New Curriculum, Instructional Support from Pearson Expected to Spread Big Math Gains to Other Subjects
PRESS RELEASE from Bellevue, NE School District
Bellevue, Nebraska Board of Education approves plan to boost academic achievement district-wide
September 11, 2012 – After sharp improvements in math performance, Bellevue Public Schools on Monday approved a plan to spread the academic growth across the entire district by making instruction more rigorous and personalized for all students.
The Board of Education on Monday night unanimously approved a plan to boost academic achievement by Bellevue students with new digital and print curriculum programs from Pearson. District officials developed the plan after students showed big academic gains in math after educators used Pearson math programs, including enVisionMATH, in their classrooms this past school year.
“We were very excited by our students’ progress in math performance, demonstrating the great work from our teachers and administrators. Now we will apply what we’ve learned from our work in mathematics to other curricular areas with our continued focus on improving student achievement,” Bellevue Superintendent Frank Harwood said Monday.
Bellevue’s big math gains set stage for new curriculum
Percentage meeting or exceeding standards, Nebraska State Accountability test, math, 2011 & 2012
|
Grade |
2011 |
2012 |
Gain |
|
3rd |
50% |
72% |
22 points |
|
4th |
43% |
61% |
18 points |
|
5th |
46% |
66% |
20 points |
|
6th |
44% |
58% |
14 points |
|
7th |
55% |
71% |
16 points |
|
8th |
58% |
69% |
9 points |
|
11th |
54% |
60% |
6 points |
Bellevue launched the Pearson math curriculum in classrooms last school year, and “the combination of user-friendly materials with curriculum alignment and quality instructional practices resulted in significant improvement in students’ achievement in math,” Superintendent Harwood said. The digital Pearson materials are rich in content, with highly engaging, interactive lessons for students online and on digital devices, in addition to print materials.
The results in the first year of the new math program showed strong gains. The percentage of Bellevue students meeting or exceeding the standard on the Nebraska Accountability Test in math soared across the board, with gains of 22 percentage points among third graders, 18 points at fourth grade and 16 points at seventh grade.
Under the plan, Bellevue will overhaul instruction over the next seven years with new, research-based curriculum for reading and language arts, social studies, and science classes, and provide response to intervention and professional development. Pearson will contribute $7 million to the partnership over the seven years as Pearson becomes the primary provider of these curriculum materials and services for the district.
Students will work from classroom materials developed by some of America’s premier authors, including math and literacy experts who helped write the national Common Core standards adopted in states across America to increase rigor in the classroom. Bellevue educators will use programs to help track students’ academic performance and provide instructional support needed based on each student’s level of understanding. Officials from Pearson will work closely with the school district to help train teachers on using the new programs under a common format, including web-based tools .
“When a very interactive and personalized curriculum meets dedicated, hard-working students and educators, great things can happen, and that’s what we saw in Bellevue schools last year,” said James Lippe, Pearson Vice President, Midwest. “This partnership will allow us to work with educators and students, with the great support of parents, all across the district to help students be more successful everywhere.”
Contact:
Amanda Anderson
Bellevue Public Schools
402-293-4036
