About this project

Leading with Algebra is a partnership between DePaul University and the Chicago Public School (CPS) district to support the implementation of the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics in the pivotal area of algebra in grades 6-8. The overarching goal of the project is to create a cadre of 150 Algebra Teacher Leaders who will

• Form a community of practice to incorporate the new content and instructional strategies called for by the CCSSM in their 8^th grade algebra courses.
• Serve as points of contact for up to 10 CPS middle school mathematics teachers each for information about resources and professional development that are responsive to new needs in teaching algebra arising from the adoption of the CCSSM.

Project Activities

Year 1

• Introductory Meeting: A full-day meeting open to all CPS teachers who are credentialed to teach high school algebra in the 8^th grade will serve as an introduction to the project and an invitation to participate in a professional learning community of middle school algebra teachers, known as Algebra Teacher Leaders (ATL).
• Professional Learning Communities (PLC): Three Professional Learning Communities of Algebra Teacher Leaders, approximately 50 teachers in each, will meet after school 3 times in 2013-2014 to engage in discussions about the new content and instructional strategies called for by the CCSSM in their 8^th grade algebra courses.
• Website: A website will provide easy access to the materials used in the PLC’s and other resources, updates about professional development opportunities, and a discussion board. The website will focus on algebra and the CCSSM, and will be at the heart of a virtual network to which all 6-8 math teachers in CPS will be invited.

Year 2

• Summer Meeting: A full-day for all Algebra Teacher Leaders.
• Professional Learning Communities and Website: A continuation of these year 1 activities. The Professional Learning Communities will meet four times after school in year 2.
• Scale Up: Algebra Teacher Leaders will serve as points of contact for ten CPS middle school math teachers. With input from the ATL’s, project staff will take turns creating monthly communications to post on the web, and ATL’s will send these communications to their group of teachers.

What we expect from participants

• Attendance at all Professional Learning Community sessions and the Summer Meeting.
• In 2014-2015, serve as a point of contact for up to 10 middle school mathematics teachers for information about resources and professional development that are responsive to new needs in teaching algebra arising from the adoption of the CCSSM.
• Completion of occasional surveys for the Gates program evaluators.

What participants can expect from us

· Stipends for attendance at future professional development sessions (based on a rate of $44/hour). The first stipend will be provided after the completion of the first three PLC sessions.

· Access to the website.

· Job-related professional development.