Math Curriculum Information Night Questions from Frederick Stichnoth

MATH CURRICULUM INFORMATION NIGHT QUESTIONS

January 28, 2013

 

To:       Dr. Erick J. Lang, Erick_J_Lang@mcpsmd.org 

            Mr. Martin M. Creel, Marty_Creel@mcpsmd.org

            Ms. Theresa A. Cepaitis, Theresa_A_Cepaitis@mcpsmd.org

            Mr. Edward C. Nolan, Supervisor, Mathematics, Edward_C_Nolan@mcpsmd.org

            Michelle Gluck, MCCPTA Gifted Child Committee, gluck.michelle@yahoo.com

            Laurie Halverson, MCCPTA Curriculum Committee, Lsh2727@verizon.net

            Amanda Graver, MCCPTA Curriculum Committee, agraver@verizon.net

 

From:    Frederick Stichnoth, fred.stichnoth@yahoo.com

 

1. “Few.” MCPS’ assertion that few will need compacting indicates intent to minimize the number accessing compacting. What data suggests few would benefit from compacting? How many students are projected to need compacting? How will MCPS monitor that the number of students accessing compacting is minimized?

 

2. Red zone schools? Sarah Sirgo, Woodlin ES principal, wrote recently “that the math model emphasizes the ‘few’ and it is not expected that all schools in MCPS offer the compacted courses….Once we are able to gather more information about these courses, review the materials (expected to be published by April), and examine our student performance data we will identify whether or not these courses will become part of our math program at Woodlin.” Would MCPS’ “few” criterion exclude whole schools?

 

3. Equity. “Equity” drove MCPS’ prior acceleration plan and the Math Work Group’s deceleration. How do these upgrades accommodate equity: that access and performance not be predictable by race, ethnicity or socio-economic status? Will disaggregated data regarding access to and performance in the four strands be published?

4. Identification. What is the identification protocol? What input will students and parents have in selecting a strand? Will students be identified only at Grade 3-4 articulation?

 

5. Grouping. MCPS will offer four strands: grade-level, accelerated and enriched, compacted, remedial. Will all strands be offered in the same classroom through differentiation?

 

6.  Acceleration and enrichment. The new booklet “Mathematics Program for Grades K-12” states that the K-6 program “contains acceleration and enrichment options that challenge students beyond CCSS.” Parents do not see these options or are dissatisfied with them. Dr. Starr said at the Einstein Town Hall that the options were to have been generated through teacher crowd-sourcing, but this failed. Are these options in place? Are parents aware that their children are receiving these options? Are the options cumulative and coherent, or curriculum blips?

 

7. Compacted curricula. Compacted curricula are not in “Mathematics Program for Grades K-12” Roll-Out Plan. Does this mean curricula already exist but are unused? Are the compacted curricula to be written by DCI and DEIP or crowd-sourced to teachers?