Office of Mathematics and ScienceOffice of Professional Development

Step Up to High SchoolEasing the Transition into High School

UMLN June 2005 Meeting

A Little More than Step Up to High School

Working with under-performing 9th graders

1.Step Up to High School

2.Two-Period Algebra

3.Algebra Progress Reports

The Roots of Step Up to High School

College Preparatory Mathematics Program (1989)

• High school adaptation of Uri’s work at Berkeley and with several high schools.

• Extra time with mathematics in summer and school year• Challenging work• Strong teachers involved with freshman instruction• Extra focus on the transition into high school• Peer relationships built around academic interests• Connect students with adults and with the school

• Transition summer school served as laboratory to try new approaches without burden of school-year curriculum.

• Strong professional community of teachers.

Step Up to High School Overview

What is it?

• Designed to help incoming freshmen experience success in the first year of high school

• Voluntary

• Four hours per day, for four weeks

• Location: Receiving high school

• 0.5 high school elective credit

For whom?

• Incoming 9th graders

• Mathematics score between the 34th and 50th percentile on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills

Step Up to High School Basics

Professional development• 49 hours for mathematics

– Pre-Step-Up planning: 31 hours– During Step-Up support and reflection: 10 hours– After Step-Up planning for the school year: 8 hours

Summer hours

• 4 weeks @ 5 hours daily (4 hours in class/1 hour for preparation)

Curriculum• 1.5 hours mathematics (Cognitive Tutor computer-based component;

CMP units)

• 1.5 hours of literacy project-based activities

• 1 hour of counseling-related activities

Reflecting on Step Up

Successes

• ~1700 students in summer 2003

• ~3000 students in summer 2004

• ~3000 students projected for this summer

• Fewer failures during SY 03-04

• Teachers and students were positive about Step Up

• Increased collaboration between teachers

• Classrooms were more student-centered

Challenges

• Getting the word out: Year 1

• Buy-in: Year 1

• Recruitment of teachers

• Recruitment of students: Year 1

• Professional development

• Selection of materials

• Grading policy

• Keeping up the momentum

Course Targeted students

who attended ‘Step Up’

Targeted students who did not

attend ‘Step Up’

Algebra 88% 75%

Survey of Literature 91% 77%

Reading in the Language Arts

96% 76%

Step Up Student Pass Rates Fall Semester 2003-04

Two-period Algebra

1. Improve algebra pass rates

2. Address common gaps

3. Allow extra time to build algebraic understanding

4. Keep students “on track”

Course Structure

Two-period Algebra(90 min.)2005-06

Single course model with same teacher, same students for both periods of

instruction*

Algebra(45 min.)

AlgebraProblem Solving

(45 min.)2004-05

Separate course model

* Schools that find it impossible to program two-period course can submit proposal for Alternative Local School Plan. • Must be comprehensive and address common skill deficits and students’ need for additional time for mathematics learning.

Algebra(45 min.)

AlgebraProblem Solving

(45 min.)2003-04

Conceived as 90 minutes of algebra

Concerns from Administrators

1. Course structure

2. Student enrollment criteria

3. Articulation between APS and algebra

4. Teacher assignment

5. Implementation support for schools

• Communication

• Materials

• Professional development

• Special needs students

6. Reduced course selection options

APS Task Force

Office of Mathematics and Science

Office of High School Programs

Area Instructional Officers

Area Mathematics Coaches

Office of Planning and Development

High School Principals

HS Mathematics Department Chairs

Task Force Data Analysis

1. Pass rates

2. Attendance rates

3. Teacher focus groups

4. Teacher surveys

5. Workforce data

6. PD attendance

7. Case studies

8. Other districts

Exponents

Two-period Algebra Curriculum

Fractions, percents, and proportional

reasoning

Multi-step problem solving

Understanding variables and

patterns

Graphing in thex-y plane

Signed number operations

9TH GRADEALGEBRACONTENT

Curriculum Options

Changing the Perception on K-8 Mathematics

Making “preparing for algebra” the focus of elementary school mathematics

•Algebra Progress Reports Success rates of graduates in algebra Outline of prerequisite skills needed for success Listing of available support for upgrading programs

http://cmsi.cps.k12.il.us/