school boards, and curriculum developers, The Archimedes Standards were informed by time-tested mathematics pedagogy, including elements from the robust tradition of classical education. The project seeks to reverse the contemporary emphasis on “skills” and “inquiry” at the expense of content, instead preparing students for future success in undergraduate mathematics and science.

Among the leading contributors is Liberty Common High School mathematics instructor and department chair Mr. Torgun Lovely, who was invited in October 2024 to serve on the expert committee tasked with reviewing and refining the standards. According to NAS Director of Research David Randall, “After Jon Gregg (who drafted it), Torgun had the most input—large bits of it are him.”

“It was an absolute honor and joy to play a meaningful role in their development,” said Lovely. “The standards themselves are a significant improvement over other previously developed state standards, as they have a greater focus on ambitious yet accessible content, rather than mediocre and vague outlines of ideas and processes.” 

The committee collaborated extensively from December through February, reviewing scope and sequence, providing feedback on specific grade-level content, and contributing to features such as mental mathematics, history of mathematics, and mathematical practices. “The goal was to support vigorous basic instruction in mathematics, rather than a hasty race to insufficiently teach early college courses,” Lovely explained. “It was also important to integrate math with subjects like science, history, grammar, literature, and language arts.”

The standards are named after the ancient Greek mathematician Archimedes, a figure emblematic of both the practical and philosophical power of mathematics. “Archimedes and other influential thinkers like Plato and Aristotle believed that diligent study of mathematics produces a vast wealth of human flourishing,” said Lovely. “That belief is reflected in the spirit of these standards.”

Liberty Common Headmaster Bob Schaffer praised both the project and Lovely’s involvement. “Torgun’s leadership on this initiative is a testament to his excellence as an educator and to the quality of Liberty Common’s academic program. His work will influence classrooms far beyond our own, shaping the way future generations experience mathematics.”

About The Archimedes Standards

These model PreK-12 state mathematics standards seek to establish a sure foundation in the concepts, processes, formulas, and practices discovered by great mathematicians throughout history in American mathematics education, along with teaching the spirit and rigor of Archimedes, the great Greek mathematician of antiquity, who understood and embodied the transcendent beauty and practical power of mathematics.

Read more: https://www.nas.org/reports/the-archimedes-standards