I don't know why the quote did not show up in my last post.
This is the quote from the National Mathematics Advisory Panel’s
final report.

“To prepare students for Algebra, the curriculum must
simultaneously develop conceptual understanding, computational
fluency, and problem solving skills. Debates regarding the
relative importance of these aspects of mathematical knowledge
are misguided. These capabilities are mutually supportive, each
facilitating learning of the others. Teachers should emphasize
these interrelations; taken together, conceptual understanding
of mathematical operations, fluent execution of procedures, and
fast access to number combinations jointly support effective and
efficient problem solving.”

“Difficulty with fractions (including decimals and percent) is
pervasive and is a major obstacle to further progress in
mathematics, including algebra. A nationally representative
sample of teachers of Algebra I who were surveyed for the Panel
rated students as having very poor preparation in ‘rational
numbers and operations involving fractions and decimals.’”

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