Thank you to Danelle Gonzalez & Steph Hager for this follow-up guest blog on my recent SVSD Math Curriculum story. Along with them, I am very positive that some significant changes are in the works. Read on…
Last week we met with the Assistant superintendent of the Snoqualmie Valley School District, Don McConkey, as a follow-up to an ongoing research project where we had examined the math programs in other area school districts and contrasted them to SVSD. Our research paralleled the data the district had gathered.
Coupled with the release and analysis of the Algebra and Geometry end-of-course exam results by OSPI (Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction) — we learned that the Snoqualmie Valley District is underway in revisiting its middle school math program pathways. An Algebra-readiness assessment tool is planned to be standardized across our middle schools, and is expected to closely shadow the successful systems that are in place by other neighboring school districts. We believe the additional math pathways the district will be looking at for middle school students will mean that a higher percentage of 8th graders will have completed Algebra (and Geometry) before entering high school.
For students who currently are not aligned for either of these paths (but want to be) the district will be considering a plan for students when standardized criteria and assessments are met. This may include students who are currently enrolled in middle school during the transition phase.
These additional math pathways would provide students the opportunity to take higher level math classes through their senior year at Mount Si High School.
More specific information regarding the status of this review will be communicated to parents by the district in the early part of 2012.
As parents, we are optimistic about how having additional math pathways at the middle level will benefit our children and improve overall math performance for all students.
Danelle Gonzalez & Steph Hager
