Frequently Asked Questions about Everyday
Mathematics
How was Everyday Math ranked in the state review of K
– 8 mathematics materials?
What is being done to identify gaps and ensure
that our students are prepared in mathematics, based on the new
standards?
Why aren’t we just purchasing one of the
top two sets of materials recommended by the state?
Why are we still using the elementary report
cards that have the older standards (GLEs)?
How was Everyday Math ranked in the state review of K
– 8 mathematics materials?
Last fall, OSPI and the State Board of Education presented the
final results of the state Core Mathematics Materials Review for
grades K – 8. (A similar process is currently in progress for
high school.)
Everyday Math, the
core curriculum for grades K – 5 in Seattle, was ranked 5th
based on alignment with the new state standards
Performance Expectations, and several other factors, including
program organization, assessment, and equity/access.
CMP2, the core
curriculum for grades 6 – 8 in Seattle, was ranked 6th based
on the same factors listed above. In both cases, alignment with the
new state standards was the most heavily weighted score.
The
final recommendations were for the top two at elementary, which
were Math Connects and Bridges in Mathematics, and the final
recommendations for middle school were Holt Mathematics and Math
Connects. A full table of the results, and a list of FAQ’s
from the Materials Reviewers is available from OSPI. (See p. 14 of
the results for the elementary table, and p. 15 for the middle
school table; see p. 20 for FAQ’s.)
According to the
published report, "It is important to note that successful
mathematics programs may exist with virtually all of the reviewed
curricula. While instructional materials matter, other factors
contribute to the success of students in Washington state learning
mathematics. Those factors include quality of instruction, parent
involvement, available supports and myriad other aspects…No
one set of instructional materials matches the new standards
completely; each one will need some augmentation, even those that
are recommended."
2008 Mathematics Core Comprehensive Materials Review &
Recommendations Report, Final Draft, Grades K – 8 (OSPI,
2008)
None
of the curricula that the state reviewed were aligned 100% with the
new standards, which is not uncommon for any set of materials,
particularly when new standards have been adopted. Most states have
a minimum threshold, and recommend all of the materials that meet
that minimum. Our state is unique in requiring a recommendation of
no more than three.
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What is being done to identify gaps and ensure that
our students are prepared in mathematics, based on the new
standards?
We are currently reviewing Everyday Math lessons, assessments, and
learning targets to identify any gaps in our elementary materials,
based on the Performance Expectations (PEs), and how we will
supplement or otherwise address those standards. In some cases, the
PE is not missing in the Everyday Math materials, but is taught at
a grade level earlier then specified in the PEs. We will use the
state report, which identifies where Everyday Math most and least
addresses the PEs. We will also use work being done by the
publishers of Everyday Math, will collaborate with other districts
doing similar work, and are also doing our own alignment
work.
During the week of
November 17 – 21, elementary instructional coaches met for a
week-long retreat to accelerate the work of aligning our K –
5 math materials to the new state standards. (The current
instructional and pacing guides are aligned to the GLEs (old
standards) which will be tested on this year’s WASL.) Out of
this retreat came several project teams that will complete the
alignment work no later than June of 2009, in preparation for the
09-10 school year, which is when the new standards will be
tested.
These projects
include:
- Aligning Part 1 and
Part 2 of Everyday Math lessons (including learning targets) to the
new PEs.
- Aligning Everday Math
assessments to the new PEs.
- Developing draft
instructional guides and field testing them with teachers and
principals.
- Examining WASL release
items for use to support problem-solving PEs.
- Updating district
assessments (through EduSoft) based on the new PEs. (These
assessments are being piloted this year.)
Similarly, middle
school coaches have been meeting to align CMP2 materials with the
new PEs, and to write mini-units or supplemental lessons to fill
any gaps in the existing materials. This is a common practice for
any adopted curricula.
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Why aren’t we just purchasing one of the
top two sets of materials recommended by the state?
The elementary and middle school mathematics materials adoptions
were initiated in 2005, before OSPI and the State Board of
Education were directed by the legislature to rank and recommend
materials for mathematics. Districts, including ours, operate on
adoption cycles. Everday Math was adopted and approved by our
School Board, with Singapore practice problems as a supplement.
Once the high school math adoption is completed this year, several
other departments, including science, will be next to be funded for
adopting new materials. There are no resources to revisit our
elementary or middle school adoption, nor to re-purchase materials.
OSPI and the State Board of Education have recognized this issue
for many districts, and will support our collaboration on alignment
work with other districts. No matter what set of materials we had
purchased, even the top two recommendations, we would still need to
do alignment and supplemental work to ensure that all Performance
Expectations are met.
Please contact Anna-Maria de la
Fuente, Mathematics Program Manager, with additional questions
or comments regarding mathematics materials.
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Why are we still using the elementary report
cards?
The elementary report cards were developed in 2002 and are based
on the old math standards (GLEs). Inserts were created last year
for the math section of the report cards in order to give
parents/guardians clear information about how their children are
progressing in math, as they are taught using the Everyday Math
curriculum materials. Schools may choose whether or not to use the
math report card inserts. If a school chooses to use the insert,
all teachers in the school must use it.
Once
the new math standards are aligned to Everyday Math, as described
above, and the state assessment is addressing the new standards, we
will revise our elementary report cards to align with the new
standards.
Please contact Cathy Thompson,
Acting Director, Curriculum and Instruction, for additional
information regarding elementary report cards.
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