Adopting, Implementing,

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Adopting, Implementing, Sustaining the Use of
Instructional Materials

• Cheryl Rectanus
• Portland Public Schools, Oregon

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Portland Public Schools (PPS) Profile 2002 - 2003

• Enrollment 52,969 total
• Ethnicity
• 2 American Indians
• 10 Asian Americans
• 11 Hispanic Americans
• 17 African Americans
• 60 European Americans

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PPS Profile 2002 - 2003

• Free/Reduced Eligibility
• Elementary 51
• Middle 44
• High 37
• 55 out of 94 schools qualify for Title I
  assistance
• Languages
• 85 languages spoken
• 25 of students speak a language other than
  English at home
• 5,000 ELL students

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PPS Profile 2002 - 2003
Teachers 1113 elementary 321 secondary
(6-12) K-5 Math Investigations 6-8 Math
Connected Math 9-12 McDougall-Littell
Discovering Algebra/ Geometry
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Driving the Decision to Adopt/not
AdoptParticular Materials

• Middle School Mathematics

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MS Math Adoption Process 1998 - 1999

• MS Math Adoption Committee formed
• One representative per
• middle school/program
• Keep teachers informed
• solicit input

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Adoption Process/Challenges

• Beliefs/Vision for math
• Adopt one set of materials for all middle schools
• Evaluate all available MS curricula
• Generate criteria for evaluation/scoring guide
• EDC Choosing a Standards-Based Mathematics
  Curriculum

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Adoption Process/Challenges

• Piloted NSF-funded materials
• Publishers reps?
• Consulted with colleagues in buildings to share
  materials/gain input
• Committee regularly met are programs above the
  line or below the line?

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Adoption Process/Challenges

• Final Round Two NSF-Funded Curricula
• No perfect materials
• Trace development of concepts
• Curriculum/benchmark alignment
• Adaptations for special populations
• Success in urban districts
• AAAS ratings
• Pilot teacher/school reports

Decision Connected Mathematics Project
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Role of Administrators/Parents the Public

• Administrators
• Kept informed about process but not large part
  of committee
• Explained materials what would look different
• Met individually w/Board members
• Teachers from committee presented
• Continued lobbying for coherent system

• Parents/Public
• Invited to peruse materials
• Informed of pilot process but not part of
  committee
• Public Hearing We cant afford a bicycle for
  each student!
• The Oregonian New-fangled Math
• Supportive parents gave public testimony

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Implementation Challenges
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• Implementing NSF-funded materials across 20
  middle schools three programs
• Asking 150 teachers to put into practice a
  curriculum that supposes a different belief
  system
• Taking immediately to scale what had previously
  been done slowly, in small districts, and among
  enthusiasts
• An expectation that success must be accomplished
  immediately and will be measured by scores on
  state tests

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Successful Implementation Required Support

• Teachers
• curriculum and assessment
• professional development
• mentoring/ modeling/planning
• Administrators
• professional development
• evaluation criteria
• information network

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Successful Implementation Support

• Parents
• information evenings
• parent communication
• Students
• transition to NSF-funded materials
• support literacy
• encouragement to persevere

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Sustaining the Adoption Challenges

• Teachers
• Providing effective PD
• Developing building leadership
• Differentiation students, teachers, schools
• Teacher turnover
• Increasing teacher knowledge consistent,
  effective use building reflective practitioners
• Anticipating needs
• Articulation

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Sustaining the Adoption Challenges

• Administrators/School Board
• What to look for why, how to support
• Turnover
• Developing district leadership
• Staying on their radar screen
• Anticipating needs
• Differentiationfor principals, buildings

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Sustaining the Adoption Challenges

• Parents
• Annual turnover of parents
• Need information about math program
• Bridging from elementary to HS programs
• Resources for helping at home
• Reaching disenfranchised parents
• Linking materials to assessment
• How parents can support students

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Recommendations

• Increasingly diverse student population demands
  increased attention to strategies for ELL
  culturally responsive contexts
• Attend to readability
• Skills maintenance
• Connect materials to standardized assessments
• Provide samples of student work
• Include support for groupwork
• Provide rationale Why math? Why science?
• Teach teachers as well as students

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Percent of PPS Students Meeting or Exceeding Math
Standard
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Increase in Percentage of Students Who Are
Meeting State Math Benchmarks 2001 - 2003
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Questions?