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- Los Altos School District Lens

Frequently Asked Questions

Glossary of Terms
How can I get more information about the new Scott Foresman enVision Math Program?
Why is grade skipping no longer supported?
How does the K-5 Math Program meet the needs of advanced math students?
What is flexible grouping?
Can parents see the actual assessments?
Do parents know when the assessments are being given?
Do all students have access to enriched materials?
What is the instructional model for primary and upper grades?
Are ALL teachers equally trained in the math program?
How will you assess whether ALL the student's needs are being met by this new program?
What will happen to 2009-2010 5th and 6th graders who have already skipped grades?
Will there always be a 6th grade pre-algebra class?
How will students qualify for the 6th grade pre-algebra class?
Can parents see the pre-algebra test results?
Can a student move into the pre-algebra class mid-year?

Answers

K-5 Math Program: Grade level math classes cover grade level material at a pace and depth of complexity that allows students to cover all the required standards and units within the school year. Students who demonstrate a strong understanding of the material and who can be challenged at deeper levels will study the units at the same pace as grade level students, but will be given progressively more difficult concepts that challenge their depth of understanding. All teachers will be trained in both enVision and Investigations math materials, so there is no limit to how far a student can be challenged.

Scott Foresman Investigations material: Investigations is activity-based mathematics that encourage students to think creatively, develop and articulate their own problem-solving strategies, and work cooperatively with their classmates). Click here for details on Investigation material.

Advanced Class: The advanced class refers to the 2009-2010 5th graders who have skipped a grade using the former math program. This term will only be used for one more year, as the district phases out grade-skipping. This class uses Scott Foresman text material, but at one level above their grade.

Accelerated 6th Grade Class: The term "accelerated" has been traditionally used for the 6th graders who have already covered part of the 6th grade McDougal Litell materials in the Advanced 5th grade class. This class continues to use 6th grade McDougal Litell material but in much greater depth and with more complex problems.

Pre-Algebra Class: This class is only available to 6th graders who have passed a district level assessment. The class covers pre-algebra concepts and is given at the local school.

There are two Scott Foresman websites that will give you information on both the enVision Math Program and Investigations Program.

The EnVision Math for California web page provides an overview of the program as well as a 6 minute video that visually demonstrates the strong digital component of the program. This web page also features an interactive brochure that allows you to see what the materials will look like. You can read the brochure on the website or click here to download it (9.6MB).

The Scott Foresman Investigations web page provides an overview of what is covered in this program.

We also encourage you to review research results on the enVision Math Program: Students' Scores Increase on Standardized Achievement Tests with Person's New enVision Math Program.

At the beginning of the evaluation process, the Steering Committee interviewed both High School and Junior High teachers to discover what strengths or weaknesses they had observed in the district’s math program. Teachers from both of these levels indicated that they were seeing large gaps of knowledge in certain areas (e.g. fractions) amongst the advanced or accelerated math students. These gaps were attributed to the lack of in depth study of those concepts taught in the grade level that was skipped. In addition, these teachers observed that the emphasis on breadth (covering many topics at a fast pace) versus depth (covering a topic to greater levels of complexity) led to a deficiency in problem solving abilities. The strong recommendation from both High School and Junior High teachers was to discontinue grade skipping and instead focus advanced learners on more complex problems that challenge their understanding of concepts as well as how these concepts can be applied.

All students are assessed on a daily basis (click to see daily schedule). As they demonstrate a greater knowledge of the math concepts, they are challenged with more rigorous exercises that lead them to a deeper understanding of how the new concepts can be applied. Students are given more open-ended problems that require them to not only show the solution but the strategies that they used to arrive at the solution. In addition, the classes participate in more activity-based mathematics that allow them to think creatively and work cooperatively with their classmates. Both the Scott Foresman enVision and Investigations materials provide a rich set of tools that allow all students to develop a deep understanding of a topic (including how the math concepts are applied to the real world) and to be challenged with complex problems that require creative problem-solving strategies.

All students are periodically assessed through the Scott Foresman unit tests. These tests show how well a student understands the material presented within a unit. The outcome of these tests help identify which students need more support and which can be challenged more extensively. The unit tests alone, though, do not determine a student's placement within a math group. Careful consideration by grade level teachers in collaboration with the principal determine individual student placement based on 1) the outcome of these assessments, 2) the performance of the student's classwork and 3) the teacher's assessment of the student's overall abilities.

Flexible grouping at the beginning of the year is based on performance from the previous year (including the end-of-year assessment given to third through fifth grade classes). Again, performance on this assessment is only one factor in the decision process for class placement. The same factors listed above as well as the student's STAR test results are used to determine fall placement.

It is also important to note that all students are re-assessed for grouping throughout the year. So fall placement into a particular group does not mean that the student will remain in that group throughout the year. Placement into flexible grouping is a fluid process, so students will move in and out of these groupings based on their performance. This ensures that all students will be challenged at the appropriate level for their skills.

Can parents see the actual assessments?

Yes. The Scott Foresman unit tests go home for parents to review and sign. In this way, parents can see how well their children are understanding concepts and what areas may need further development.

Students will be told when unit tests will be given. It will be the responsibility of parents to ask students about upcoming test schedules. The test dates will not be sent out by the teachers.

Yes! The primary reason the Math Steering Committee selected the Scott Foresman enVision and Investigations Math Program was because it gives teachers the flexibility to challenge all students to greater depths of understanding at any time during a unit. Every teacher has access to Investigations material so that they can sufficiently challenge their students.

Maintaining a home teacher connection with a differentiated instructional model is the ideal for primary children (K-3). Young children need to develop relationships with their teacher, and the teacher needs to support and extend instruction for children of this age. Understanding, encouragement, and personal care are all elements of the primary environment that we do not want to lose.

As the children move to the upper grades, expansion of the instructional model becomes applicable for most children. Grouping and regrouping begins to offer instructional and learning advantages.

Schools have the flexibility to group primary-level students within a classroom or across different math classes. The teachers can address the needs of all students (regardless of how the grouping is done) since the enVision program supports differentiated instruction across a wide range of learners (special education, at-risk, advanced and english learner students). The primary teachers are equally trained in all of the tools provided by the Scott Foresman enVision and Investigations program, so students in the primary grades have the same opportunity to use Investigations material as the upper grade students.

Yes. Similar to the Step Up To Writing program that was introduced a couple of years ago, all teachers undergo an initial training program that gives them a thorough understanding of how to teach the enVision Math program and how to leverage all of the available tools and material. There are then on-going training events that allow teachers to refine their skills and share their expertise with other teachers.

Some of the strengths of the enVision program include the assessment tools that are provided so that teachers can assess students’ abilities before the unit, at the end of the unit AND on a daily basis. Aside from homework, the enVision math program starts the day with a Daily Spiral Review and Problem of the Day. This exercise allows teachers to assess how well the students are understanding current material. If a class or set of students is mastering the concepts quickly, then a teacher can introduce more complex material via enVision and/or Investigations. This allows teachers to evaluate and adjust teaching materials on a daily basis.

Click here to see a detailed description of how grade skipping will be phased out.

Yes, the district will continue to provide a 6th grade pre-algebra class. This class will be given at each local elementary school.

At the end of the 5th grade year, all students (regardless of whether they are in Grade Level, Extension or Advanced classes) are tested using an assessment developed by the district. Teachers determine placement into the pre-algebra classes based on 1) the outcome of these assessments, 2) the performance of the student’s classwork and 3) the teacher’s assessment of the student’s overall abilities and 4) the student's spring STAR test results.

Parents will be given the result of the exam and the recommendation of whether or not the student qualified for pre-algebra. However, they will not be able to view the test itself, since it is a secure document similar to the STAR test.

In general, it is very difficult for a student to move into pre-algebra after the class has been in session and material has been covered. That said, there are times when students demonstrate significant growth. This development may be due to maturation, motivation, or extreme interest. When this occurs, the staff can use appropriate assessments to determine if the student should transition to pre-algebra. The decision will be based on assessment results, the student's overall performance and the teachers' assessment of whether the student would be able to successfully make the move. It will also require approval from the parents.