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MATHEMATICS PROGRAM EVALUATION

Carmel Clay Schools

2016

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Acknowledgements

This document is the result of the efforts put forth by a dedicated committee of parents,

teachers, and administrators. The intent of their work was to provide a data-driven, objective

evaluation of Carmel Clay Schools’ K-12 Mathematics program for the purpose of guiding

continuous school improvement.

Sincere appreciation is expressed to:

Committee members for their understanding of the global society in which we live, their

appreciation for the role of mathematics in schools, and for their commitment and

sustained efforts throughout this project.

Parents, students, teachers, counselors and administrators for providing the data that

formed the basis of the committee’s work. Thank you to teachers, as well as students

and counselors, for participation in instructional audits and focus groups.

Dr. Martha McFarland and Dr. Amy Dudley for guidance and planning throughout the

program evaluation process.

Joni Morris and April O’Cull, curriculum and instruction assistants, for organizing and

preparing materials to facilitate the committee’s work.

Amanda Pond

Supervisor of Learning

October, 2016

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Carmel Clay Schools

Mathematics Program Evaluation

Table of Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4

Review of Literature .............................................................................................................................. 5

References ........................................................................................................................................... 10

Data Collection .................................................................................................................................... 12

Findings ................................................................................................................................................ 13

Recommendations .............................................................................................................................. 20

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Introduction

In the winter of 2016, a committee of teachers, administrators and parents was convened for

the purpose of conducting an evaluation/needs assessment of the Carmel Clay Schools’

mathematics program. Throughout 2016, the committee met to engage in the following

activities:

1. Study current educational literature on best practices in the teaching of mathematics.

2. Examine the Indiana Academic Standards (IDOE, 2014).

3. Identify critical questions to guide the research process in the following areas:

a. Instruction

b. Tools and Technology

c. Homework and Assessment

d. Curriculum

e. Professional Development

4. Design a plan to generate data to answer the critical questions.

5. Collect data from various sources.

6. Analyze data and information.

7. Formulate a report including findings and recommendations.

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Review of Literature

As local diversity and global interconnectedness continues to increase, students who graduate

high school with experience critically thinking and problem solving are poised to participate more

fully in their community and world. Mathematics proficiency not only provides students with

content and skills for lifelong learning, it engages students in problem solving and discourse. In an

increasingly complex technological society, students must exit high school equipped with the

ability to persevere through difficult mathematical tasks and apply essential thinking skills to a

variety of new experiences. This literature review provides a summary of research on best

practices in curriculum, instruction, assessment, technology, and professional development in

mathematics as well as current information on college and career readiness as it relates to

mathematics.

Best Practices in Mathematics Curriculum

Investigating curricular design and implementation is a complex undertaking. One consistent

thread throughout the research is that curriculum should be coherent, focused on important

mathematics, and well-articulated across the grades. The current debate in the area of math

curriculum is whether it is more effective to use conventional or standards-based curriculum.

According to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (2014), “…Conventional curricula

tend to rely on direct explication of the to-be-learned material as well as careful sequencing and

the accumulation of lower-level skills before presenting students with the opportunity to engage

in higher-order thinking, reasoning, and problem solving with those skills. In contrast, standards-

based materials rarely explicate concepts for students; rather, they rely on students’ engagement

with well-designed tasks to expose them to the concepts. After the concept has been introduced

and its features explored by students, the curriculum and teacher step in to apply definitions,

standard labels, and standard procedural techniques.”

Research has found the most effective math curriculum should be standards-based. NCTM (2014)

reported, “Students who used standards-based curricula generally performed as well as other

students on traditional measures of mathematics achievement and did better on assessments of

conceptual understanding and ability to use mathematics to solve problems.” The implication for

teachers is they need to have a “clear understanding of the curriculum within and across grade

levels, to effectively teach a particular grade level or course in the sequence.” Additionally,

teachers need to know the grade level standards for math and ensure that these standards are

being met.

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Best Practices in Mathematics Instruction

Best practices in math instruction include emphasis on promoting student fluency with procedures

of conceptual learning, with the end result that students skillfully apply procedures to solve

mathematics problems. Procedural fluency must be practiced over time, incorporating students’

ideas and strategies during problem solving (Leinwand et al., 2014).

Effective mathematics teaching involves allowing students opportunities for diving more deeply

into understanding conceptual and procedural mathematical ideas through the use of models,

manipulatives, concrete and abstract thinking, etc. Students should have opportunities that enable

them to engage in challenging tasks both individually and collaboratively. Students should have

opportunities to engage in a productive struggle as they wrestle with mathematical ideas and

relationships. Effective teaching provides students with challenges that encourage perseverance

in solving problems. Along with a focus on differentiation, appropriate supports including

embedded language supports, content specific literacy skills, informational texts, and consistent

mathematical vocabulary inspire this perseverance.

Best Practices in Mathematics Assessment and Homework

“An important goal of assessment should be to make students self-assessors, teaching them how

to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of past performance and use them to improve their

future work” (Leinwand et al., 2014). The assessment process includes both summative and

formative assessments, and the literature puts a strong emphasis on formative assessments as an

effective tool to provide feedback, gather information and help guide instruction and learning.

The feedback from the formative assessment should be “goal-referenced; tangible and

transparent; actionable; user-friendly (specific and personalized); timely; ongoing; and consistent”

(Wiggins, 2012). NCTM has emphasized how assessment should be used to help both the students

and teachers in the learning process.

The level of mathematics and the age range of students play an important role in the level

of difficulty and time spent on homework. The relationship between the amount of homework

students do and their achievement was positive for middle and high school students. Even

minimal amounts of time for middle school students was beneficial. There was not enough

evidence to prove the benefits of homework for elementary students. The results provided a clear

picture that homework can be effective in improving students’ scores on unit tests (Cooper, 2008).

Research also indicates “students should be working at around a 90% level of accuracy before

independent practice is effective” (Riccomini et al., 2015). It is suggested for teachers to “find ways

to embed solutions in homework and encourage students to spend time studying the embedded

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solutions.” Embedding solved problems within the homework will allow students to be more

successful when working independently (Riccomini et al., 2015).

Best Practices in Mathematics Professional Development

Effective professional development allows teachers to remain up-to-date on best practices. “A

professional does not accept the status quo, even when it is reasonably good, and continually

seeks to learn and grow” (Collins, 2001). “Mathematics educators must hold themselves,

individually and collectively, accountable for all students’ learning, not just the learning of their

own students” (Leinwand et al., 2014). Effective teaching can only happen when school

mathematics programs have in place: “access and equity, a powerful curriculum, appropriate tools

and technology, meaningful and aligned assessment, and a culture of professionalism.” According

to the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Indiana Academic Standards, schools

should implement the eight Mathematics Teaching Principles, which are the following: “Make

sense of problems and persevere in solving them, reason abstractly and quantitatively, construct

viable arguments and critique reasoning of others model with mathematics, use appropriate tools

strategically, attend to precision, look for and make use of structure, look for and express

regularity and repeated reasoning.” These strategies must be implemented to ensure teachers

have access to best practices.

Instructional coaches are an integral part of the professional development of mathematics

teachers. “Coaching is a critical component in supporting the implementation of effective

teaching practices. Providing, supporting, and involving mathematics coaches or specialists are

not luxuries if the goal of the school or district is to ensure mathematical success for all

students. Mathematics teachers must be open to working collaboratively not only with their peers

but also with an instructional mathematics coach or specialist who assists them as they continue

to enhance their own knowledge of mathematics content and pedagogy and improve the

achievement of their students.” (Leinwand et al., 2014).

“Two approaches used by high-performing school systems to support teachers’ continual growth

and ensure mathematical success for all students are to provide time for collaboration among

teachers and to place coaches in schools to support teachers in implementing effective

instructional practices.” However, Leinwand also points out that “A lack of time is one of the

greatest challenges that teachers and administrators face in schools” (2014). Allowing teachers

time to work together to collaborate by implementing productive PLC structures, online

collaboration, etc. is essential.

Best Practices using Tools and Technology in Mathematics

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According to the NCTM Technology Principle, the question is no longer whether teachers should

use educational technology or not, but rather how best to incorporate various educational

technology applications into classroom settings. Incorporating supplemental programs into

regular classroom curriculum is beneficial and adhering to program usage guidelines suggested by

technology providers is helpful in improving student achievement. “Technology should not be

used as a replacement for basic understanding and intuitions; it should be used as a companion

for solid classroom instruction from teacher to student” (2014). But only availing teachings of

technology is not sufficient to increase student achievement. “The value of the technology

depends on whether students actually engage with specific technologies or tools in ways that

promote mathematical reasoning and sense making.” Put another way, simply having technology

available to students does not ensure that students will show growth in math. What has been

noted through various sources is technology should support natural best-practice instruction, but

that instruction should not be altered to support the incorporation of any technology (Leinwand

et al., 2014). Susan Barton (2000), Ph.D. at Brigham Young University writes, “simply having access

to technology does not insure it will be used to enhance learning.”

According to a position statement from the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, study

participants indicated math software helped students understand math concepts by serving as a

tool that motivated students and providing them with instant feedback, leading to the

understanding that “the platform of the technology is less important than the functionality that it

provides” (Leinwand et al., 2014). With seamless integration of technology into the classroom,

students became active learners, were more interested in learning math concepts, demonstrated

more responsibility for their own learning, and performed better on classroom math tests. From

a teacher perspective, anecdotal evidence suggests teachers value the immediacy of feedback

regarding student learning (Leinwand et al., 2014). Carla Piper, Ed. D. Chapman University College

states that web-based and face-to-face components of the course are designed to interact

pedagogically to take advantage of the best features of each.

Technology is beneficial to students who need additional help in understanding or applying math

concepts. A blend, or hybrid, of effective technology programs, used in conjunction with face-to-

face learning opportunities, is optimal. “The evidence...strongly suggests that when used

appropriately these technologies do assist in increasing conceptual understanding without

adversely affecting procedural knowledge” (Barton 2000). Supplemental computer-assisted

instruction (CAI) technology had the largest effect on student achievement. Additionally,

“programs that were used for more than 30 minutes a week had a bigger effect than those that

were used for less than 30 minutes a week” (Cheung and Slavin, 2011).

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“Benefits of the use of technology on student achievement are evident” (Barton, 2000).

Additionally, there are limited disadvantages to the usage of technology in mathematics. Just as

in any content area, the focus should not be on teaching the technology, rather teachers should

be free to focus on using it to enhance learning the content-- mathematics (Risser, 2011).

Technology can change how quickly students can process information, and it can help students to

visualize alternative representations and connections. However, teachers will need to stay current

on the new technology to be able to help the students use emerging technology in impactful ways.

As technology becomes more commonplace, the monetary costs tend to decrease. However, the

wide range of technology devices and the quantity of individual devices requires great

consideration. Based on the research review, furthering the development of technology

integration requires the implementation of a shared vision to enable, engage, and empower

learners and those charged with educating them. This evolution opens new windows of

possibilities for achieving the promise of technology to transform education (Project Tomorrow,

2011).

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References

Barton, S. (2000). What does the research say about achievement of students who use calculator

technology and those how do not? International Conference on Technology in Collegiate

Mathematics, Volume 13. http://archives.math.utk.edu/ICTCM/VOL13/C025/paper.pdf

Cooper, H. (2008). Homework: What the research says. National Council of Teachers of

Mathematics Research Brief. www.nctm.org/Research-and-Advocacy/Research-Brief-

and-Clips/Homework_-What-Research-Says/. Accessed May 30, 2017.

Cheung, A., & Slavin, R. E. (2011). The Effectiveness of Education Technology Applications for

Enhancing Mathematics Achievement in K-12 Classrooms: A Meta-Analysis. Best Evidence

Encyclopedia. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University, Center for Research and Reform

in Education.

Leinwand, S. et al. (2014) Principles to action: Ensuring mathematical success for all. Reston, VA,

National Council of Teacher of Mathematics.

Project Tomorrow (2011). The new 3 E’s of education: enabled, engaged, empowered, how

today’s educators are advancing a new vision for teaching and learning.

http://www.tomorrow.org/speakup/pdfs/SU10_3EofEducation(students).pdf

Piper, C. (2008). Hybrid teaching and Learning. Retrieved from

https://www.scribd.com/doc/180628741/hybrid-teaching-and-learning

Riccomini, P. J., Morano, S., & Hwang, J. (2015). Build confidence and skills in independent math

practice with embedded instruction and worked examples. Educational Research

Newsletter and Webinar. The Pennsylvania State University.

https://www.ernweb.com/educational-research-articles/interleaved-worked-examples-

and-math-problems-embedding-instructional-guidance-in-math-homework-and-

independent-practice-to-improve-student-accuracy-and-outcomes/

Risser, H. (2011). What are we afraid of? Arguments against teaching mathematics with

technology in the professional publications of organizations for US mathematicians.

International Journal for Technology in Mathematics Education, Vol. 18, Issue 2. p97-101.

Stein, M. K. (2015). Selecting the right curriculum. National Council of Teachers of Mathematics

Research Brief. www.nctm.org/Research-andavocacy/Research-Brief-and-Clips/Selecting-

the-Right-Curriculum/.

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Wiggins, G. (2012). Seven keys to effective feedback. Educational Leadership, Vol. 70, No. 1, pp.

10-16.

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Data Collection

The mathematics program evaluation committee collected data from the following sources to

answer the critical questions.

a. Mathematics achievement data, including NWEA scores, end-of-course exam scores,

course grades, IB exam scores, AP exam scores, PSAT and SAT exam scores, and

ISTEP+ scores

b. Voluntary and anonymous instructional audits conducted over a 2-week period,

involving teachers of mathematics from the elementary, middle, and high school

levels

c. Mathematics course enrollment

d. Anonymous, disaggregated Standard for Success (SFS) data from the mathematics

department chairs

e. Focus groups with teachers and students at the elementary, middle, and high school

levels

f. Review of current CCS mathematics curricular programs, curriculum maps, pacing

guides, and common assessments

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Findings

Data from all sources were analyzed to answer the critical questions. The following findings

emerged from the data analysis:

Instruction

How does our current mathematical program implement both conceptual and procedural learning?

Finding: A majority of CCS teachers, K-12, supplement their current math curriculum with

additional conceptual and procedural learning opportunities.

According to the K-12 focus group data, 73% of teachers DO supplement beyond their

current adopted curriculum in the area of conceptual learning.

According to the K-12 focus group data, 27% of teachers stated they did NOT supplement

beyond their current adopted curriculum in the area of conceptual learning.

At the elementary level teachers specifically stated problem solving is the greatest area

of need for supplement.

When evaluating individual Everyday Math Units, elementary focus groups determined

less than 50% of the lessons taught required students to complete problem solving tasks.

According to the K-5 focus group data, 95% of teachers stated they OFTEN or ALWAYS

supplement EDM activities with additional problem solving.

At the middle school/high school level teachers supplemented their conceptual teaching

with; class discussions, number talks, foldables, group shares, Kahoot, and small group

stations.

According to the K-12 focus group data, 90% of teachers DO supplement beyond their

current adopted curriculum in the area of procedural learning.

According to the K-12 focus group data, 10% of teachers stated they did NOT supplement

beyond their current adopted curriculum in the area of procedural learning.

At the middle school/high school level teachers supplemented with notes, study guides,

practice problems, station activities and foldables.

6 out of 7 Algebra I and II teachers stated they use the adopted book 20% of the

time. (80% of the teachers are using conceptual and procedural supplements.)

Calculus and Pre-calculus teachers surveyed stated they split instruction evenly between

the adopted text and supplemental materials.

Geometry teachers surveyed stated they heavily use the adopted book for conceptual

investigations and applications. However, the teachers also stated that they supplement

heavily for procedural fluency.

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47% of middle school math teachers surveyed use the text book for conceptual and do

not see a need to supplement.

How does our current mathematical program promote problem solving and support students

persevering through tasks?

Finding: A majority of CCS middle school and high school teachers support students persevering

through mathematical tasks that challenge higher order thinking skills.

According to the math focus groups at CHS, 100% of high school teachers surveyed

stated they allow for daily perseverance opportunities. Teachers stated they use guiding

questions, instructional hints and guidance towards resources to help solve higher order

tasks.

According to the math focus groups at CHS, 60% of surveyed students at the high school

stated they are required to wrestle with higher order tasks in their math classes.

According to the math focus groups at CHS, 80% of students surveyed at the high school

gave examples of ways they persevere through difficult tasks before going to their

teacher for additional help.

Finding: A minority of CCS elementary teachers support students persevering through

mathematical tasks that challenge higher order thinking skills.

According to the CCS elementary focus groups, 95% of teachers stated they OFTEN or

ALWAYS supplement EDM activities with additional problem solving activities.

According to the CCS elementary focus groups, 58% of elementary teachers admitted

they RARELY provided time for students to wrestle with challenging tasks.

According to the CCS elementary focus groups, 37% of elementary teachers stated they

often wrestle with challenging tasks.

To what degree are our instructional practices responsive to students’ individual needs?

Finding: 100% of CCS elementary math teachers indicate their current instructional practices are

responsive to students’ individual needs.

At the elementary level 100% of teachers are using some form of math workshop at least

3-5 days each week that includes small group or one-on-one learning opportunities with

the certified teacher.

Elementary teachers stated they are responsive through: exit and entrance slips, pre-

assessing, small group work, learning scales - TPT activities, self-assessments for

students, end of unit assessments, NWEA, oral assessments, and STEM projects.

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Tools and Technology

How is technology currently supporting our math program (both teacher and learning tools)?

Finding: Assuming the math department is representative of the overall district integration level of

technology, we are at the “implementing” level. This level indicates teachers are using tools and

strategies from research or training within their weekly lessons. However, technology is still an

isolated tool in the classroom.

According to the new technology inventory spreadsheet, there are 30 sets of TI-INSPIRE

calculators available at Carmel High School.

According to middle school math department chairs, each middle school has three class

sets of TI-INSPIRE calculators available.

According to the building layout, Carmel High School has two computer labs dedicated to

usage by math teachers.

According to curriculum resources, PLATO is used at Carmel High School for students who

need to recover math credit.

According to the Carmel High School department chair, Cognitive Tutor is used at Carmel

High School for students who need extra math support in Algebra I and Algebra II.

According to middle school department chairs, computer-assisted instruction

mathematics programs (Math IXL, ALEKS, Moby Max, Khan Academy) are used sporadically

in the middle schools for students who have not passed ISTEP+ or for students who need

additional math instruction.

According to elementary teachers, EveryDay Mathematics (K-5) offers additional online

practice resources available to students.

EveryDay Mathematics, Discovering Mathematics, and Big Ideas Math all have digital

resources.

According to an audit of homework pages, teachers at all levels make various math apps

and websites available to students via homework page links.

How does CCS support technology integration in the math classroom?

Finding: While support is offered district-wide to all teachers in technology integration, focused

support, specifically for math teachers, is not apparent.

According to summer professional development options, Carmel Clay Schools makes a

summer #C4 conference available, free of charge, to all teachers.

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According to the Carmel Clay Schools human resources department, CCS makes available

teachers of technology integration coaches (2 at the district level) and instructional

coaches (1 per building at elementary and middle schools, 6 at the high school).

According to the Carmel Clay School Technology Department, infrastructure is available in

all schools to support wireless technology options.

Per the Carmel Clay Schools Technology Plan, CCS is beginning to launch additional devices

to all schools (Chrome Books, iPads, and Samsung Convertible Tablets).

Per the Carmel Clay Schools Strategic Plan, a learning management system (Canvas) was

introduced in the fall 2016.

Homework and Assessment

Are our current grading practices in mathematics aligned with best practices?

Finding: Grades are weighted differently across grade levels and buildings.

According to the “How Grades Are Weighted” document, 4 Elementary gradebooks are

weighted in two different buildings the rest use total points.

According to the “How Grades Are Weighted” document, 138 middle school gradebooks

are weighted.

According to the “How Grades Are Weighted” document, 96% of middle school

gradebooks are weighted as 10% homework and 90% tests.

According to the “How Grades Are Weighted” document, Carmel High school has 196

weighted gradebooks. 110 of those are weighted 90% tests and 10% homework.

Are our current homework and assessment practices in mathematics aligned with best practices?

Finding: Carmel Clay students are assigned homework on a regular basis.

According to elementary teacher focus groups, teachers assign homework on a regular

basis except in kindergarten.

According to secondary teacher focus groups all secondary teachers, with the exception

of Credit Recovery course (a computer based course), assign homework on a regular

basis.

Finding: Carmel Clay students are expected to spend more than 10 minutes on homework.

According to elementary teacher focus groups, 10 out 11 elementary teachers expected

10 to 20 minutes on math homework.

According to secondary teacher focus groups, 1 out of 11 expect 10 – 20 minutes, 8 of 11

expect 20 – 30 minutes spent on homework, 2 out of 11 expect more than 30 minutes

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Finding: Carmel Clay teachers differentiate the adopted curriculum’s suggested assignments to

meet the learning needs of students.

According to elementary teacher focus groups, 6 out 10 elementary teachers who assign

homework on a regular basis differentiate the adopted curriculum’s suggested

homework assignments to meet the learning needs of students.

According to elementary teacher focus groups, 5 out of those 6 teachers selected

homework problems students could complete independently.

According to secondary teacher focus groups, 11 out of 11 said they differentiate the

homework assignments and 6 out of the 11 indicate they supplement additional

problems.

How well are our formative assessments aligned to best practices?

Finding: Carmel Clay teachers believe they use formative assessments to help navigate instruction.

According to elementary teacher focus groups, 100% use formative assessments

regularly.

According to secondary teacher focus groups, 100% use formative assessments regularly.

Finding: Carmel Clay teachers believe they implement a variety of formative assessment strategies

to help guide instruction.

According to elementary teacher focus groups, 9 out of 11 elementary teachers used

formative assessment to form re-teaching groups and 100% used formative assessment

to guide assessment.

According to secondary focus groups, 7 out of 11 used formative assessment to help

reteach concepts and 4 out of 11 use formative assessment to enrich instruction.

Curriculum

To what extent are instructional and curricular practices and materials aligned and articulated

across courses, grade levels, and buildings?

Finding: At the secondary math level, Honors Algebra I and Honors Algebra II lessons were found

to have “off course” lessons and/or standards taught in their curriculum.

According to CCS curriculum maps and pacing guides, Honors Algebra I has 64 lessons of

which 33% covered Algebra II standards

According to CCS curriculum maps and pacing guides, 51% of the Honors Algebra 1 final

exam covered Algebra II standards.

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According to the CCS curriculum maps and pacing guides, Honors Algebra II has 52

sections of which 30% cover Pre-Calculus standards.

According to CCS curriculum maps and pacing guides, 51% of Honors Algebra II, second

semester is spent covering Pre-Calculus standards.

Finding: A discrepancy between quarter grades and semester final exam grades exists.

According CHS quarter and semester grades, 51% or fewer students earn the same

quarter grade as their semester exam grade in Algebra I, Algebra II, and Pre-Calculus.

According CHS quarter and semester grades, as the quarters progress, more students

earn higher class grades than semester exam grades in Algebra II.

According CHS quarter and semester grades, in Pre-Calculus, more students earn higher

quarter grades/lower semester exam grades second semester compared to first

semester.

According CHS quarter and semester grades, in Pre-Calculus, fewer students earn lower

quarter grades/higher semester exam grades compared to first semester.

Finding: A discrepancy between semester grades and AP exam grades exists.

According to AP scores and semester grades from 2012-2016, of the students who took

the AP Calculus AB exam, no students earned an F during the semester.

According to AP scores and semester grades from 2012-2016, students who earned an A

in Calculus AB scored a 4 or 5 on the AP exam.

According to AP scores and semester grades from 2012-2016, students who score a 5 on

the AP Calculus AB exam, the majority of them scored a B in the course.

According to AP scores and semester grades from 2012-2016, students who score a C in

the course score 1-5 on the AP Calculus AB exam.

According to AP scores and semester grades from 2012-2016, of the students who took

the AP Calculus AB exam, no students earned an F during the semester.

How effective is CCS’ current program at equipping all students at all levels with problem solving,

thinking, discussion, and reasoning skills in order to be college and career ready?

Finding: Students at Carmel High School perform above state averages in problem solving,

mathematical reasoning, and math communication skills, however, overall proficiency in these

areas has decreased over time.

According to PSAT scores from 2011-2015 (not including 2013-2014), in every category,

CCS Students were above both state and national averages.

According to PSAT scores from 2011-2015 (not including 2013-2014), students’ ability to

problem solve has improved from 2011-2015.

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According to PSAT scores from 2011-2015 (not including 2013-2014), in the area of

reasoning, student scores were below expected gains from 2011-2015, although overall

test scores improved.

According to PSAT scores from 2011-2015 (not including 2013-2014), with respect to

mathematical communication skills, from 2011-2015 student scores fell in both actual

scores and expected scores.

According to the Indiana Department of Education ISTEP+ scores, at the Elementary and

Middle levels, Carmel Clay School students consistently scored above state averages in

math from 2012-2015.

According to CollegeBoard, the percent of students projected to be college and career

ready in 10th grade has increased from 82% in 2012 to 90% in 2016.

According to CollegeBoard, the percent of students projected to not be college and

career ready in 10th grade has decreased from 18% in 2012 to 10% in 2016.

Professional Development

To what extent do teachers have opportunities for collaboration?

Finding: The amount of collaboration time dedicated to math varies across grade levels and

schools.

Math teachers at the high school meet once a month. Math topics and professional

development are addressed at these meetings

Math teachers meet every gold Wednesday in PLCs for collaboration. Data analysis,

lesson development, professional development extensions and other mathematical

topics are discussed.

Math teachers at the middle schools meet once a month. Math topics and professional

development are addressed at these meetings.

Math teachers in the middle schools meet weekly on grade level teams. Data analysis,

lesson development, professional development extensions and other mathematical

topics are discussed.

As an entire staff, elementary teachers meet once or twice a month. These meetings are

not focused solely on mathematics.

Elementary teachers meet two to four times a month for grade level collaboration.

These meetings are not focused solely on mathematics.

Elementary teachers also have the opportunity for release time for professional

development.

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How does CCS provide content specific professional development and teacher support that focuses

on mathematical best practices (growth mindset, balance of skills and conceptual understanding,

high expectations, and other identified needs)?

Finding: The amount and content of math specific instructional support varies across grade levels

and buildings.

According to the 4 T’s Summary Report, 337 of the 2658 entries for the K-8

Instructional Coach logs were focused on math from August 2015-April 2016.

According to elementary School Improvement Plans, PD Focus Grids, and

administrative team calendars, no evidence was found to indicate administrators who

evaluate math teachers have been trained in mathematical practices.

According to 2015-2016 School Improvement Plans and Professional Development

plans, growth mindset was a professional development focus during one month at

each elementary.

According to 2015-2016 School Improvement Plans and Professional Development

plans, Math U See was a professional development focus at six elementary schools.

According to 2015-2016 School Improvement Plans and Professional Development

plans, math workshop was a professional development focus at five elementary

schools.

Recommendations

The Mathematics Program Evaluation committee proposes the following recommendations to

facilitate a model of continuous improvement in mathematics curriculum, instruction,

assessment, technology integration, and professional development. These recommendations

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are designed not only to support the current level of student achievement but to provide a

vehicle for attaining the highest level of achievement for all students.

1. Mathematics instruction, at all levels, should have a balanced amount of conceptual and

procedural learning opportunities to ensure students are persevering through mathematical

skills, content, and problem solving.

2. Mathematics instruction, at all levels, should engage the learner by incorporating a blend of

technological and non-technological instructional strategies.

3. Teachers should provide students age appropriate and respectful math tasks that support the

skills and content being taught and provide students with timely, specific, and descriptive

feedback.

4. Professional development and collaboration time should be provided to assist teachers,

coaches, and administrators in the following:

Applying research-based instructional strategies specific to teaching mathematics.

Implementing and responding to formal and informal formative assessments.

Making data-driven decision based on formative assessments.

Aligning course content with appropriate academic standards and explicitly stating the

standards, content, and skills used for technology integration, application, enrichment, and

extension.

Developing a process for implementation of the re-aligned curriculum.

Increasing the knowledge of Indiana Standards of Mathematical Processes.

5. Adopted curricular materials should include and emphasize:

Integration of the mathematical content, skills, and mathematical practices that support

Indiana College and Career Ready Standards

Indiana Process Standards for Mathematics