Utah State University is among the 83 percent of surveyed programs that didn't meet what the National Council on Teacher Quality calls an emerging "consensus" on what elementary teachers must learn before joining professional ranks.

"There's a long-standing belief in our county that elementary teachers don't really need to get much math. The only thing you need to teach second-grade math is to learn third-grade math," said Kate Walsh, executive director of the Washington, D.C.-based group.

"We haven't put much attention to fact the elementary teachers are the first math teachers kids get. Their foundational skills have long-term ramifications whether that child will be able to do middle and high school math."

The NCTQ's findings mimic those of a reading report the group released two years ago, which found that 85 percent of undergraduate elementary education programs fail to adequately prepare students to teach reading.

The University of Utah and Brigham Young University's programs were not included in the math survey, which covered a randomly selected group of 77 institutions in 49 states, examining the programs' requirements, course syllabi and instruction materials.

The report's authors were careful to point out that USU's program uses strong textbooks and has broad math-based course requirements, but are tailored to a general audience as opposed to student teachers.

"We have a strong program overall. Our graduates are well respected by principals and superintendents across the state," said Jim Dorward, interim head of the Logan school's elementary education program. "We have things we can certainly improve. How to be a good teacher is a life-long process."