Stanford professor Jo Boaler's math education research called 'criminal fraud'

In a LessWrong newsletter, Zvi calls out the state of education research, focusing on Jo Boaler, a Stanford professor whose influential work promoted 'discovery-based' math learning. Kelsey Piper's investigation revealed that Boaler's research was deeply flawed: she compared top-tier students at a hidden school ('Railside') to middle-tier students elsewhere, hid negative test results, and used tests two to three years below grade level that lacked Algebra content. Her claim that her curriculum closed the gender gap was also false. Zvi labels this 'criminal fraud' and notes that Boaler's work directly led to the removal of Algebra from middle schools across the Bay Area.

Beyond Boaler, Zvi argues the problem is systemic: education research often lacks rigor, and policies are made based on such weak evidence. The article urges the tech-savvy audience to recognize that math education is being actively undermined by flawed studies. Zvi calls for fighting back, emphasizing that these 'cartoonishly bad standards' must not go unchecked. The broader implication is that decades of math instruction may have been harmed by fraudulent or sloppy research, with real consequences for student outcomes.