Mathematics Audit 2002

A project conceived by the Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA) came to fruition with a January 2003 release of the preliminary results of an audit of the enacted math curriculum in Kansas. The project was undertaken as a joint effort by the Kansas Learning First Alliance (KLFA), the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE), and supported by KATM. The study was funded primarily by an initial grant of $50,000 from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and further supported through KLFA with in-kind contributions from KSDE and KATM. As the data from the audit is disaggregated and analyzed in conjunction with state assessment results, districts and buildings will have a powerful new tool to guide math instruction and professional development.

Three-dimensional graphs that display instructional time in relation to math standards and levels of cognitive complexity are a powerful product of the audit. Districts, individual schools, and teachers will be able to improve student math achievement by reviewing alignment of curriculum, assessment and instructional time devoted to a particular concept. This information will be particularly helpful as buildings strive to design instruction that is beneficial to all students and leads to student outcomes that meet the high standards associated with the reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). These regulations have been incorporated into Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA) regulations slated to go into effect July 1, 2005. The audit also included an in-depth survey of beliefs and practices. Detailed graphs made clear the wide range in teacher perceptions about core teaching beliefs and training practices and effectiveness.

The survey used for this study was a modified version of one developed by the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and the Wisconsin Center for Education Research (WCER). It was given to almost 500 math teachers from approximately 65 grade schools and 65 secondary schools across the state. The schools were randomly selected to represent the demographical and geographical diversity found in the state. The surveys were completed in the fall of 2002.

Dr. Sherrill Martinez, Director of the Planning and Research Team at KSDE, devoted countless hours to this project. She presented a formal report to the Kansas State Board of Education in July of 2003. A summary of this report can be found on the KSDE website at http://www.ksde.org/pre/executive_summary.pdf.

In the spring of 2003, the Kauffman Foundation added an additional $25,000 to its original $50,000 grant to help KLFA, KSDE and KATM continue their work with this valuable data. Some of the new money was used to develop state workshops designed for district administrators and teachers to gather and discuss the findings. These workshops entitled, Creating Positive Change in K-12 Mathematics Classrooms, were held at the Bicentennial Center in Salina, Kansas on November 14, 2003 and April 14, 2004. Videotapes of the April 14th session are available to view on the Kan-Ed Live website at http://www.kanedlive.org/archives.php.