W. Barry Roth is a clinical assistant professor of teaching and teacher education, a high school science specialist for the Tucson Unified School District and chairs the Arizona Science Coordinators Association.

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Recently, Gov. Janet Napolitano called for more math and science instruction in our high schools. The other governors on the Innovation America Task Force agreed. The university presidents and CEOs on the panel voiced their support as well.

Then last week, the governor's P-20 Council, comprised of a veritable who's who of Arizona business and education leaders, echoed the governor's recommendation by calling for an increase in math from two years to four years in Arizona high schools.

Exactly why do high school students need more math? Research by Achieve Inc. and available on the Achieve.org Web site clearly shows that to be successful in college, a student needs to be proficient in math to a level equivalent to algebra II.

So what if a kid doesn't plan on going to college? The research shows that the math skills required for success in college are identical to those needed for success in our technology-driven workplace.

At the P-20 Council meeting, Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction, Tom Horne, opposed the increase, stating that it would raise the dropout rate.

However, when one looks at data from school districts that have increased graduation requirements, the graduation rates remain steady.

Horne's other argument that not all professions require a higher level of math illustrates a fundamental misunderstanding of what the increased math requirement really means. More math does not necessarily mean higher math.

University of Arizona President Robert Shelton pointed out that schools will need to look at math instruction differently and break out of the traditional model that starts with algebra and marches up through calculus.

Math educators must develop applied math courses that address the specific needs of students, are relevant to their career path and elevate them to a level of math proficiency required for success in college and the workforce. One size does not fit all.

If you want to know what students think about this, just ask them. A national Achieve Inc. poll of recent high school graduates showed that those students who took algebra II in high school felt better prepared than those who did not.

Eighty percent of recent graduates said they would work harder and apply themselves more if they could go back to high school.

Those students who did not take algebra II might very well have thrived in coursework that was relevant to them and increased their math skill to a level equivalent to that found in algebra II had those courses been available.

Students who complete the two-year requirement their sophomore year and take no math their junior and senior years are ill-prepared for the demands of today's workplace and not even eligible for admission to the state universities.

That gap in math virtually assures that they will not remember essential math skills.

With math, it's truly a case of "use it or lose it." That's why high school students need four years of math.