Math Curriculum Changes Create Concerned Parents

The Reading Public School District implemented changes to the math curriculum due to Common Core standards, and parents believe that the changes will not prepare their children for college.

The new "frameworks" were implemented in math and literacy from kindergarten through 12th grade and every school district is implementing those frameworks, Superintendent John Doherty said.

Parent Rebecca Liberman expressed concern about the middle school math curriculum changes and said that parents did not find out about it soon enough.

Doherty said that they have been discussing the math curriculum for over a year and have been communicating with parents. They have already started teaching the "new standards."

“We had to teach the new standards this year because we were getting tested in MCAS,” he said.

The math curriculum is now "more rigorous than previous frameworks because of the changes," Doherty said. 

"Children are actually going to get a better math experience," he said.

With the new "framework" the common core algebra I class is now taught in ninth grade instead of eighth grade, Doherty said. Which means that seniors in high school will take pre-calculus instead of calculus. However, some students that have tested into the algebra I class can take it in eighth grade and will be on track to take calculus.

“It should be noted that there are opportunities for students still to move up into the higher math track," Doherty said. If a student does not test into the algebra I class in middle school, they can utilize one of these two options:

1. Either between ninth and 10th or between 10th and 11th grade there is a common core geometry class that students can take during the summer, and if they are successful than they can move up to a higher level sequence.
2. Students can double up during their sophomore year and take algebra II and geometry.

Both of those options will allow a student to take calculus, but the other sequences only allow a student to access pre-calculus.

"Concerned parents are imploring school officials to add some options for students to catch up sooner than 10th grade. Other area school districts, such as Winchester and Natick, have several options for middle school students to take algebra, not just the most elite students," Liberman said.

Parent Christine Brungart is unhappy with the lack of calculus in high school and believes that it results in poor preparation for college. Another parent Susan Jones raised the issue of college admissions and wants her seventh grader to have the same opportunities as her older children. She also believes that parents should have been informed of the changes sooner so that their children would've had the chance to take a tutoring test.

“Our goal is not to deny kids to higher lever math classes,” Doherty said. "Students need to be ready or they will not be successful."

He added that the school district is "not closing the door on kids getting to higher level math sequences" and said they are still looking at other options.

The school district has implemented a new elementary math program, so as time goes on more students will be ready in sixth grade to take higher level math classes, Doherty said.

"We’re not the only community that is going through this," he said. "Every community in Massachusetts is struggling with this issue."

He also said that he has brought the issue to the Commissioner of Education and let him know that they are concerned about the number of kids not being able to access calculus and that the perception people have is that students have to take calculus to get into a good college or university, however that is "not necessarily the case."

Parents expressed concern that the English, history, and possibly science curriculum would be changing as well. Doherty said that they are not changing.

The concerned parents have created a Facebook page regarding this issue and have 185 members so far. Click here to see the page.