Dean,

Thanks much for holding the informational meeting last night regarding Integrated Math at West.  Please understand that the anger expressed by many parents last night was not directed at you.  They are angry that their middle school-aged students have been forced to study mathematics using the Connected Math Program, with no other options available to them in the Madison public schools.  They are highly concerned that your introduction of Core Plus math will lead within 1-3 years to the elimination of traditional math as an option at West HS. Clearly, it will not be fiscally possible to offer 9th graders four different math options (Accelerated Algebra I, Regular Algebra I, 9th grade Core Plus, and Accelerated Geometry for advanced students) within a single SLC.  Thus, they fear that your introduction of Core Plus endangers the continuing existence of Accelerated math courses at West.  This concern is confounded by the multiple sources of information indicating that Loren Rathert was already seriously considering eliminating "Accelerated Algebra I" for this coming year for budgetary reasons.

While Core Plus may well be a better approach for some students to learn mathematics, it is definitely NOT a good method for other students.  For example, students with poor reading and writing skills (e.g., ESL, dxylexics, other low-end readers) should not be using Core Plus, this is the reason, I assume, you plan to retain regular math.  High-end students who may desire careers in the hard sciences, engineering or mathematics should also likely not be studying high school mathematics using the Core Plus curricula since they will need to know well the formula-based, proof-based approach to mathematics to succeed in their college courses.  Mathematically gifted students, who readily understand mathematical concepts, dislike the unnecessary-for-them verbiage and hands-on activities of CMP and Core Plus.  These latter students very much need West's Accelerated math courses.  Thus, it is important for West HS to retain their accelerated and regular math curricula alongside Core Plus if it is to meet the needs of ALL of its highly diverse population of students.

I did not see a copy of the handout distributed to 8th graders until after last night's meeting.  While well written, the handout appeared to me to have one glaring omission: nowhere did it mention that the new "Integrate Math" option was a continuation of the Connected Math Program method of instruction.  Many countries (e.g., Japan, Singapore) teach mathematics in an integrated manner, an approach I, too, believe is better than the US's unintegrated approach.  However, these countries still use a formula-based, proof-based approach to teaching math.  Before current 8th grade students decide whether or not to opt for Integrated Math, someone needs to explain very clearly to them and their parents that this option involves an active learning, hands-on approach similar to the one they have already been exposed to in middle school.  Then, students who like the CMP approach can knowledgeably sign up for West's new Integrated Math, while students who don't like this approach can stay with the regular or accelerated math course they already requested.  It is crucial that this information be transmitted to them ASAP.  Otherwise, you will likely end up with numerous students who signed up for "HONORS Integrated Math", finding out only next fall that it is not what they thought it was.  You may then find yourself in the untenable situation of numerous families demanding their students be permitted to switch to regular or accelerated math, with your telling them they made at least a two-year commitment.  Once students start down the Core Plus pathway, I agree it will be very difficult for them to switch because of the different order in which topics are covered.  Thus, you may well end up with many irate families if they are not FULLY informed about the differences among these various curricula NOW.  I appreciate that that was the primary purpose of last night's meeting, which, unfortunately, only a small percentage of the affected parents attended.  Thus, as an impartial bystander to this matter, I URGE you to more fully inform the affected students and their parents ASAP, possibly by a mailing to their homes, with an extension of the deadline for filing the form to change to Integrated Math.