In 2002, Schmidt, et al. pusblished an analysis of the Third International Math and Science Study (TIMSS) that showed that by teaching a small, carefully chosen set of topics in K-8, math learning outcomes for children could be substantially improved. Schmidt, et al. termed this list of topics an A+ curriculum and noted that more than 75% of students learning from an A+ curriculum perform at levels achieved by only 25% of students in the US and Canada. The ideas in the Schmidt analysis are identified as the essence of the underlying philosophy for the Common Core State Standards in Math...