Secondary Guidance Counselors Meeting April Brantley – Secondary EC Program Specialist Jodi Hofberg – Secondary Math/Science Program Specialist

Got Data? Do you ever feel this way about data? What we need to remember is how to limit the data points to those that provide us with the information we need to make informed decisions! How can data be organized so that it is useful?

An Overview of the District Math Documents Course sequencing options that offer progressions for planning future coursework. Placement criteria that supports the practice of using multiple data points These are located in notebook by cohorts – year of entry into HS. Please refer to these as you are making scheduling decisions. Have counselors open up to the sequencing document – go over the sequences – especially students who may need substitution! Note: The Intro. Math and Foundations of Math I courses are appropriate for any student (EC and/or General Education) who meets the criteria. EC students would benefit from these courses in lieu of curriculum assistance as this course is co-taught. If a student eventually meets the criteria for math substitution these courses can be used as math substitution credits.

Using Data to Make Informed Placement Decisions Consider the data points on the placement document… Where can these data points be located for individual students? How can these data points be used to support the registration process? Create a spreadsheet that includes the data points from the math placement criteria document to assist in making placement decisions.

Preparing for 2014 – 2015 Math Course Registration Identify the current juniors that have not earned a Math II and/or Geometry credit. Which year did the student enter high school? How many math credits have been earned? Consult the math sequencing document to determine options for meeting math credits. This information needs to be collected and brought to the registration meeting in January.

What about Algebra II? Fall 2013 and Spring 2014– course will be offered for students who are on the following pathways: Algebra I Geometry Algebra II AFM/Discrete or Math I Pre-Calc/Calc Why is it important for students to earn credit for this course during the 2013 – 2014 school year? What will happen to students who do not earn credit during the 2013 – 2014 school year? How will this impact students and scheduling for the 2nd semester – spring 2014 and next year? The course is no longer offered in the 2014 – 2015 course guide – Course recovery (e2020 or VPS) will be the only option. Math I, Algebra I and Integrated I Courses all have the same standards and use the Math I Standards for Assessment as the End of Course Test. Notes:  For the 2014 – 2015 school year all students will be on the Math I, Math II and Math III pathway - students from the Math I, II sequence will need Math III - which will be offered beginning with the 2014-2015 year.  

Math Pathway for Freshman entering 2014 - 2015 One High School Math Pathway Student/Parent Brochures – will be distributed during registration for rising 9th graders only! Carla Bopp has the brochures – these will need to be distributed to schools before registration opens. They will be distributed to the rising 9th graders ONLY as the pathways explained in the brochure are Math I, II and III.

Hot Jot… Ideas that are Rolling Around in my Head How can I support the use of data in my school? Hot Jot a few ideas about what you as a guidance counselor will do to support the use of data – make placement decisions, inform students about the sequences documents, support graduation rates, discuss options with students in regards to substitution.

Math Placement for 2nd Semester: Introductory Math If a student is successful/passing in Introductory Math, the next course should be Foundations of Math I. If a student is unsuccessful… what then? During the November Principal’s Meeting we began a conversation about math placement for 2nd semester for your Intro. Math and Foundations of Math I students…Talk with your principal about what the best placement option is for students who are not being successful!

Math Placement for 2nd Semester: Foundations of Math I If a student is successful/passing Foundations of Math I, the next course should be Math I. Things to Consider: Are the students prepared to be successful with or without support? Co-taught could be an option? Who will be teaching the Math I course? Discussion point… think of the students who have been successful in Foundations with support. Would it be beneficial to schedule them in a co-taught Math I course? Which students could handle the pace of the Semester Math I course?

Data Points to Consider for 2nd Semester Math Placement: SMI Quantile – 890 and above: students should be ready for Math I 2nd semester with an intervention plan. Quantile below 890: students that have demonstrated continuous growth throughout Foundations of Math I should be prepared to take Math I (co-taught) 2nd semester with targeted support and/or intervention plan. Quantile below 775: students that have not demonstrated growth may need to repeat the course (using same curriculum —Trans Math III) SMI Data was distributed to principals at the December meeting! These are ranges for schools to consider – these really are only appropriate to use with students that were placed using the data points from the math placement document last year! Were these students placed appropriately for the fall semester? Are there other factors affecting performance?

Questions or Thoughts to Share…