Pamela Burdman

Pamela Burdman
Pamela Burdman
Founder and Executive Director,
Just Equations

Pamela Burdman is the founder and executive director of Just Equations, a policy institute dedicated to advancing math education equity. A leading expert on college access, readiness, and success, she works at the intersection of research, policy, and practice to shape strategies that support student achievement. Burdman has written 18 reports and more than 70 articles on math education policy issues over the last 10 years. Her work helped lay the groundwork for new policies designed to improve equitable college opportunity in California. A former journalist, her reporting on higher education—including the University of California’s reversal of affirmative action—deepened her commitment to equity in education. As a former program officer at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, she developed strategies to strengthen college readiness and success, contributing to statewide initiatives that continue today. Burdman earned her MBA in international business from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley.

updated 2025

Contributing topics
College access & postsecondary success
Pamela Burdman in the Media
: New Analyses Shed Light on Equity Pitfalls of Cal State’s Potential New Admissions Policy
: Don’t Use the SAT or ACT to Undermine Education Accountability
: Q&A: The Politics of Math: Is Algebra Necessary to Obtain a College Degree?
: CSU Needs More Effective Way to Assess Students’ Math Readiness
: Placement Tests Land Many Students in a Math Maze Instead of on Pathways to Success
Publications by Pamela Burdman
Degrees of Freedom: Probing Math Placement Policies at California Colleges and Universities
Report 3 of a 3-Part Series
The majority of community college students are required to take remedial math courses that can delay their progress through college, disproportionately affecting African American and Latino students. High school grades may be better predictors of…
Degrees of Freedom: Varying Routes to Math Readiness and the Challenge of Intersegmental Alignment
Report 2 of a 3-Part Series
The traditional algebra-based math curriculum, thought to be necessary for college success, has led to increased enrollment in remedial math classes. Some are promoting alternatives such as statistics and quantitative reasoning for non-algebra…
Degrees of Freedom: Diversifying Math Requirements for College Readiness and Graduation
Report 1 of a 3-Part Series
The traditional U.S. math curriculum, consisting of two years of algebra and one of geometry, is being called into question as new technologies and evolving disciplines highlight the importance of statistics, modeling, computer science, and…