Goals

GOALS, OBJECTIVES, AND BENCHMARKS

The overarching goal is to prepare all students for college level math courses by the time they graduate from high school through vertical alignment, professional development, challenging curriculum, the use of information technology, and research on strategies and interventions. The foundation for the goals, objectives, and activities of AIMS PK-16 are based on the research on improving math skills within the framework of Texas curriculum and assessment requirements that was completed by the Charles A. Dana Center in Fall 2000 (http://www.tenet.edu/teks/math/). The strategies listed in the research report have been found to be effective in improving higher-level mathematics skills as measured on the Algebra I End of Course Examination (appendix J-21) and Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) Test (pg 1).

Goal 1: Enhance professional learning for PreK-16 administrators, teachers (PK-12), faculty (higher education), and counselors

Teachers and faculty will examine their practice through action research, case studies, and analysis of student work. Most administrators in Texas are familiar with using student data to plan instruction and align resources; teachers and faculty not already involved in this process will learn how student data can inform instruction. They will work collaboratively in study groups within and across grade levels, districts, and institutions to improve instruction in ways that close the achievement gaps for all student subpopulations. Support structures will be formalized for mentoring and coaching induction teachers, including support from AIMS PK-16 specialists in teaching model lessons and assistance with use of manipulatives and technology. Professional development in mentoring will be provided for selected teachers. Teachers, faculty, and administrators will become engaged in professional development to adapt, implement, and develop curriculum (Loucks-Horsley, 1998). Teachers, faculty, and administrators will also participate in workshops, institutes, seminars, and courses such as TEXTEAMS (see 5.4 Plan), technology training, and the Mathematics Initiative for Middle School. Benchmarks will include surveys of administrators, teachers, and faculty about effectiveness of the professional learning experiences, classroom observations for changes in teaching strategies, and increased math achievement of students as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP), (see 1.2 Needs), SAT scores and ACT scores.

Goal 2: Provide a challenging curriculum for all students

Providing a challenging curriculum for all students includes not only increasing the number and diversity of students enrolling in Advance Placement and other upper level math courses, but also providing challenging math curriculum for all students at all ages. One objective toward this goal will be PK-14 vertical alignment of math curriculum. Each of the partner districts has formed or is forming a vertical alignment team. As a part of AIMS PK-16, math faculty from Del Mar or TAMUK will join each team. These faculty members will provide horizontal alignment across the nine partner districts. The professional development experiences that have been provided only to teachers of gifted and talented students will be opened to all math teachers. The objective of this professional development is to provide all students with curriculum that emphasizes problem solving and higher level thinking skills. Teachers and faculty will collaborate on adaptation, development, and implementation of curriculum materials to support richer and deeper mathematical understanding.

Benchmarks include an increase in the number and diversity of students taking Pre-AP and Advance Placement math courses, an increase in the number of students taking and passing AP math tests, increase in the total high school credits in math earned by students, and increased math achievement of students as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) (see 1.2 Needs), SAT scores, and ACT scores. Since more students are taking dual credit courses, AIMS PK-16 also seeks to increase the number and diversity of students taking and passing dual credit college math courses including College Algebra, Calculus I, and Calculus II.

Goal 3: Enhance the applications of technology for instruction and collaboration

AIMS PK-16 believes the appropriate use of technology is critical for enhancement of the teaching and learning for all students. Technology refers not only to computers but also includes graphing calculators, data acquisition tools, GIS/GPS, videoconferencing, and web-based activities. As identified in needs assessment, professional learning experiences will be provided to preK-12 teachers and university faculty members. The partner school districts are connected with video-conferencing capabilities through the Region 2 Education Service Center. Flour Bluff ISD is currently completing their first year of providing AP Calculus to a nearby district that is too small to offer this course. Through this partnership, these opportunities for sharing courses or sharing projects and activities across the schools will be increased. Both Del Mar and TAMUK have the capacity to connect with this network. In addition to instructional applications, this network will play a major role in program planning, management, and evaluation.

A particular focus of AIMS PK-16 will be the application of graphing calculators and CBLs for richer mathematics and problem-solving. Dr. Dwight Goode, Professor of Mathematics, TAMUK, has collaborated with many of the partner schools to infuse the use of graphing calculators into the mathematics curriculum for some of the secondary teachers. There will be additional opportunities for teachers and faculty to explore other software designed for math education such as MatLab and Geometer’s Sketchpad.

Benchmarks will include teacher surveys of use of technology, and increased math achievement of students as measured by the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) (see 1.2 Needs), SAT scores, and ACT scores. The new TAKS requires the use of graphing calculators from sixth grade through the exit test.

Goal 4: Conduct research on effectiveness of interventions

AIMS PK-16 school districts and higher education partners with their diversity of race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and geographic location provide a laboratory for research about the effectiveness of intervention strategies designed to increase the performance of all students and close the various achievement gaps, to increase the number and diversity of students successfully completing advanced math and science classes, to develop parental and family engagement models for traditionally underrepresented groups, and to increase the number, diversity and quality of math and science teachers. Research will be conducted at various levels and involve higher education researchers and graduate students and preK-12 administrators and teachers working collaboratively. As teachers and administrators are involved in collecting and analyzing information about strategies and interventions, AIMS PK-16 will help connect them with other teachers and administrators across the state that are investigating the same issues The Regents Initiative (see 5.5 Linkages) will support research efforts in AIMS PK-16 school districts by Regents Initiative Academy Members and will provide opportunities for sharing this research at Academy meetings. Teams of AIMS PK-16 researchers will make presentations at state, regional and national meetings. AIMS PK-16 will participate in any research projects supported by NSF that study the impacts of Math and Science Partnerships across the nation. This effort will be led by Dr. Maryann Gaines, Director of the Center for Professional of Teachers.

Benchmarks will include an increase in student performance data on TEKS, TASP, ACT, and SAT analyzed by comparing data at the end of a year of interventions to the year prior to interventions. Data regarding teacher retention rates, teacher certification status, and results of teacher certification exams will be compared to the previous year to determine gains in all three areas. Quantitative data will be analyzed using SPSS for Windows. Qualitative and/or narrative data from surveys, observations, surveys and needs assessment’ will be analyzed, to the extent possible, using Nudist Qualitative Data Software.