$Common Core Math$

Acceleration Task Force

The Kansas State Department of Education in conjunction with many math leaders across the state recently completed work around the area of Acceleration in Middle and High School mathematics. The primary focus of this project was research around in the area of acceleration and the various options districts can take to better serve all students. The final project contains a white paper and district roadmap template.

The team included:

Shonda Anderson, TASN
David Barnes, USD 501
Jerry Braun, Fort Hays University
Christian Brown, USD 343
Melissa Fast, KSDE
Sara Frisbie, USD 501
Angela Kimmi, USD 377
Dr. Sherri Martinie, Kansas State University
Sheila Meggers, USD 308
Liz Peyser, USD 259
Laura Sapp, USD 383
Dr. Connie Schrock, Emporia State University
Lynette Sharlow, USD 259
Christine Staab, USD 416
Sarah Stevens, USD 259
Debbie Thompson, USD 259

Special thanks to Liz Peyser and Sarah Stevens in their initial efforts in getting this project off the ground!

Task Force Resources

Title	Category	Description
KSDE White Paper: Re-Thinking Mathematics Acceleration Practices	Updated 1-30-19	White paper examining acceleration practices in education.
Kansas Mathematics Roadmap Grades 6-12: A Guide for Districts		Guide offering course options for middle and high school mathematics.

Additional Acceleration Resources

	Title	Description
	SF schools’ move to delay algebra shows positive results, district says
	OPINION: How one city got math right	Great article on San Francisco school districts research on acceleration.
	Calculus Is the Peak of High School Math. Maybe It's Time to Change That
	Students who succeed in high school calculus become discouraged and quit in college. Why?
	Success after Failure: Academic Effects and Psychological Implications of Early Universal Algebra Policies	In this article, the authors use the High School Longitudinal Study 2009 (HSLS:09) national database to analyze the relationships between algebra failure, subsequent performance, motivation, and college readiness. Students who failed eighth-grade Algebra
	Putting Brakes on the Rush to AP Calculus	This article is an abbreviated version of two unpublished articles that reported on two separate but related studies that involved different cohorts of Rutgers students.
	Why do students rush to calculus?	This article reports on a survey conducted in the spring of 2011 with Rutgers students who had taken the Advanced Placement(AP) calculus course and exam in high school. Why do students take the AP calculus course and exam and what are the consequences of
	The Rush To Calculus	Article by Joseph G. Rosenstein, Rutgers University. This article reports on the extent to which students continued their high school math acceleration in their first year at Rutgers, on the basis of a study of their high school and college transcripts.
	Bill McCallum's Forum	Two quotes from Bill McCallum's Forum on commoncoretools.me regarding the need to re-think acceleration policies.
	PowerPoint Slide Showing Math Shifts	Math shifts from old standards to current KCCRS.
	High School Math in Middle School	pages 80 and 81 from KCCSS - Appendix A regarding acceleration options to consider to prevent skipping, including a 3-2 "compaction" in middle school.
	From Middle School to High School	San Franscisco's paths for math and explanation of the importance of middle school math that cannot be skipped or compressed. The choice to accelerate in high school involves the student in the decision, and they clearly identify the desire for a STEM car
	Phil Daro, SERP Institute	Phil Daro explains the importance of middle school mathematics and that skipping or compressing the standards do not help students with higher math.

Contact Information

Jennifer Hamlet STEM Program Manager (Math) jhamlet@ksde.org (785) 296-6823

David Fernkopf
Assistant Director
dfernkopf@ksde.org
(785) 296-8447

The Kansas State Department of Education does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. (more information...)

To accommodate people with disabilities, on request, auxiliary aides and services will be provided and reasonable modifications to policies and programs will be made. To request accommodations or for more information please contact the Office of General Counsel at gc@ksde.org or by 785-296-3201.

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