Some updates...

1. I received a reply from Jennifer Graban of the National Math Panel. Her comments indicated recognition by the panel that there is a need for greater participation of classroom teachers, algebra teachers in particular. I decided to call Jennifer personally and we had a very pleasant conversation. Electronic communication and blogs can never replace human interaction! I'll share the email and our dialogue later...
2. I've posted a solution in the comment section to the last part of the nested radical problem -- finding an expression for N that would produce an integer value for the infinite nested radical.
3. You may want to read the comment I posted regarding Math Anxiety. It describes a method that I have found useful for conscientious students who tend to underperform on teacher-made tests. There is also a wonderful set of tips for students to prepare for standardized tests like SATs. It's entitled Ten Ways to Survive the Math Blues from Murray Bourne at squarecirclez and I will share this with the students in my school.