PreK-12 Case Studies
Revised Policies
Wallingford Public Schools (PreK-12)
In order to align and advance systems, Wallingford Public Schools is working towards mastery-based learning, balanced assessment development, and focused professional development around 8 mathematics teaching practices. They are working towards altering graduation requirements and developing different course pathways. Furthermore, they have eliminated dead-end courses, will have every 9th-grade student start with Algebra 1; math lab is available as an additional support which can be added to their schedule. Wallingford has also implemented a common curriculum across all levels and will continue to review and discuss teacher and student tracking.
Wallingford has revised their graduation requirements. Previously, the requirements were to have a minimum of 20 credits at least 3 of which were math. The updated requirements are a minimum of 25 credits and 9 of which need to be in a STEM-related area. This change will help promote STEM thinking and help students explore potential careers in these fields as well as offer opportunities to learn outside of STEM-related fields.
For more information, contact…
Indicators of Success
All Connecticut Districts (PreK-12)
In order to align and advance systems, all districts can continue to look at Connecticut’s Next Generation Accountability System, which is a broad set of 12 indicators that will help tell the story of how well a school is preparing its students for success. While it is challenging at times to think beyond the test scores, there are other important indicators that can be the focus of improvement. Jennifer Michalek, the math consultant for the State Department of Education, notes that the most relevant indicators are the following:
Indicator 1: Academic Achievement
Indicator 2a-d: Academic Growth
Indicator 5: Preparation for College and Career Readiness (CCR) through coursework
Indicator 6: Preparation for CCR through exams
For more information, contact Jennifer Michalek at…