Supporters say proposed state K-12 framework will make higher-level math accessible to more. Critics contend it will make poor math outcomes worse.“You might just live in a town that only has one high school, and that high school doesn’t happen to offer calculus ... then you’re kind of out of luck. And that doesn’t mean you’re not the type of student who would excel at Caltech and be a wonderful scientist or engineer,” Murray said.
Pallie and Jared Leadbetter, a professor of environmental microbiology who heads the faculty admissions committee, began to look into potential course alternatives. Pallie connected with Khan’s team, which started a second nonprofit,, during the pandemic in 2020 to offer free tutoring. Peer tutors on the platform certify they are qualified for their jobs by scoring at least 90% on the course exam and videotaping themselves explaining how they solved each problem on it.
Leadbetter said some faculty voiced caution about the new path, but a majority of governing board members approved the change without objection. “If we’re really trying to beat the bushes for these really rare students with this exceptional sort of tenacity and resilience and promise, then we really don’t want to be missing large segments” of potential applicants, he said.
Faculty members say they have no idea how many students will take advantage of this path, but expect their number to grow as word about it spreads.