Recent articles in the Rocky Mountain News and Denver Post report that 85 % of DPS high school freshmen fail freshman algebra exams. This failure is a product, in part, of DPS’s Connected Math curriculum.
Meanwhile, Smiley Middle School students using a Traditional Integrated Math curriculum have performed exceptionally well in math. But rather than endorsing this successful curriculum, DPS seeks to eliminate it.
For the last five years Smiley has used a multi-academy model, meaning students within Smiley may choose an academy with different programs and curriculum.
Smiley’s International Preparatory (IP) academy uses a Traditional Integrated Math curriculum, while the other academies at Smiley and most other DPS middle schools use Connected Math.
Smiley’s use of Traditional Integrated Math has been highly successful, with students showing more growth individually and as a group than students using Connected Math.
Using the September 2007 and April 2008 Colorado benchmark test results, we compared test scores of Smiley students using the two different math curricula. All grade levels show similar results, so for illustration purposes we examine 7th grade data.
7th Grade End of Year Benchmark Scores April 2008
Traditional Integrated Math Connected Math
15 (34.09%) Advanced 0 (0.00%) Advanced
14 (31.11%) Proficient 1 (1.89%) Proficient
15 (34.09%) Part. Prof 22 (41.51%) Part. Prof.
0 (0.00%)Unsatisfactory in 4/08 30 (56.60%) Unsatisfactory
Recognizing these results might be influenced by other factors, we also examined the difference between benchmark test results from the beginning and end of the school year. We looked both at test scores and changes in achievement levels (e.g., Proficient in September to Advanced in April).
7th Grade Changes in Proficiency Levels
Traditional Integrated Math Connected Math
9 (21.95%) increased 2 levels 1 (2.33%) increased 2 levels
24 (58.54%) increased 1 level 17 (39.53%) increased 1 level
8 (19.51%) remained at level 24 (55.81%) remained at level
0 (0.00%) declined 1 level 1 (2.33%) decreased 1 level
7th Grade Changes in Test Scores
Traditional Integrated Math Connected Math
4.46 point answer average increase 1.58 average increase
36 (87.80%) had increased scores 26 (61.90%) had increased scores
3 (7.32%) had decreased scores 14 (33.33%) had decreased scores
2 (4.88%) had no change 2 94.77%) had no change
Students using Traditional Integrated Math scored higher on these tests; they were also more likely to improve over the school year.
The Traditional Integrated Math program does a better job preparing students for high school and college-prep math. In the past two years, 80 Smiley students passed out of algebra at the end of eighth grade.
Conversely, only 420 high school freshman (15.4%) achieved an A, B, or C in algebra. And improvements are seen across the board. Of the 12 Traditional Integrated
Math students who scored Unsatisfactory in September, all had moved up at least one level by April. Only 17 out of 38 Connected Math students who scored Unsatisfactory in September showed similar progress.
Despite these results, DPS insists that Smiley’s teachers abandon Traditional Integrated Math. Curious, given that DPS is not requiring Morey’s Gifted and Talented program nor Hamilton’s International Preparatory Magnet to use Connected Math.
Apparently the administration’s message is that DPS will prepare kids for college level math only if they are in a “gifted” or other chosen higher level program.
DPS insists on Connected Math because having a single curriculum “is easier”. We believe a curriculum should be used because it works for students.
And while DPS suggests nationwide data support the use of Connected Math, the data is inconclusive, and quite negative when data from Connected Math’s proprietary website is excluded.
We believe individual schools should be allowed to use successful curricula like Traditional Integrated Math. We believe quality education is possible in Denver Public Schools.
We also believe quality public education in Denver is worth fighting for. Perhaps it should come as no surprise that DPS high school students are failing math; after all, DPS is failing it students.
Joel and Roxana Witter live in Denver
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is an online-only column and has not been edited.
