MCPS Superintendent Joshua P. Starr plans to brief
members of the Board of Education on MCPS efforts to implement the November
2010 recommendations of the Math Work Group. MCPS has prepared this memo to set
the stage for discussion.
To get things started, MCPS claims its new curriculum "is
substantially more challenging" than the old. This claim, made without evidence,
is based on adoption of Common Core State Standards. MCPS claims that
conformance equals rigor. Yes, MCPS gets credit for adopting CCSS. Yes, the CCSS
has widespread support among mathematicians for its logical progression of math
concepts. But this has nothing to do with challenge, which is primarily about the
pace of moving along that path of math concepts.
A pace that challenges the average student will bore some
students and strain others. Many school systems adopting CCSS are, at the same
time, sharply limiting variations in pace. Students are expected to proceed at
the same pace, with very few exceptions. That prescribed pace usually results
in a first algebra course in grades 8-9. Parents in North Carolina recently
raised concerns that this will limit the achievement of many mathematically
talented students.
MCPS uses the word "deep" sixteen times in this
nine-page memo. Many MCPS students already have a solid conceptual foundation;
they do not need any more digging right now. Ready for a faster pace, they are
being held back by the MCPS one-pace-fits-all policy.
Board members should note the profound lack of facts and
evidence in this memo. In the "Implemented Curriculum" section, MCPS
claims "As a result, the mathematical practices are integrated into the
design of Curriculum 2.0." Basically, MCPS cannot point to any results, so
they choose to claim that practices are "integrated".
In the "Assessed Curriculum" section, MCPS
states "Professional development will be required on the effective use of
assessment data to plan instruction that builds students’ deep mathematical
understanding." Here we go with deep again. Seriously, if formative
assessments show students are well prepared to move ahead at a quicker pace,
MCPS should actively support their progress.
MCPS says it is "committed to challenging every
child with this additional acceleration and enrichment model". By this,
they mean differentiation. A select few students "will need to advance a
grade level in mathematics to receive sufficient challenge". Experience
has shown us that differentiating instruction over a wide range of academic
readiness has not and will not challenge every child. MCPS has never offered
evidence to the contrary – parent and teacher feedback clearly show the limits
of differentiation. This is a disaster in the making for MCPS. History will not
favor a Board that willfully ignores evidence contrary to the trending
educational ideology.
MCPS claims its "vision for mathematics teaching and
learning supports and challenges all students and leads to equity in
instruction and student achievement". Clearly, MCPS is not challenging all
students. Forced to discuss the only facts and evidence cited in this memo, Starr
admits "the gap between Black or African American and Hispanic/Latino
students, and their White or Asian counterparts continued". The only
evidence available, numbers MCPS chooses to make a case for its
one-pace-fits-all policy, convincingly demonstrates that gaps have not closed. It
is shameful that MCPS continues to claim otherwise. It is shameful that Board
members refuse to call them out on those bogus claims.
Do Board members really want to buy what Starr is trying
to sell here?
No comments:
Post a Comment
If your comment does not appear in 24 hours, please send your comment directly to our e-mail address:
parentscoalitionmc AT outlook.com