Transition Math Project

Whatcom County Math Project

2007-2008

Main Issue: Many College Students are Not Meeting the Entrance Standard in Mathematics

47% of Community and Technical College students who graduated from high school in 2004 took pre-college Math courses

19% of these students are taking pre-college Writing 11% of these students are taking pre-college

Reading 54% of Community and Technical College students

who graduated from high school in 2004 and intended to transfer took pre-college math courses

The Transition Mathematics Project

The Transition Mathematics Project (TMP) is a collaborative venture involving educators from

K-12 schools Community and Technical Colleges Baccalaureate Institutions

THE TRANSITION MATH PROJECT-WHAT IS IT?

PROJECT PURPOSE

Help students progress from high school math to college-level math. Details about the project on the website www.transitionmathproject.org

TMP identified the math skills and knowledge high school graduates need to complete college-level work: the College Readiness Standards.

What are the Standards?

The College Readiness Standards (CRS) are competency-based statements about what a student needs to know and be able to do in order to successfully transition to entry-level college coursework in math.

WHATCOM COUNTY MATH PROJECT

Partner Organizations Whatcom Tech Prep Consortium District Involvement: Bellingham,

Blaine, Ferndale, Lynden, Lynden Christian, Mt. Baker, Meridian, Nooksack Valley School Districts.

Bellingham Technical College Whatcom Community College

Program Goal and Outcomes

Overall Goal: Develop a regional learning community that focuses

on the implementation of powerful teaching and the impact on student learning.

Outcomes: All students will take a math course sequence that

includes Algebra II All students graduating from high school will be

ready to take college level mathematics.

WCMP Main Goals2007-2008

1. Education of Students and Parents

2. Report on the State of Math in Whatcom County (Fall 2007)

3. Professional Development

Goal 1: Education of Students and Parents

Outreach Efforts CRS and Student Attributes Posters (Fall 2007) Parent/Student Night in conjunction with class

registration (Spring 2008) Skills Set Guide to go out in mailers (Summer 2008)

Goal 2: Report on State of Math in Whatcom County

PURPOSE OF REPORT

Provide a comprehensive snapshot of what is

happening in mathematics education in Whatcom

County.

Intended to reveal the curriculum, course availability,

enrollment, and graduation requirements that exist.

Survey Topics

Course Options

Curriculum Delivery

(reform vs. traditional)

Textbooks

Enrollment by grade and

class

Course Description

(content standards)

Graduation Requirement

Percent Remedial Post

Secondary

Total Enrollment by

grade

8th Grade Algebra

enrollment

Math Staffing

(FTE and Highly Qualified)

Observations about the Data

The following charts and observations

highlight a number of interesting results from

the data collected.

Observations are statements of trends and

can be used as overall indicators of

mathematics education countywide.

Observation OneSTUDENTS TAKING ANY MATH CLASS IN HIGH SCHOOL

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

BELLIN

GHAM H

S

SEHOME H

S

SQUALI

CUM H

S

OPTIO

NS HS

BLAIN

E HS

NOOKSACK H

S

LYNDEN H

S

LYNDEN C

HRISTIA

N HS

MERID

IAN H

S

MT B

AKER HS

FERNDALE H

S

Semester enrollment figures were averaged - 0s were ignoredPercents may reflect students enrolled in multiple classes simultaneously

FRESH

SOPH

JUNIORS

SENIORS

Percent of 8th Graders in Algebra

12%

17%

9%

35%

24%

100%

30%

34%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

BellinghamSchool Dist

Blaine School Dist

Nooksack School Dist

Lynden School Dist

LyndenChristian

School Dist

Meridan School Dist

Mt Baker School Dist

FerndaleSchool Dist

2006-2007 ENROLLMENT PATTERNS OF FRESHMEN

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Semester enrollment figures were averaged - 0s were ignored

Pre Alg or Equivalent Alg I or Equivalent Geom or Equivalent

2006-2007 JUNIORS and SENIORS TAKING POST ALG II CLASSES(Pre Calculus Functions/Statistics Calculus AP Statistics AP Calculus Analysis

Alg2C/PreCalc)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Semester enrollment figures were averaged - 0s were ignored

JUNIORS SENIORS

Whatcom County High School Mathematics WASL Scores

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

BellinghamHS

Sehome HS

SqualicumHS

Options HS

Blaine HS

NooksackHS

Lynden HS

MeridianHS

Mt BakerHS

FerndaleHS

Per

cen

t M

eeti

ng

Min

imu

m G

rad

uat

ion

Sta

nd

ard

s

2003-04

2004-05

2005-06

2006-07

2006-2007ENROLLMENT IN ALGEBRA II and EQUIVALENT CLASSES

(Integrated Alg II Advanced Alg Integrated Math 3 Integrated Math 300)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

BELLIN

GHAM

HS

SEHOME H

S

SQUALICUM

HS

OPTIONS H

S

BLAIN

E HS

NOOKSACK HS

LYNDEN H

S

LYNDEN C

HRISTIA

N HS

MERID

IAN H

S

MT

BAKER HS

FERNDALE H

S

Semester enrollment figures were averaged - 0s were ignored

Fresh

Soph

Juniors

Seniors

WHATCOM COUNTY Juniors and Seniors Taking Post Algebra II Classes

100%

30%

22%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Juniors Seniors Goal

Final Thoughts

The survey continues to be improved as questions

arise concerning additional information to include.

Future editions will provide longitudinal comparison

data as we look toward decreasing post secondary

remediation rates.

WCMP will continue to document changes and chart

progress toward a goal of 100% completion of Algebra

2 for all high school students.

Goal 3: Professional Development

College Readiness Mathematics Standards Lesson Writing Workshops. (Fall 2007-Spring 2008)

Reducing the Barriers to Mathematics College Readiness Workshop (Saturday, October 27, 2007)

Professionally video CRMS Lesson Plans being taught in the classroom.

MOVING FORWARD

What we want To maintain and improve communication, especially

between secondary and post-secondary schools. To implement the common College Readiness

Mathematics Standards

What we don’t want To mandate or demand change To advocate a predetermined curriculum