BIRMINGHAM, Mich. — Birmingham Public Schools (BPS) has launched a pilot program to test new math curriculum resources for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.
The district is testing out two different instructional resources: iReady Classroom Mathematics and Illustrative Mathematics, textbook curriculums with a suite of online resources to support students and teachers.
“We prioritized being innovative and transparent in our process to determine which mathematics materials to include in our pilot program, and we’re grateful to the hundreds of teachers, students, parents and community members who shared their thoughts and opinions with us,” said April Imperio, BPS assistant superintendent for student learning and inclusion. “There are so many factors to consider when choosing new instructional materials, from the academic rigor and standards to the layout of the textbooks.”
The process began last school year with the district seeking input from a wide variety of stakeholders — completing more than 2,350 points of contact with students, staff, families and community members through surveys, listening circles, panel discussions and other feedback opportunities. The district also reviewed academic data, instructional best practices, state and national standards, district goals and content area needs.
Following a five-day, rigorous evaluation of instructional materials for grades K-8 mathematics, the curriculum design team, comprised of over 40 BPS educators, selected the two resources to pilot. Both materials are rigorously aligned to standards, and the district will assess which program is more efficient and the best fit for students, staff and the BPS community.
“We work hard to offer all our students equitable access to collaborative, engaging, inquiry-based mathematics instruction that is research-supported,” Superintendent Dr. Embekka Roberson said. “Our goal as a district is to ensure every student is able to engage in high-quality, highly effective and applicable mathematics learning that prepares them for success in college and careers.”
BPS will gather information on the two curriculum options through the end of January to see how students and teachers respond to the materials. Officials will look at student assessments taken before and after the pilot to help determine the best course of action. The Board of Trustees hopes to make a final determination by March or April. The new curriculum will be implemented district wide in the Fall of 2023.
For more information, visit birmingham.k12.mi.us/domain/2584.
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