Abysmal. That’s the word for Gilroy Unified School District’s
standardized math scores, taken as a whole.
Let’s examine the percentage of GUSD students who score poorly,
in the Below Basic or Far Below Basic range. In 2005, 21 percent of
second graders scored in that range.
Abysmal. That’s the word for Gilroy Unified School District’s standardized math scores, taken as a whole.
Let’s examine the percentage of GUSD students who score poorly, in the Below Basic or Far Below Basic range. In 2005, 21 percent of second graders scored in that range.
Third graders posted a slight improvement; only 19 percent scored that badly. Then the inexorable slide begins, with 26, 38, 38 and 40 percent of fourth through seventh graders scoring poorly.
Eighth grade brings a new complexity to the data: approximately 200 eighth graders begin algebra and of these only 9 percent score poorly. Of the approximately 500 eighth graders who stay in general math, 49 percent score low.
The ninth graders are about equally divided among three math subjects: general math, algebra I, and geometry, with 62 percent, 72 percent and 37 percent scoring low in each subject.
Searching the data for good news, it’s this: overall, students are doing better this year than last year. For example, 10th graders are doing much better than last year, both in geometry and in Algebra II. But with 59 percent of this year’s 10th grade geometry students scoring either Below or Far Below Basic, rejoicing would be foolish.
We have our work cut out for us.
The best news is that the district acknowledges that there is a problem, and has been voicing ideas on how to improve our students’ math proficiency.
Here, then, are our suggestions:
n Seek programs that work. Cupertino Unified, an elementary district, sails along from grade 2 to grade 8 with, at most, 8 percent of their students performing below Basic. Monta Vista High School has stellar results. Begin at the beginning: what curricula do they use?
n Remediate as soon as a student falls below Basic. Math builds. There is no point in hurrying a child who has not mastered his times tables into long division.
n Make math a priority in the classroom, just as language arts were made a priority years ago.
n Make math a priority in hiring. Look for elementary teachers who are not afraid of the big, bad drill, and yet who can bring creativity into the classroom. Consider paying a premium for good math teachers. Revisit affordable housing for good math teachers.
We can do this. It is merely a problem involving higher order thinking skills.
