Goals for Tonight’s Presentation • Review of the Math Pathways • Background on changes in math standards and curriculum in recent years • Why Math Pathways and what were the criteria used in their development? • What are the Math Pathways? • What have we learned? • Teacher and student experiences in Math • Answer Important Questions • How are students initially placed on a Pathway? • What data is used? • How do students change Pathways? • What is the process to Request Advancement to another Pathway? • What are the high school Math Pathways?
Math in Transition 2013-15 Important Transitions • New Common Core State Standards • Adoption of Big Ideas Curriculum in MS and HS • Implementation of Math Pathways • New Instructional Coaching Model Outcomes • Math curriculum is now aligned with CCSS • Teachers teaching at a more rigorous level • Better Instruction = Better Student Success • Higher Expectations for ALL students
Why We Created Math Pathways • Clearly define data-driven benchmarks for initial placement • Provide clear communication about best placement practices • Support and monitor the implementation of Common Core • Build a stronger foundation to ensure all students have success in Math • Prepared for college and careers
District Math Pathways Team Jeff D’Ambrosio— Principal, TFMS Kirk Dunckel — Principal, CKMS Rhonda Schmidt — Assistant Principal/Math Coordinator, MSHS Holli Dexheimer — Math Department Chair, MSHS Chris Blake — 6th Grade Math Teacher CKMS Carolyn Phelps — 8th Grade Math Teacher/Instructional Coach, TFMS George Warren — 7th Grade Math Teacher, TFMS Alison Means — 7th Grade Math Teacher, CKMS Johanna Lasher — 6th Math Teacher, TFMS Chris Ratcliffe - Counselor, CKMS Gayle Smith — Assessment Program Specialist Betsy Sorenson — Elementary Math Specialist Julie Gardunia — 5th Grade Teacher, NBE Susan Corder- Dist. Admin. Assistant District Administrators — Jeff Hogan, Ruth Moen, Dan Schlotfeld t,
Criteria for Math Pathway Development • Class placement and progression from Middle School to High School must be clearly documented and communicated • Allow flexibility for changes in student’s skill and developmental readiness • Consistent, agreed upon placement practices at all middle schools • Use data to determine initial placement from 5 th to 6 th grade • Ensure high achieving student placement is aligned with Highly Capable Program • Create a process for parents/students to appeal placement decisions
How the Pathways Creation Process Worked • Cross functional team kick off ( Fall 2014) • Ongoing meetings (Nov. through June 2015) • Understanding requirements • Designing process • Problem solving • Data validation from previous year • Parent/community feedback loop (March 2015) • Board Presentation (March 2015) • Middle School parent night (April 2015) • Communication to parents about placement (May 2015) • Appeals process completed and communicated (June 2015)
Outcomes of Collaborative Pathway Work Pathway Guide for Educators and Parents to describe placement criteria and instructional progressions Communication with all stakeholders Appeal/advancement process
Math Pathway Map Core Accelerated Exceptional
Math Pathways Students who pursue the Core Pathway through middle school and then continue through Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 will have the opportunity to complete Algebra 3 or Pre-Calculus in high school and will be ready to pursue college-level math courses after graduation.
Math Pathways Students who demonstrate readiness for and pursue the Accelerated Pathway through middle school and complete Pre-Calculus in high school will also be college-ready and will have had an opportunity to complete at least one additional higher level math course such as Calculus or Statistics in the senior year of high school.
Math Pathways For those students who demonstrate readiness for and pursue the Exceptional Pathway through middle school and complete Pre-Calculus as sophomores, there is an opportunity to take at least two additional higher level math courses such as Calculus and Statistics in the junior and senior years of high school.
Middle School Mathematics Courses Topics in the Middle School Mathematics Courses are aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics. Instruction emphasizes the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practices that are integral to the coherence, focus and rigor necessary to develop students’ ability to make sense of problem situations. • Courses include: Sixth Grade Seventh Grade Eighth Grade Common Core 6 Common Core 7 Common Core 8 Common Core 6/7 Common Core 7/8 Algebra 1 Common Core 7/8 Algebra 1 Geometry
Opportunities for Advancement
Actual Placement of 6 th grade students at CKMS and TFMS compared with SBAC results NUMBER OF PATHWAY STUDENTS Accelerated 131 Exceptional 36 TOTAL 167 5 th Gr. SBAC Level 4 ~12 Students possibly under placed 179 (exceeds standard)
SVSD % of 6 th grade students on each pathway 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Core Accelerated Exceptional 2014-15 2015-16
Issaquah SD and Snoqualmie Valley SD Comparison % of 6th grade students in each pathway % of 6th grade students in each pathway 90 90 2014-15 2015-16 80 80 70 70 60 60 50 50 40 40 30 30 20 20 10 10 0 0 Core Accelerated Exceptional Core Accelerated Exceptional Issaquah SD Snoqualmie Valley SD Issaquah SD Snoqualmie Valley SD
What SVSD Teachers Believe about Math Pathway Experience • 6 th grade is a pivotal time for student growth • Strong alignment of standards, curriculum, pacing and assessment at both middle schools • Teacher perception is that fewer than 1% of students were over or under placed in grades 6-8 • 5 th grade teachers are supportive of providing feedback on Mathematical Practices rather than recommending placement
Number of F’s in Math by Grade Level (all students)
Early Monitoring of Pathways and Student Performance All 6 th grade students were evaluated in the Fall (using internal at-risk indicators, grades, assessments, and attendance) Key Take Aways • Students in the Accelerated and Exceptional pathways were doing well (mostly A’s and B’s) • Students who appealed, whether they were approved or denied, were doing well in their classes (mostly A’s and B’s) • Early identification of all struggling students enables coordinated additional interventions plus their classroom experience
Student Social and Emotional Readiness • Does my child have a natural affinity for math? Or, does my child have to work hard to understand math? • Does my child want to accelerate? What are my child’s reasons? • Does my child take ownership for his/her learning? Does my child do homework without teacher or parent prompting? • Does my child turn work in on time without reminders? • Does my child have good time management skills? • Is my child organized?
Student Social and Emotional Readiness • Can my child balance school work and extra-curricular activities while caring for physical and emotional health? • Does my child use effective coping skills when frustrated? • What additional demands for time might my child face in high school that might impact a decision to accelerate in middle school (work, sports, community involvement)? • Does my child consistently score well on assignments and assessments without retakes or extraordinary effort? • Does my child have excellent attendance? • Is my child able to complete math homework and prepare for tests with minimal help outside of school?
Challenges with these transitions: • Parent and community perceptions around math placement • Staff changes – getting new teachers up-to-speed • Still developing consistent practices through professional development with instructional coaches
The Bottom Line for Students… Standards Shifting to Earlier Courses + More Rigor As our students learn the Common Core State Standards throughout elementary school, we see fewer gaps In turn, our population in the Accelerated and Exceptional Pathways will grow
Example of Standards Shifting with Algebra
5 th to 6 th Grade Placement for Next Year- 2016-2017 Continue to use combined CogAT and ITBS results Exceptional Pathway Accelerated Pathway • Domain Score (4 -9) • Domain Score (10 and above) • SBAC (4)/STAR (above standard) • No Screener Test • No Screener Test • Students and families are responsible for skipped content through on-line texts, tutors, Khan Academy, etc.
Criteria for 6th Grade Math Placement • Most students will begin middle school math on the Core Pathway to establish a firm foundation in mathematical concepts and practices. • Initial Placement: • CogAT (student aptitude) • ITBS-Math (student achievement)
6 th – 7 TH Grade Transition: Opportunity for Acceleration Most students will continue with the next math course in their Pathway sequence. Students that demonstrate readiness for advancement will be encouraged by their school to submit an advancement request. S IXTH G RADE A CADEMIC R EADINESS TO A CCELERATE Note that families can submit an *5 th grade SBAC Advancement scores are used since Request even if all 6 th grade SBAC scores academic readiness aren’t available until criteria are not met. late June
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