Framingham Eliminates Advanced Math for Sixth Graders

The Framingham Public Schools will not offer an advanced math class for incoming sixth grade students for the 2014-15 school year. Advanced math classes will continue for middle school students entering seventh and eighth grades at Cameron, Fuller and Walsh middle schools.

"All three middle school principals, with (Curriculum and Professional Development Director) Dr. (Grace) Wai and (Director of Educational Operations) Dr. (Sonia) Diaz, decided to make sixth grade math heterogeneous next year to allow students to experience instruction with a dedicated mathematics teacher before tracking them," explained Superintendent of Schools Stacy Scott.

Previously, sixth grade math was in two levels, with the same curriculum, explained Scott.

"Because the Common Core (standards) expects all students to engage deeply in mathematics through performance activities, it did not make sense to start to track students," explained Scott.

Framingham has aligned its curriculum to the Common Core standards. Common Core standards establish clear, consistent guidelines for what every student should know and be able to do in math. (Note: Attached to this report are the Common Core standards for 6th grade math.) The standards focus on developing the critical-thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills students will need to be successful. 

Scott said if the district provides more formative assessments during instruction, the district can take all students further (in math). 

To prepare for this change, a team of teachers created a series of Pre-Ap performance tasks and assessments that fit into the curriculum at all three grade levels, said Scott.

Led by sixth grade Fuller math teacher Rebekah Aucoin, the team of teachers provided grade specific professional development on May 22 to all middle school math teachers, explained Scott. (Note: Aucoin has since transferred to Walsh Middle School as a seventh grade teacher.)

In anticipation of the change in the fall, a team of teachers is working with (Fuller Middle Math Department Head) Barbara Rappaport to develop formative assessments and differentiation activities for sixth grade math teachers to use during the course of next year, said Scott.

"These will be shared with math department heads to provide embedded professional development during the school year, he said.

Teachers will have professional development in this when they return in August, said Scott.

Plus there are SAGE teachers at each middle school that will provide coaching and support on differentiation, explained Scott.

Differentiated learning is the process of “ensuring that what a student learns, how he or she learns it, and how the student demonstrates what he or she has learned is a match for that student’s readiness level, interests, and preferred mode of learning."

"In addition to the professional development to support this change, 6th grade math teachers will be conducting ongoing formative assessments and check-ins with students to ensure that both the pace and level of rigor meets the needs of each student," said Scott.

Middle school teachers were informed of the math change for grade 6 in early April. Parents learned of the change at middle school orientations in June.

While the Framingham Public School District is moving away from math levels in grade 6, the McAuliffe Regional Charter Public School will continue to offer advanced math options in the fall for all middle school grades, including grade 6.

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Editor's Note: For complete transparency, my daughter will be a grade 8 student at the McAuliffe Regional Charter Public School in Framingham.