Submission
Kentucky is determined to improve mathematics proficiency for all students at all levels. The students who are most at-risk in achieving proficiency, which includes those with disabilities, are of particular concern and importance for moving Kentucky forward. Fewer than 30 percent of middle grades students in the at-risk population achieved math proficiency compared to 41 percent of all middle grades students’ math achievement, according to 2012 KPREP results.
In order to close the achievement gap, the Kentucky Center for Mathematics has partnered with the Education Development Center, Inc., a global non-profit organization with funding from the National Science Foundation, to offer a professional development course specifically for middle grades mathematics and special education teachers.
The 2012-13 course, Improving Mathematics Learning for Students with Disabilities: Algebraic Thinking, Expressions and Equations, was designed by EDC and facilitated by KCM to empower teachers to apply practical strategies with their students while enacting the school’s core mathematics curriculum. This course nurtures the collaboration and sharing of expertise across disciplines (mathematics and special education) to help teachers make math more accessible to students while maintaining the integrity and rigor of mathematics.
During 2012-13, more than 50 Kentucky teachers from 11 counties participated in one of three cohorts, each receiving three days of training spread across three months, to provide for practical applications of the learning between sessions. Participants shared how this course was targeted to meet their specific needs and included high-quality tools and practices to support their teaching and efficacy.
The KCM will provide additional offerings with new cohorts for this upcoming academic year. For more details, click here http://www.viethhosting.com/kcm/docs/EDC2013-2014.pdf.