1. Kathy Cox State Superintendent of Schools
Raising the Bar in Mathematics for All Georgia Students:
Information for Educators
Kathy Cox
State Superintendent of Schools 1

2. Georgia Performance Standards Mathematics
Why do we need to improve math in Georgia?
How were the new math standards created?
What’s so different about the new high school math?
Where do I go for more information?
I know in recent weeks, many of you have heard about our new math curriculum. I’d like to spend my time with you talking about the importance of improving our math performance.
Math is the “great divide!” Students who understand math are more apt to succeed in a 21st century economy.
States with a workforce that understands math are more apt to get high-tech jobs.
Right now, quite frankly, Georgia is falling behind.

3. Georgia’s Student Achievement in Math
Percent Passing CRCT (5th & 8th) or E-GHSGT (11th)
When we look across Georgia, we are finding that math achievement is the great divide in our state.
This graph shows the performance of white, black and Hispanic students on our math tests in three crucial grades – 5, 8 and 11.
As you can see, not only does performance go down overall, but the gap widens the later into a child’s education you get.
Achievement Gap
Grade
Black
Hispanic

4. Georgia’s Student Achievement in Math
Percent of SAT Test Takers w/ 4 years of Math
NATION: 62 percent
GEORGIA: 69 percent
Score for SAT Test Takers w/ 4 years of Math
NATION: 529 on math portion
GEORGIA: 500 on math portion
What kind of Math are they taking?
So when we look across Georgia, we know that there is a problem. But what happens when we compare ourselves to the nation?
What we see is that it’s not just our students of color that are impacted by math achievement—it’s all of our students. This SAT data shows us that our math problems affect our students’ ability to get into college.
(CLICK) If you look at the percent of SAT Test Takers with four years of math, it’s 62 percent in the nation and actually 68 percent in Georgia. That’s good news. Our kids are taking more math.
(CLICK) But if you look at the SCORE for SAT Test Takers with four years of math, it’s more sobering. The nation scores 529 and Georgia scores 500.
It raises this question: (CLICK) 4 4

5. Georgia’s Student Achievement in Math
Course Work
NATION
GEORGIA
Algebra
517
495
Geometry
519
498
Trigonometry
553
520
Precalculus
571
557
Calculus
608
584
Other Math Courses
510
487
Computer Math
539
479
AP/Honors Courses
599
585
Now, let’s take a look at the mean scores of students who have completed specific course work.
When we compare students reporting the same course work, Georgia’s scores are consistently below the nation.
It’s not that Georgia students aren’t taking higher level mathematics courses; it’s that they aren’t getting those higher level concepts and problem solving skills in the same depth as their peers around the nation. And this is not the fault of our math teachers—they are doing a great job—this has to do with the way we structure our curriculum. 5 5

6. International Student Achievement in Math
Program for International Student Assessment (Mathematics)
TOP 5 SCORES
Finland: 544
South Korea: 542
Netherlands: 538
Japan: 534
Canada: 533
INTERNATIONAL AVERAGE: 500
UNITED STATES
Average Score: 483
24th out of 30 countries
Well below International Average
Now let’s see what happens when we look beyond the nation at a global picture of mathematics performance.
The program for international student assessment was given to 15 year old students in 30 countries and had some surprising results in math.
The top 5 countries of the 30 that took the test were Finland, South Korea, Netherlands, Japan and Canada
But the United States fell way behind. As you can see, we were 24th out of the 30 countries. There’s a reason we are losing our high tech jobs overseas – our people are going overseas to find employees.

7. The Georgia Performance Standards Mathematics Curriculum
Georgia’s Response
The Georgia Performance Standards
Mathematics Curriculum
Created by teachers, subject experts, college and university academics and the community
So what is Georgia doing about its student achievement in mathematics?
We are implementing an integrated approach to mathematics based on the Japanese model which expects mastery as students progress through a rigorous set of standards called the Georgia Performance Standards.
It was created by Georgia teachers, subject experts, and college and university faculty. And it was vetted with input from our communities and business leaders. 7

8. How was the curriculum created? Partnerships & Collaboration
University System of Georgia
Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education
Governor’s Office of Workforce Development
Regional Education Services Agencies
Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics
Georgia Public Broadcasting
We had to bring everyone to the table and create “buy in.” The result has been incredible alignment between our agencies and organizations to support this important work. And our collaboration has gone beyond the development of the curriculum—it includes ongoing support for professional development and communicating with a variety of stakeholders as we work on implementing the curriculum in our schools.
In fact, Georgia’s university system is not only looking to align their math education classes to prepare our future teachers to teach GPS mathematics, they are even looking at our curriculum to align their mathematics courses to build on what students will know and be able to do upon graduation from a Georgia high school.

9. How was the curriculum created?
Aligned with National Organizations, including:
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics-NCTM Focal Points
College Board
American Statistical Association
Achieve
Our curriculum is also gaining recognition for its alignment to national organizations, including the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics Curriculum Focal Points. 9

10. How is the curriculum different
How is the curriculum different? Comparison of the Sheer Number of Standards Expected to Be Learned in a Year
Grades
Old
(QCC)
New
(GPS)
6th Grade 53 18
7th Grade 43 15
8th Grade 45
It is more focused – the old curriculum expected teachers to cover too much ground each year. We have fewer concepts learned each year, but the students master those concepts.
Consequently, there is less review, especially in middle school. We are leaving the spiral curriculum behind and moving to a step curriculum that expects mastery and builds on the skills students have learned.
And, really, this change is going to allow our teachers to develop those deeper concepts and higher order thinking skills that we know are essential to student success. In the past, we have bogged teachers down with repetition and review. Our struggles with math have not been about our teachers—we have great math teachers all over Georgia—they have been about our approach to mathematics as a state. 10

11. How is it different? Lean Rigorous Coherent
Balance of concepts, skills and problem solving
Student focused
So, how is our new Math Curriculum different?
It is an “integrated” approach to Math
They are also a balance of concepts, skills, and problem solving emphasizing understanding and relevance. 11

12. Georgia’s Mathematics Curriculum
K-8 Mathematics
K-2: Four strands: number and operations, measurement, geometry, and data analysis
3-5: Algebra strand is added
6-8: In-depth treatment of algebra and geometry begins in grade 6; traditional first-year algebra and much of the traditional geometry course completed by the end of grade 8.

13. Georgia Performance Standards
Content and process standards
What students should know and be able to do
Problem solving, reasoning, communicating, connecting and representing
Tasks
Exemplify the performance expected of students
Defines the academic rigor of the standards
Student work
Relates to a strand or topic rather than a single standard, embodying many concepts
Commentary
Guides students in comparing and judging the quality of their own work

14. How is GPS different? Implications for the Classroom
Students actively engaged in mathematics
Explaining their thinking
Justifying their work
Using multiple representations
Making connections
Choosing appropriate technology
And that approach to mathematics has many implications for the classroom.
Students are asked to be actively engaged in the lesson, to explain their thinking and justify their work. To represent a problem and its solution in multiple ways while making connections to other subject areas and “real world” applications often using technology. 14

15. GPS Mathematics Rollout
Year
Teacher Training
Classroom Implementation
2004
Grade 6
2005
Grades K-2, 7
2006
Grades 3-5, 8
2007
High School
2008
Grade 9
2009
Grade 10
2010
Grade 11
2011
Grade 12
This is our schedule for implementation. Teachers receive a year of training on the standards before implementation.
With this new curriculum and the training that is going on all over the state, we have a fantastic opportunity right now here in Georgia to raise the bar for quality math instruction and for improved student learning in mathematics. Teachers who are using the new GPS are beginning to see a big difference in the classroom. 15

16. High School Course Chart
Mathematics
Accelerated Mathematics
Mathematics I: Algebra/Geometry/Statistics
Accelerated Math I:
Geometry/Algebra II/Statistics
Mathematics II:
Accelerated Math II:
Advanced Algebra/Geometry/Statistics
Mathematics III:
Advanced Algebra/Statistics
Mathematics IV:
Pre-calculus-Trigonometry/Statistics
Accelerated Mathematics III:
Other courses available:
Discrete Mathematics
AP Statistics
Advanced Placement Calculus AB/BC
Fourth year GPS courses
Post-secondary options
The biggest changes are in high school – the course content is new and so are the course names. The name “Algebra I” no longer describes the content in our new GPS courses where we are teaching algebra, geometry and statistics concepts.
This is an unfamiliar concept for most parents and community members. We need to get the message out that our new math curriculum is borrowed from a proven system—that used by the Japanese—and will help our students compete in our modern global economy.
We know that Algebra II is the gateway to success on tests like the SAT. When we are finished, ALL Georgia graduates will finish high school with the equivalent of Algebra II or above.
WE WILL LEAD THE NATION IN IMPROVING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT 16 16

17. Performance Standards: Curriculum Map
Georgia Performance Standards
Mathematics---Mathematics 1
Performance Standards: Curriculum Map
1st Semester
2nd Semester
Unit 1
Unit 2
Unit 3
Unit 4
Unit 5
Unit 6
Function
Families
Algebra Investigations
Geometry Gallery
The Chance of Winning
Algebra in Context
Coordinate Geometry
4weeks
5 weeks
7 weeks
6 weeks
4 weeks
All units will include skills to maintain and the Process Standards
This is the curriculum map for Math 1. You can see mathematical concepts integrated during the year. Again, this approach will support student mastery and application of learning in a variety of settings.
NOTE: Mathematical standards are interwoven and should be addressed throughout the year in as many different units and activities as possible in order to stress the natural connections that exist among mathematical topics.

18. How Will This Affect Students?
A new graduation rule will be in effect for incoming freshmen in 2008.
GPS mathematics courses will replace QCC courses for students under the new rule.
QCC math courses will still be available for students who enrolled in high school prior to 2008 under the old graduation rule.

19. How Will This Affect Students?
During the transition from the old graduation rule to the new rule ( through ), both QCC courses and GPS courses will be available to students, depending on their prerequisite skills and previous coursework.
Starting in 2008, only those incoming freshmen who previously passed Algebra or Geometry in the middle school will be eligible to continue in QCC courses. All other freshmen will take GPS math courses.

20. How Will This Affect Students?
After , the Algebra I course (QCC standards) will not be taught at the middle school since it will be phased out as part of the new graduation rule.

21. How Will This Affect Students?
Accelerated GPS courses will replace QCC courses at the middle school.
Advanced/Accelerated, Gifted, Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses will continue to be available based on the decisions of the local school district.

22. How Will This Affect Students?
For freshmen in 2008, student transcripts will include the names of the new GPS math courses
Information about the new Georgia courses will be shared with colleges and universities
Textbook companies are aware of the new curriculum - new books are being selected

23. Where Can I Go For More Information About GPS?
For more information resources, please visit 23

24. Georgia’s On-line Resources
GaDOE.org
Mathematics webpage
Philosophy of curriculum
“What’s New, What’s Coming?”
Information and support for educators and parents
GeorgiaStandards.org
Concept maps
Frameworks
Parent letters
Videos
Webcasts
In addition to our training, we are also rolling out more and more online resources for our teachers as we implement the curriculum. We have resources on two sites, the GaDOE home page and GeorgiaStandards.org.
Our GaDOE home page provides some of the general information that teachers and parents are frequently looking for, including the philosophy behind the curriculum changes and updates on what’s ahead.
GeorgiaStandards.org is a growing resource for our teachers and includes:
Frameworks, concept maps, parent letters that can be sent home with each unit to help parents understand what their student is learning in the classroom as well as how to support that learning at home, videos of classroom teachers teaching tasks to their students and sharing best practices, and webcasts that demonstrate how to use manipulatives to teach specific standards.
Log on to GeorgiaStandards.org and start using these wonderful resources.

25. Reflections
“Teachers in Sumter County and across the state are beginning to ‘think outside the box’ and use ordinary, everyday items and events to teach extraordinary lessons in mathematics. Once the teachers make the connections, students tend to enjoy mathematics and overcome their fear of the subject.”
--Gayla Braziel, Sumter County
“The summer academy was great. It caused me to reflect on my own pedagogy and I realized the things that I need to be mindful of in teaching. I also left with many ideas and activities that I can use with my students.
--Alphonese Wilson, Dougherty County (participant in 6th Grade GPS Training)
This comment is from an article published in the Georgia Council of Teachers of Mathematics' fall 2006 issue of Reflections magazine. 25

26. Reflections
“The students who succeed at [Georgia] Tech are able to do quick, accurate algebraic computation. They should have experience in solving mathematical problems that require multiple steps and integration of a variety of topics. They should also be given problems of such difficulty that even the brightest students may take hours or days to solve them. This cannot occur when new topics are introduced at a rapid rate and coverage of material is the primary emphasis.”
--Faculty members of Georgia Tech’s School of Mathematics 26

27. A Teacher’s Reflection on the Georgia Performance Standards for Mathematics

28. Kathy Cox State Superintendent of Schools
Raising the Bar in Mathematics for All Georgia Students:
Information for Educators
Kathy Cox
State Superintendent of Schools 28 28