Bethlehem
schools to drop integrated math program
Wednesday, October 12, 2005 •
By JAMES S. YOUNG • The
Express-Times
BETHLEHEM -- The Bethlehem Area School
District is dropping its reformed "integrated math" program,
criticized by graduates as leaving them ill-prepared for
college math courses.
The math department plans to phase out
the Core Plus program from Freedom and Liberty high schools
and eighth-grade classes over the next couple years,
administrators announced during Monday night's school board
meeting.
The integrated approach emphasizes
real-world problem-solving applications rather than
traditional textbook equations. Bethlehem Area has slipped
in the integrated program over the past six years, offering
it some years as a choice over traditional
courses.
Superintendent Joseph Lewis said
abandoning the program is not a "declaration of failure,"
especially because teachers have changed instruction methods
after using the program.
District math supervisor Julie Victory
echoed Lewis' remarks during a discussion on the matter late
Monday night at a board meeting.
"I don't think all of the years of using
Core, all of the money on teacher training will ever be
wasted," Victory said. "It will make them better
teachers."
During a June curriculum committee
meeting, researchers from the Greater Philadelphia Math and
Science Partnership explained that a study of Bethlehem and
nine other school districts using the Core Math program
showed no measurable change in academic
performance.
At the same time, board members had
received results from a survey taken by more than 350 recent
Freedom and Liberty high school graduates, gauging their
perceptions on how high school prepared them for college
math courses.
Of the responding Freedom students who
took integrated courses, 62 percent said they disagreed or
strongly disagreed that high school math classes prepared
them for college. Twenty-five percent agreed or strongly
agreed they were prepared.
Of responding students who took
traditional courses, only 20 percent disagreed or strongly
disagreed while 71 percent agreed or strongly agreed they
were prepared.
The numbers mirrored responses of Liberty
High School graduates who responded to the
survey.
Some officials blamed the tepid response
to integrated math on a disconnect among what businesses say
they look for in graduates, the traditional methods and
placement exams colleges continue to use, and what high
school students actually learn.
Lewis said the school district typically
runs "ahead of the curve" on starting innovative programs,
and colleges have moved slowly, if at all, toward using
integrated math.
Victory said the department plans to
purchase traditional-format textbooks for use beginning in
the 2006-07 school year and will rename courses to reflect
the new focus.
The district plans to use teacher and
student surveys to evaluate success, as well as tests
including the SAT and the Pennsylvania System of School
Assessment tests.
Reporter James S. Young can be reached at 610-867-5000 or by
e-mail at jyoung@express-times.com.
© 2005 The Express-Times. Used with
permission.
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