\doc\web\2000\03\lamath.txt http://www.educationnews.org/cgi/webbbs/article/article_list.pl?read=82 EducationNews Articles, Commentaries and Reports Mathematics Crisis in LA Posted By: GM Date: Sunday, 20 February 2000, at 5:10 p.m. Latino Educator in LA Vows to Go on Hunger Strike Over an LAUSD Board Policy Decision Contact: Guillermo Mendieta – mendieta@earthlink.net Press Conference date: March 16th Board Vote Date: March 23rd Hunger Strike Date: April 1st A coalition of national and local organizations that include well respected groups such as The Achievement Council, The National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, UCLA’s Center X, and various Latino and African American Organizations will be holding a press conference on March 16th to alert the public about an LAUSD board policy that will have a devastatingly negative impact on over 500,000 Latino and African American students. The LAUSD board is poised to make a policy decision that will eliminate a host of mathematics courses for which convincing data exist that show these programs have substantially increased the number of students that are completing the mathematics college-prep courses students need in order to be admitted into college. One of the members of the coalition, Guillermo Mendieta, director of Mathematics Standards Initiatives at The Achievement Council, has vowed to go on a hunger strike, starting April 1st (April is mathematics month) which will continue until the Board votes to not eliminate the integrated mathematics courses. When asked about his decision to go on a hunger strike he said: "After exhausting all other avenues, I will go on a hunger strike on April 1st and stop when the LAUSD board votes to follow the state framework which gives teachers the option to use the integrated/math reform programs that have resulted in increases in the number of Latino, African American, White and Asian students who complete the mathematics course requirements for college. I hope that by going on a hunger strike, educators, mathematicians and all others who believe that it is wrong and dangerous and for a tiny and extremist group such as Mathematically Correct to be allowed to have so much influence on the direction of mathematics education at the local, state and the national level will stand up and make themselves be heard. This group is also moving to control the policies in science education. The time has come for educators to stop being consumers and critics of bad educational policy, we must reclaim our voice and start playing a central part in the policy making process." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ BACKGROUND DATA Data from the district’s own Independent Analysis Unit shows that, as a result of these Integrated courses: 1) There has been an increased of 73% in the number of African American students that complete, with a C or higher, the first mathematics college-prep course. 2) There has been an overall 43% in the number of African American students that complete, with a C or higher, any and all of the three college-prep courses. 3) There has been an increase of 49% in the number of Latino students that complete, with a grade of C or higher, the first mathematics college-prep course. 4) There has been an overall 36% in the number of Latino students that complete, with a C or higher, any and all of the three college-prep courses. 5) There has been in increase of 38% in the number of White students that complete, with a grade of C or higher, the first mathematics college-prep course. 6) There has been an overall 20% in the number of African White students that complete, with a C or higher, any and all of the three college-prep courses. In addition, the coalition has uncovered data that shows: High schools Two of the four top performing high schools in LAUSD use integrated programs: Bravo Medical Magnet (9) and Palisades High School (has not yet received official rating but is off the charts) - important to know these schools get students from all around the city - high concentration of minorities at Bravo, and high number of Latinos are bused-into Palisades. Also, while there were significant gains for low achieving students at Palisades, the largest gains have been made by high achievers (important to note because some are saying integrated courses are just for low achieving students. Middle Schools Of the 11 middle schools that received a score of 6 and above, 5 were using an integrated/reformed program and 1 is using an integrated textbook alongside a traditional one. The highest scoring middle school, Revere Middle School, which scored a 9, is using Integrated Math. Elementary Schools Of the 35 elementary schools that scored 8 and above, fifteen were using reformed/integrated mathematics textbooks such as Mathland and Dale Seymore. Eight schools were using a combination of traditional and reformed textbooks and twelve schools were using traditional textbooks. Looking at the top scoring elementary schools when compared to schools with similar student populations There were thirty-six elementary schools in LAUSD that scored a perfect score of 10 when compared to schools with similar student populations. Of these 36, 16 were using a traditional textbook as their main resource, 12 were using reformed/integrated textbooks, and 8 were using a combination of reformed and traditional textbooks. Mr. Mendieta says that while there is no question that there serious implementation problems, including the lack of proper training on how to effectively use reformed/integrated programs, the exist evidence strongly suggests that despite those problems, the programs are having a tremendously positive impact on students. He believes that to improve student achievement in mathematics, rather than eliminating these programs, the board should be focusing on how to improve them. Summary of key points ? If integrated programs are eliminated, schools that ranked 7, 8, 9 or 10 (having used integrated programs) will be told to stop using integrated programs and replace them with traditional programs that have proven to be totally ineffective for the vast majority of our students. ? In 1999, The nation’s department of education conducted the most extensive and grueling evaluation of instructional materials ever conducted in the history of the country and awarded integrated programs used in LAUSD its highest rating, Exemplary. Mathematics professors, scientists, mathematics educators, teachers, statisticians and evaluators from some of the most prestigious universities and districts in the country participated in the evaluation of these programs. To get exemplary ratings the evaluators had to find convincing evidence that these programs led to substantial improvement in mathematics learning with students with diverse backgrounds, particularly with students who have historically been underrepresented in college. Statisticians had to confirm that the gains made were real, substantial and that they were statistically significant in multiple settings across the country. ? The integrated program represents the only other major systemic alternative pathway (approved by all universities in California and by the new state standards) to complete the mathematics college requirements for over 70% of the student population in LAUSD. ? The new state framework approves the option of having integrated courses instead of the traditional sequence. It also stipulates that students taking integrated should take the integrated version of the state’s standards based-test. ? Almost 100% of the mathematics professors engaged in a national campaigned to eliminate reformed-mathematics courses have almost no experience in K-12 education; they have had no training on how students best learn mathematics and have absolutely no experience in designing developmentally appropriate and effective instructional activities. ? Eliminating these courses will make cynicism among teachers grow to unimaginable levels. It will solidify the position of those who have an attitude of “this too shall pass” toward any district reform. ? Integrated mathematics allows students to see the connections between context of meaningful learning activities. The organization of the integrated curriculum along with the culturally relevant contexts in which its learning activities are framed allow the average teacher to engage students in ways that only the most apt of the traditional teachers are able to do it with the traditional curriculum. ? The district will be dismantling the integrated programs without examining the necessary data - that is, despite the rhetoric of change, major educational policies will continue to be made without the collection and analysis of the relevant research data. ? Integrated/reformed programs are based on the best known research on how students learn best. (Piaget, Brownell, Polya, Brown, NCTM, The National Research Council, The National Science Foundation, etc.) ? The entrance mathematics placement exam at California universities, the ELM, is better aligned with the integrated programs than with the traditional program. The Center for the Study of Research Testing and Evaluation at UCLA, which developed the STEPS test that LAUSD will use to determine if students move on to the next grade level, has been found to be aligned with the integrated approach. ? Dr. Cortines, the districts new superintendent, after naming LAUSD the most dysfunctional district in the country, has repeatedly stated that long gone are the days where the bureaucracy downtown will mandate and control local issues - we strongly believe that on this issue, mathematics educators, teachers, principals and parents should have a voice in deciding what programs are best for the students they serve day in and day out. ? The best way to improve mathematics learning is not to eliminate the programs that the experts in the field of mathematics education and cognitive science say are the best programs, but to work to deal with the existing weaknesses in the implementation of those programs. Given the overwhelming evidence that shows how Integrated mathematics programs are improving the mathematics learning of so many students, Mr. Mendieta was asked why the district seems to making a totally irrational policy decision. He said, “you need to remember what Mr. Cortines said a few days before he became the interim superintendent, he said the Los Angeles Unified School District was the most dysfunctional district in the nation. A major symptom of that disjunction is evident in the district’s pattern of making substantial policy decisions with no regard to the research or the evidence of the likely impact on students and teachers. For more information, contact: Guillermo Mendieta, (909) 899-4041 Mon-Th evening 7:30-10:00 p.m., Fridays 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. or by email at mendieta@earthlink.net Just a little background on the Achievement Council, the organization Mr. Mendieta works for and on Mr. Mendieta. The Achievement Council is a non-profit educational organization that for the last 14 years has worked to improve the academic outcomes of urban students, focusing particularly on Latino and African American students. We provide professional development to districts, schools, we work with policy issues in education, particularly those that impact the equity balance in education. Our current Executive director, Phyllis Hart was the recipient of The Rosa Parks Award by the NAACP for the great work she has done to improve the academic outcomes of minority children. Mr. Mendieta is the director of The Achievement Council’s K-12 Mathematics Standards Project. He received the LA teacher of the year award in 1987 by the NAACP. Mr. Mendieta has taught mathematics at every grade level from the 6th grade up to the university level. He has directed various summer institutes for teachers. He directed the first state wide mathematics conference focusing on the Latino students. Mr. Mendieta has worked for The National Science Foundation providing technical assistance to various systemic reform initiatives in the country. He has been a member of the board of all California’s Mathematics Projects. His undergraduate and graduate work has been on pure mathematics and on mathematics education with an emphasis on curriculum and instruction. Asians Blacks Latinos Whites Overall Course 1 3.79% 73.06% 48.87% 38.24% 45.37% Course 2 15.41% 31.53% 38.90% 14.19% 30.14% Course 3 -0.73% 16.79% 19.70% 8.86% 13.68% Course 1, 2, 3 refer to the first, second and third course in the college prep sequence (algebra/integrated 1, geometry/integrated 2, algebra 2/integrated 3) How to read the table: for Black students, there has been an increase of 73.06 percent in the number of students that take and pass (with C or higher) the first college prep course (algebra 1 or integrated 1). Overall, Integrated added an outstanding 33% more students to the college pipeline For African American Students, Integrated added 48% more students to the college pipeline For Latino students, Integrated has added 40% more students to the college pipeline DATA SOURCE: The Independent Analysis Unit of The Los Angeles Unified School District. http://www.kazor.com Messages In This Thread Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 104) GM -- Sunday, 20 February 2000, at 5:10 p.m. Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 6) Guillermo Mendieta -- Friday, 10 March 2000, at 6:56 a.m. Re: LA Math Crisis Victory #1, Part 1 (views: 24) Guillermo Mendieta -- Tuesday, 29 February 2000, at 6:22 a.m. Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 43) Joan Jaeckel -- Monday, 21 February 2000, at 12:00 p.m. Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 40) Marilyn Keller Rittmeyer -- Monday, 21 February 2000, at 3:13 p.m. Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 25) GM -- Thursday, 24 February 2000, at 3:41 p.m. Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 29) Joan Jaeckel -- Monday, 21 February 2000, at 4:17 p.m. Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA (views: 34) Marilyn Keller Rittmeyer -- Tuesday, 22 February 2000, at 5:47 a.m. Post Response -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Your Name: E-Mail Address: Subject: Message: If you'd like to include a link to another page with your message, please provide both the URL address and the title of the page: Optional Link URL: Optional Link Title: If you'd like to include an image (picture) with your message, please provide the URL address of the image file: Optional Image URL: If you'd like e-mail notification of responses, please check this box: Date sent: Sun, 19 Mar 2000 06:48:15 -0800 (PST) To: arthurhu@halcyon.com From: Editor@EducationNews.org Send reply to: PleaseRespond@TheBulletinBoard Subject: [EducationNews Articles, Commentaries and Reports:] Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA The following new message has been posted on EducationNews Articles, Commentaries and Reports at . *************************************************************************** MESSAGE: (#128) Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA AUTHOR: Guillermo Mendi DATE: Sunday, 19 March 2000, at 6:48 a.m. Reply To: (#122) Re: Mathematics Crisis in LA Author: Arthur Hu Date: Wednesday, 15 March 2000, at 2:29 p.m. Nine out 10 times you tallk to an adult that experienced the traditional lecture, mimic the teacher approach to mathematics you find that either they hate math, they think of themselves as poor mathematics students, or think they don't just have the mathematics gene. I understand why some people, who are among the 5 to 8 percent of the whole population that were able to succedd with the traditional curriculum do not see the need to change approaches. But the fact is that the traditional mathematics curriculum and its accompanying traditional practices have failed over 90% of the population. This has been said in every major report about the status of mathematics learning in the US, Why are respected organizations like the National Teachers of Mathematics (100,000+ members), The National Science Foundation, The National Research Council, The National Academy of Sciences, The Lawrence Hall of Science, and many other organizations supportive of the integrated approach to teaching mathematics? Why is there not one single professional organization of mathematics educator or mathematicians supporting the views spoused by Mathematically Correct? As one of the people who attended our press conference put it, "most mathematics professors could not teach themselves out of a paper bag in one our inner city classrooms". People with little background in K-12 education, or little background in the field of how students learn best , see the changes made in the new, more enagaging and meaninful curricula and dismissit, criticize it, without undertanding the realities of the classroom. What do you think is more rigorous, to ask students to apply the formula (base X height)/2 to find the area of a triangle or to ask the students to derive the formula? Consider a traditional classroom where the teacher tells student the definition of ratio, where the students copy it and are expected to memorize it. Now consider a mathematics reformed classroom where first graders are working with a balance and place just enough links on one side to balance 1 metal washer on the other side. They discover that to keep balance after adding a second washer to one side, they must add the same number of link cubes on the other side. Students end up making connections with the idea or a ratio while adding, subtracting, working with estimation, abastracting and extrapolating. Which group of students do you think will better understand what a ratio is? Which group will see mathematics as more meaningful? The legacy of traditional math is to move from once isolated and fragmented concept to the next; traditional mathematics goes for superficial coverage, not the development of conceptual understanding. The student's job in the traditional curriculum is to put a sufficiently larage bunch of foregttable and fragmented facts into short term membory to be able to pass the next test or go to the next class. Here students receive only superficial exposure to countless items of knowledge which they perceive as arbitrary and irrelevant. This is why up 70% of the students who took and passed the tradional mathematics courses of alg 1, geo and alg 2 end up taking remedial courses in our local universities. Can there be any justification for eliminating a mathematics program that has resulted in a 74% increase in the number of African American students who complete the first of the mathematics courses required by collges? Or a 50% increase for Latinos? There is also plenty of evidence, that despite the fact that many of the students who were being placed in the remedial-low end non-college prep mathematics courses at the high school have been placed in the new Integrated (or math-reformed) classes, these students are performing at the samem, or in some cases, at higher levels than students in the traditional math sequence. Everyone should remember that that these Integrated programs were revised by the senate of all the universities in CAlifornia and after much analysis, mathematicians, educators and university officials voted to accept Integrated 1, 2 and 3 as meeting all the requirements students meet through Alg 1, Geo, and Alg 2. In the end, the data, the arguments will not be sufficient to convince some one who does not understand the disparties, the lack of access and the tremdous implications that exist when there is a program that seems to engage and prepare children of color in mathematics. Despite the many weaknesses inherent in the implementation of mathematics reform ideals, the consensus of expert opinion is that all students will benefit from mathematics courses that help students make connections between the mathematics content and their daily life, their concerns, a program that instead of seeing them as passive receipients of inert knowledge, they are active participants in an interactive approch to learning mathematics. Link: Math Crisis URL: *************************************************************************** This is an automatically-generated notice. If you'd like to be removed from the mailing list, please visit EducationNews Articles, Commentaries and Reports at , or send your request to Editor@EducationNews.org. If you wish to respond to this message, please post your response directly to the board. Thank you!