Amherst, N.Y., is a suburb of Buffalo that has been using TERC’s “Investigations” curriculum for the last 4 years. In response to growing parent concerns, the school district there has begun the familiar procedure of holding informational “Math Nights” to educate parents on all the wonderful aspects of the program. At least one parent has not been impressed, and said so in a letter to the Buffalo News:
The informational gathering was led by a senior corporate pitchman, who preached the wonders of Investigations, dazzled the congregation with Power- Point slides, numbers, data, mentions of Japanese superiority and slick humor— all the while informing the parents that they must remain faithful to the orthodoxy of Investigations.
Amherst, Mass., was also using Investigations but recognized the need for a change, identified alternative choices, and began a pilot test of a different curriculum in some of its schools:
First, a committee examined seven different math programs and narrowed the list to two (the new version of Investigations and an alternative). The committee then conducted a “pilot test” in which four elementary schools used one curriculum and the other four elementary schools used the other for one year, and all teachers reported their experience using a standardized rubric. The evidence collected from this one year trial strongly favored one of the curricula (which, interestingly, was not Investigations), and this new curriculum was adopted district-wide with substantial support. Note that no outside consultants were hired, as district personnel handled the entire process.
State College seems to be between the two Amhersts on this timeline. A critical mass of SCASD Directors seem to recognize that there is a problem with the math curriculum, but no plans are (yet) in place to try something new.
