The Math Survey Results

In September PWCS presented the results of the Math Survey to the school board. The results presented include the following:

• about 50% of parents and teachers believe Investigations meets their students needs
• parents believe that improved communication is necessary to improve the program

The actual survey results were obtained from PWCS via FOIA.  What was not reported was that the percentage of parents who are unsatisfied with the Math Investigations program rises from 25% in Grade 1 to 41% in Grade 3.  Additionally, 13% of parents reported that they believed traditional math should be taught along side or in lieu of Math Investigations, yet what was reported was the 11% who asked for improved communication.

Below are the compiled results of the math survey, as obtained from PWCS.

In Search of The Standard Algorithms

There has been quite a bit of debate regarding the Standard Algorithms for Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Long Division and whether they are or are not part of Investigations. Long Division is not a part of Investigations nor has it ever been. PWCS staff states that it intends to create a lesson teaching long division to students in Grade 5 but those materials are not available for review yet.

The debate regarding the other standard algorithms seems to evolve around the word teach and what that word actually entails. Here is a description of the “lessons” PWCS claims teach our children the standard algorithms.  PWCS staff have even intimated that the lessons described below are sufficient for students to master the processes.

Grade 3 2008 PWCS SOL Results

PWCS Grade 3 Math SOL test results from Spring 2008 were far from stellar but they were also far from terrible. Overall pass rates were unchanged both in the county and relative to the state.

But that doesn’t provide much information, and PWCS officials have been notably silent on the DOE sub-group performance – a topic which the county has, at least in the past, touted as one of their greatest achievements.

PWC Opt in For Traditional Math

Just how would the Opt In for Traditional Math program work in PWC?

Is Investigations out for Grade 5 in PWC?

Is Investigations out as the primary text for Grade 5 in PWC?  Could be….

The following item has been added to the February 4th school board meeting agenda.  It is an action item, which means the school board will actually be voting on the issue.

That the Prince William County School Board direct the Superintendent that the textbook series “Investigations in Number, Data and Space” shall not be used as the primary textbook for 5th Grade instruction, but materials in the series may be used to supplement the currently approved 5th Grade textbook.

No further information is provided, so I’d left wondering whether this applies to the current school year or will apply in the Fall of 2009.  I also can’t help but wonder whether the school board was listening; not to our concerns about Investigations but to our questions about whether PWC actually followed state procedures when Investigations was selected.

Very interesting………

Investigations can’t be used in Grade 5

…as a primary text, based on my review of the Virgina Administrative Code, regulations promulgated by the state Board of Education, policies and procedures promulgated by PWCS and the procedures followed by county staff to select Investigations.

It gets kind of tricky and involves state and local regulations and procedures, but in short the county failed to follow the procedures set forth in the Virginia Administrative Code when it selected Investigations for use in PWC K-5 classrooms. What effect PWC school district officials failing to follow the regulations and procedures established by the VA General Assembly and State Board of Education will have on Investigations expansion into Grade 5 is unknown. From a personal perspective I have to say that local government officials subverting the processes established to provide an open and transparent government isn’t necessarily something I’d tout as a success.

1500 and rising…..

The Petition to remove Math Investigations is at 1500 oops, 1503 oops, 1508 oops, 1515 oops, 1520 oops, 1523 oops, 1543 and rising.

If you haven’t already signed it and you want to be able to choose how your kids are taught math and with what materials, you may want to.

Connected Math in PWC Middle Schools?

Connected Mathematics (known as Connected Math) is Investigations middle school “cousin”, and, according to reports from Middle School teachers throughout the county, it’s coming to a middle school near you.

Middle school teachers have reported to us that they have been given full sets of the Connected Math teachers materials (which retail at $333.44 per set) and instructed by school officials in the math department to begin using Connected Math as a supplement to their lessons now so that they will be prepared for the Investigation’s students when they arrive in Middle School two years from now.

Like Investigations, Connected Math follows the constructivist method of instruction and is not recommended by the state DOE for use in Grade 6 or 8, though it is approved for use in Grade 7. Additionally, Connected Math was not approved for use as a primary text by the PWC school board when it selected textbooks in 2005. Connected Math, in my opinion, is just as bad if not worse, than Investigations (more on that in a later post).

PWCS Middle School Sports Program

PWC recently issued it’s proposed budget cuts for next year abd the Middle School Sports program is on the chopping block . Cutting the Middle School Sports Program will, reportedly, save the county about $383,000 a year.

The school board will be considering this decision at the February 18th meeting. Let them know how you feel.

1. Sign the Save MS Sports Petition .
2. Send a note to the entire school board and tell them what you think.
3. Show up at the meeting on the 18th and tell them to save Middle school Sports. Here’s how.

Where could the money to save middle school sports come from? Lots of different places. Here are a few suggestions…….

• Stop spreading Math Investigations to 5th grade. Estimated annual savings, approximately $88,000.
• Get rid of the Raptor system. I know – no one wants to do anything that might affect safety. But Raptor costs include licensing fees and staff to sit at a desk and scan licenses. Assuming there is a full time person at each school making minimum wage 180 days a year, that’s about $437,000 a year in staff to support Raptor. And that doesn’t include licensing fees.
• Cut the elementary schedule by a few days. I know – we’re supposed to be in school 180 days. But we have 9 built in snow days in hours and we’ve only used 1 so far this year. How about elementary kids take a few snow days at the end of the year? Imagine the savings on transportation alone.

Seems someone on the school board is listening

The Agenda for the January 21st school board meeting has been released and it has an interesting item:

#22 Opt In Option for Traditional Math in Elementary Schools
(Johns) Info

If my read of this item is correct, the school board will discuss the possibility of creating an alternate instructional track based on a traditional text for PWC students – at the parent’s discretion.

This is huge on so many levels. It means our fight to bring traditional math back to PWC may have delivered some results, it means our kids might actually get to learn that 6 x 8 = 48 and not have to spend hours drawing squirrels to demonstrate how they know it, and it means parents will be given a say in how their children are educated and with what materials.

Here’s the thing. I think this is a one shot deal. If the board doesn’t vote to authorize an alternate, traditional track in this or the following meeting, it won’t until a new board is seated in a couple of years. While some of the board members may support the idea, others clearly do not.

If we want this thing to carry – if we really want our kids to be taught math under a traditional text – then we need to make sure every board member knows how we feel. Click this link to send a message to all the board members. Sample text is included in this post.

We also need to show up in force at the January 21st board meeting – even if it’s just to stand in support of your fellow parents. This is our, to quote a school board member, golden egg. Whether it happens or not is up to you.