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School Board Adopts Sweeping Changes to How Math is Taught

Published on Friday, March 28, 2014 | 4:53 am
 

 

Algebra will soon no longer be a listed course title in Pasadena Unified School District high schools after Thursday’s Board of Education meeting that adopted integrated math courses.

Beginning with the freshman class of 2014-2015, or current 8th graders, the integrated courses that weave algebra, geometry, functions, statistics, and probability into a yearlong high school math class will begin rollout over three years.

“Were moving towards integrated learning, not just math and so this makes sense to me because it matches what we believe is best for kids and it matches the way kids are going to be tested by the state,” Superintendent Jon Gundry said, adding, “Assessment has always driven our practice.”

Newest board member Mikala Rahn voted with Tyron Hampton against the change saying that parents, who will be largely responsible to oversee the student’s potentially more difficult homework, did not have an opportunity to speak on the subject.

“I can name some other schools that are going to be up in arms that that this shift came in an empty room with no input,” Rahn said.

“I’m not saying it’s the wrong way to go. I’m saying we have no parent input. We have PHS saying no. Did we take votes at the middle? I just don’t think we’re ready for this item to be approved tonight,” Rahn said.

The integrated courses, which align with the state adopted Common Core standards, were piloted at all grade levels at Marshall with positive feedback.

“The large majority of districts in California are moving to integrated math. Many of the ones who are not are affluent and in my opinion resistant to change,” Gundry said.

The State Board of Education finalized the Common Core State Standards in November and gave districts freedom to choose the math course sequence and rollout plan. Whether the traditional or integrated model, all districts must realign to meet the new standards that emphasize concepts over procedure and focus more on context and application and less on isolated skill manipulation.

The need to shift to Integrated Math was based on research that supports student success through repetition of key math concepts over several years. Data from a PUSD exam supported that the proficiency rates in Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2 requires a shift in how math instruction is provided.

“We’ve gone far down this road and we’ve had this conversation many times. We have made the decision that this is the best, we’ve analyzed through everything in terms of high performing countries and everything,” Chief Academic Officer Brian McDonald said.

This roll out plan is aligned to the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) timeline that all juniors be tested in math. As per the PUSD adoption, by 2016-17 all high school students in their junior year will be ready to participate in these tests according to staff’s report.

“I think our staff are the experts. If we don’t believe that we shouldn’t have them as staff. So I think we need to trust staff,” Board member Tom Selinske said.

While the course sequence will be Integrated Math 1, 2, and 3, the graduation requirements will not align with this course sequence until the state passes legislation about graduation requirements that align with common core practices.

“This push and pull is part of the nation wide trend around the adoption of common core, there are parts of it that are really scary to people, and there’s huge a unknown, and this will definitely place different requirements and pressures on families,” Cooper said.

Cooper continued, “But at a certain level we need to just do it since the state has adopted it, I would ask is do we have a support system in place? Were standing on the diving board and we just have to jump in.”

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