Statement to the Teaching & Learning Committee on the Bridges Math Curriculum
I would like to address agenda item Elementary Math Curriculum Review—Pilot Results. I’ve gone through the slideshow and watched the video attached the agenda item. Though I saw a lot of positive results for iReady, there was only one slide that mentioned Bridges, and not in a favorable light.
Out of the schools who piloted Bridges, how many tested the math program long-term outside of Hadfield? From my research, the other schools who piloted Bridges only did short-term research. If you were to ask Hadfield math teachers where the impact of Bridges comes into play, they would inform you the benefit to the program comes with the long term work. When it comes to a math curriculum the district plans to use, I don’t think short-term results should be the go-to for making district wide decisions into our students learning.
During the February Teaching and Learning Committee board meeting, Hadfield Principals gave an update on the Math Bridges Pilot at Hadfield Elementary. A slideshow was presented that showed improvement of students between fall and winter, highlighting nearly 80% of students needed intensive assistance in math in the fall and then decreasing to nearly 20% of students needing intensive assistance by winter through the Bridges program. Where about 5% of students were meeting expectations in the fall, it increased to 30% meeting expectations on grade level. For a fragile school who merged this year, that is fundamentally huge.
The ongoing complaint I hear from multiple citizens in this district is the achievement gap in our schools. So imagine my surprise when I see the iReady math program is the one being pushed in this district, especially when Hadfield has presented the incredible results I just mentioned.
Under Bridges, Hadfield children are flourishing. They love the work stations, the games, and lesson plans. They are using mathematical language they never were using before and being able to explain their thinking.
Although teachers spent a lot of time on initial lesson plans and prepping materials, with a lot of management needed, teachers agree the program gets the kids involved and gives them time to do the work, and it’s working for our students.
With Hadfield having a high population of special needs, teachers have said Bridges meets the needs of this population of students too—a huge win for Hadfield. Bridges also provides multiple check-ins for teachers and assessments throughout units, so they can see where there students are at and where to go from there. On top of all of this, there is a strong parent connection with Bridges with a workbook that can go between home and school, so parents know what is happening in math.
Even board member Marquell Moorer, who has used Bridges in his teaching, said nothing but positive things about the math program at the February Teaching and Learning Committee.
When it comes elementary math curriculum, expecting all student to succeed under the same program is not logical. Students are humans, not robots. You cannot anticipate all students learning the same. I will remind this board that administration used this Bridges Math Curriculum as a major selling point for the merger of our school, saying this new math program will eliminate teachers from creating their own math curriculum. By removing bridges from our school, you are putting our teachers back to square one. Haven’t our teachers been through enough? We already have an issue with teacher retention in our school, several leaving mid-year. Removing a successful program they’ve worked hard at only to start all over with another isn’t exactly selling our teachers on staying in our school.
But more importantly is our students’ success. It is beyond frustrating that even when our students show success that their needs are being thrown out the window—again and again and again. There may only be a few parents speaking on this issue tonight, but it is not because our parents don’t care. It’s because most are working their second job for the evening, or don’t have reliable transportation, or couldn’t afford to pay someone to watch their child so they could speak on their child’s behalf—in other words economic discrimination.
I urge this board and administration to consider not removing Bridges from Hadfield. When it comes to our students’ learning, removing something successful in a high-needs school should trump having a standardized curriculum used district wide.
-Renee Messerschmidt
