Our Position In addition to the Standards for Mathematical Practice, the CCSS-M content standards are organized by level in Grades K–8 and by conceptual category in high school (number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, probability and statistics, and modeling), showing the body of knowledge students should learn. We have the responsibility to ensure that the courses we make available to students meet the rigor of the CCSS-M, and we must provide students clear options for pursuing course sequences that will prepare them for post-secondary success. The recommendation presented here embodies our best thinking about what the most coherent course sequence for our district students. Guiding Principles The recommendation that follows is on our belief that: All students can and should develop a belief that mathematics is sensible, worthwhile, and doable. All students are capable of making sense of mathematics in ways that are creative, interactive, and relevant. All students can and should engage in rigorous mathematics through rich, challenging tasks. Students’ academic success in mathematics must not be predictable on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, language, religion, sexual orientation, cultural affiliation, or special needs. Recommendation All secondary schools provide all students the same course sequence aligned to the CCSS-M. We recommend that the Board of Education endorse a core course sequence for all middle and high schools. This course sequence ensures a solid middle-grades foundation that supports all students to successfully meet the UC requirement and prepares them for college mathematics. “c” Having one core sequence provides focus and coherence as schools and teachers implement the CCSS-M and supports equity by creating one path for all students to experience rigorous mathematics. Therefore, we explicitly recommend that secondary schools do not separate their students into an honors track and a regular track—or into other tracks based on perceived students choose course pathways at the end of 10th grade (see the introduction of Classrooms” by Maika Watanabe in the Appendix to read more about tracking). “Heterogeneous This recommendation is in line with the SFUSD 2013-15 Strategic Plan, which includes the design principle of Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) to meet the needs of all students. The CCSS-M content standards describe a progression of algebra from Kindergarten through Grade 8 that leads to the CCSS Algebra 1 course in high school. The standards that defined
Our Position In addition to the Standards for Mathematical Practice, the CCSS-M content standards are organized by level in Grades K–8 and by conceptual category in high school (number and quantity, algebra, functions, geometry, probability and statistics, and modeling), showing the body of knowledge students should learn. We have the responsibility to ensure that the courses we make available to students meet the rigor of the CCSS-M, and we must provide students clear options for pursuing course sequences that will prepare them for post-secondary success. The recommendation presented here embodies our best thinking about what the most coherent course sequence for our district students. Guiding Principles The recommendation that follows is on our belief that: All students can and should develop a belief that mathematics is sensible, worthwhile, and doable. All students are capable of making sense of mathematics in ways that are creative, interactive, and relevant. All students can and should engage in rigorous mathematics through rich, challenging tasks. Students’ academic success in mathematics must not be predictable on the basis of race, ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, language, religion, sexual orientation, cultural affiliation, or special needs. Recommendation All secondary schools provide all students the same course sequence aligned to the CCSS-M. We recommend that the Board of Education endorse a core course sequence for all middle and high schools. This course sequence ensures a solid middle-grades foundation that supports all students to successfully meet the UC “c” requirement and prepares them for college mathematics. Having one core sequence provides focus and coherence as schools and teachers implement the CCSS-M and supports equity by creating one path for all students to experience rigorous mathematics. Therefore, we explicitly recommend that secondary schools do not separate their students into an honors track and a regular track—or into other tracks based on perceived students choose course pathways at the end of 10th grade (see the introduction of “Heterogeneous Classrooms” by Maika Watanabe in the Appendix to read more about tracking). This recommendation is in line with the SFUSD 2013-15 Strategic Plan, which includes the design principle of Response to Instruction and Intervention (RTI2) to meet the needs of all students. The CCSS-M content standards describe a progression of algebra from Kindergarten through Grade 8 that leads to the CCSS Algebra 1 course in high school. The standards that defined
sfusd_course_sequence_position_paper_v20.docx