District purchases math programs

Students throughout Sweetwater County School District No. 2 will be seeing some new math books in the next year.

Earlier this month, the school district’s board of trustees voted unanimously to purchase new math curriculums based on recommendations from a committee formed to research materials submitted by textbook publishers. According to Sheryl Wilson, the district’s curriculum director, the committee selected the “enVision Math Program” for the kindergarten through fifth grade classes, the “GoMath Program” for the sixth through eighth grade classes and the “AGA Math Program” for the district’s high school students. The math programs, which include textbooks, technology and other materials, will cost the district $500,000.

Wilson said the math programs won’t create gaps in students’ learning despite switching publishers between the elementary and middle school levels. Wilson said the committee, which consisted of district teachers and administrators, specifically looked at potential problems in transitioning from one math program to another.

She said the math standards do shift between elementary school and middle school, but made sure to align the elementary and middle school programs to provide continuity between the two.

“We don’t anticipate that will be a problem,” Wilson said.

She also said the committee looked at the overall rigor of the courses to ensure the programs meet with Common Core standards.

“We’re looking for deep conceptual understanding, we’re looking for opportunities for procedural skill ... and lots of opportunities for the students to demonstrate application of the skills that they’ve learned,” she said.

Wilson said the process started in January, with the recommendations being forwarded to the board in March.