Mathematics Review 2019

The Steering Committee guides the Writing Team to work from the existing standards, making modifications and adjustments as below.  The resulting set of standards should be coherent and developmentally appropriate in breadth and depth. 

• Introduction:
  • Refer to the way the science standards reference the Guiding Principles in the introduction and use this to guide your work.
  • Connect the 8 Standards for Mathematical Practice to the Guiding Principles.
• Across all grades:
  • Consider a coding/color scheme to help readers draw connections between standards, such as that used in Maine’s new science & engineering standards.
  • Only use examples when they are needed for clarification; when examples are needed, look for opportunities to use Maine-based examples.
  • Keep the focus on what all students should know and be able to do, rather than delving into instructional practices.
  • Use precise and concise mathematical terms (e.g., vertex, equation) rather than substitute terms (e.g., corner, number sentence).
  • Include an introduction to each grade span.
  • Integrate the footnotes from the current standards into the performance expectations (the final document will not have footnotes). The Massachusetts 2017 work has examples of how this was handled.
  • Deliberately make connections to cross-curricular and cross-domain applications of mathematics (e.g., personal finance, computer science, science/engineering, and the social studies).
  • The Steering Committee seeks to strengthen the concept of reasoning/proof and connections to the CER (claim-evidence-reasoning) process. This does not necessarily mean more standards in this area; it could mean fewer standards (especially at the HS level) but with cross-domain and cross-curricular applications.
• K-5:
  • The Steering Committee views this section as mostly strong and recommends only careful adjustments.
  • Review the standards for additional clarifications and/or examples. The Steering Committee found the Massachusetts 2017 work helpful in this regard.
  • Look for opportunities to strengthen connections between decimals (including money), fractions, and percent.
• 6-8:
  • The Steering Committee views this section as mostly strong and recommends only modest adjustments.
  • Review the standards for additional clarifications and/or examples. The Steering Committee found the Massachusetts 2017 work helpful in this regard.
  • The Steering Committee seeks to modestly space out current standards in order to yield more time for middle school students to: (a) develop a solid conceptual understanding in parallel with development and use of algorithms, (b) develop a stronger foundation for future mathematics learning, and (c) emphasize cross-curricular and authentic applications of the middle school standards.
    • In the grade span introduction or examples, convey this intent by drawing connections directly to some cross-curricular standards that fit with this.
    • Closely review the standards in Expressions & Equations and Functions finding areas to make explicit connections to support raising the profiles of statistics, modeling, and cross-curricular applications; and consider whether a few of those standards should be adjusted or moved to the HS grade span.
  • Use introductory text and examples to raise the profiles of statistics, modeling, and cross-curricular applications such as:
    • Providing examples applying statistics in the context of social studies and the sciences, and
    • Providing examples using modeling in the context of social studies, the sciences, or computer science.
• 9-12:
  • The Steering Committee recommends that the W.T. utilize the essential concepts described in NCTM’s Catalyzing Change as the framework for the organization, writing, and revision of the high school standards.
    • In the grade span introduction, emphasize the importance of building a stronger foundation in mathematics based on previous grade level learning and cross-curricular applications.
  • Incorporate into the appropriate category any current middle school standards identified to move into the high school grade span (from the Expressions & Equations and Functions categories).
  • Use introductory text and examples to raise the profiles of statistics, modeling, and cross-curricular applications such as:
    • Providing examples applying statistics in the context of social studies and the sciences, and
    • Providing examples using modeling in the context of social studies, the sciences, or computer science
  • Take a judicious look at the current HS standards in these categories: The Complex Number System, The Real Number System, Arithmetic with Polynomials and Rational Expressions, Interpreting Functions, and polynomials beyond quadratics.
    • Review these standards through the lenses of:
      • The importance to ALL Maine students for College, Career, and Civic Life
      • The overall mathematical integrity and coherence of the set of standards
      • The quantity of the set of standards
    • Through these lenses, standards may be important on their own, as a prerequisite, or as a connecting concept.
    • When a justification cannot be made for a standard as-is, consider the (+) designation or modifying the standard (such as using a different verb).

• Public comments were open from October 16, 2018 through December 1, 2018 with a public hearing taking place in Augusta on November 7, 2018.
• On October 16, 2018, the Department of Education reached out to known mathematics and education stakeholders to let them know that a review of the Maine Learning Results in Mathematics was beginning with a public comments period.
• A list of potential steering committee members was approved by the commissioner’s office on December 4, 2018 and they were invited to participate via email on December 7, 2018. The steering committee was comprised to represent different grade levels, different roles in education (teachers, administrators, higher education, and non-profit organizations), different areas of expertise across the content area, and different geographic representation.
• 10 of the 13 members of the steering committee accepted the invitation to participate by December 17, 2018. 3 additional invitations were sent via email on December 21, 2018 and all accepted to participate by December 30, 2018.
• A doodle poll created on January 4, 2019 was used to pick meeting dates. On January 16, 2019, the steering committee agreed upon 3 meeting dates: February 22, 2019, March 27, 2019 and April 25, 2019.
• Via email on February 13, 2019, the steering committee was given the resources needed to prepare for their meeting. This included a link to a shared google folder that contains a copy of all the submitted public comments, a collection of current research and identified best practices in mathematics education. This email also included the assignment to do a SWOT analysis on the following areas of the Maine Learning Results in Mathematics: Introduction, Mathematical Practices, Counting and Cardinality, Number and Operations in Base Ten and Fractions, Ratios and Proportional Relationships, Number System and Number and Quantity for our first meeting. They were also provided the remaining areas as they would be looked at for the second and third meeting if they wished to review more prior to the first meeting.
• On February 22, 2019, the steering committee met. The day was spent reviewing the purpose of the team, relevant state statutes, and the current standards. The current state standards were reviewed using the SWOT analysis protocol. Each section that was identified for the committee to review on February 22 (Introduction/Key Ideas, Mathematical Practices, Counting and Cardinality, and Numbers and Operations in Base - Ten) was discussed one section at a time. The group shared all the strengths that they had identified and all suggested strengths were compiled. The group then reviewed the entire list and narrowed down the highlights of what they wanted to focus on. The process was repeated for the weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of each section. At the end of the SWOT analysis of the section, the group reviewed the highlighted ideas across the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats to summarize what parts of the section needed to be maintained and what parts need to be revised. Parts of the section that needed revision, the steering committee worked to reach a consensus of what the guidance should look like based on a combination professional experience and researched best practices in the field of mathematics. The steering committee then determined next sections for review for the March 27, 2019 meeting.
• On March 27, 2019, the steering committee met. The day was spent continuing the review of the current state standards using the SWOT analysis protocol. Each section that was identified for the committee to review on March 27 (Number and Operations - Fractions, Ratios and Proportional Relationships, The Number System, Number and Quantity, Operations and Algebraic Thinking, Expressions and Equations, Functions, and Algebra) was discussed one section at a time. Parts of the section that needed revision, the steering committee worked to reach a consensus of what the guidance should look like based on a combination professional experience and researched best practices in the field of mathematics. The steering committee then determined next sections for review for the April 25, 2019 meeting.
• On April 25, 2019, the steering committee met. The day was spent continuing the review of the current state standards using the SWOT analysis protocol. Each section that was identified for the committee to review on April 25 (Geometry, Measurement and Data, Statistics and Probability) was discussed one section at a time. Parts of the section that needed revision, the steering committee worked to reach a consensus of what the guidance should look like based on a combination professional experience and researched best practices in the field of mathematics. The steering committee reviewed the public comments and began drafting the guidance for writing committee. It was determined that more time would be needed to complete the guidance. A small group of the Steering Committee agreed to meet on May 2, 2019 to continue work on the guidance and this work would be shared with the entire steering committee at the May 29, 2019 meeting.
• On May 29, 2019 the steering committee met to review the work of the small group and complete the guidance for the writing team.
• On June 3, 2019 the steering committee was emailed and asked to confirm that they had reviewed the final draft of the guidance, if they felt there were any additional edits to be made, if this is the guidance that they want to provide to the writing team, and to confirm that they feel the work of the steering committee had met its intended goal and that all of the work was complete.
• On June 12, 2019 the steering committee held a virtual meeting to discuss the concerns of members with the proposed draft guidance. That evening the committee was emailed and asked to confirm that they had reviewed the final draft of the guidance, and to respond via email if the agreed or did not agree with the final draft guidance.
• On June 18, the last member of the steering committee responded to give unanimous agreement that the initial work of the steering committee was complete and ready to share with the writing team.
• A call for educators to participate as a member of the writing team was publicly posted through the DOE Newsroom on May 8, 2019 and known mathematics and education stakeholders were contacted directly on May 10, 2019. An additional announcement was sent out to the mathematics list serve on May 30, 2019, extending the deadline for applications until June 7, 2019.

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Beth Clifford is the curriculum coordinator for Maine Indian Education where she guides district efforts focused on proficiency based education, professional development, response to intervention, teacher evaluation and professional growth, and implementing the District’s GEAR UP Maine grant, among her other responsibilities. During her 30 years as an educator, Beth has also served as a classroom teacher and assistant principal. She earned her B.S. in Child Development at the University of Maine at Orono and her master’s in Literacy Development and Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Leadership from the University of Southern Maine. Beth also serves as the Chair of the Washington County Leadership Team and is on the Board of Directors and serves as secretary for the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association and Axiom Education and Training Center.

Fern Desjardins, Ed. D. is a retired educator from MSAD #33 where she was employed as a teacher, elementary school principal, and Superintendent of Schools during her 43-year career in education.  Working in the small rural school system, she also served as Director of Special Education, Title I Coordinator, led professional development, and carried out many other roles during her tenure as an administrator.  She supervised student teachers for UMFK and taught graduate level courses as an adjunct faculty member for the University of Maine. Dr. Desjardins is a regionalization facilitator for the MDOE, member of the Maine State Board of Education, and serves on the Maine Charter School Commission.  She received her B.S. in Education with concentrations in math and French from UMFK, Master’s in Language Arts from UMaine, CAS in Educational Leadership from USM, and her Doctoral Degree in Educational Leadership from UMaine. She co-authored “High School Achievement in Maine: Where You Come From Matters More Than School Size and Expenditures” published in the Maine Policy Review.

Tim Doak serves as Superintendent of Schools for Eastern Aroostook RSU 39 (Caribou, Limestone, and Stockholm) and RSU 86/MSAD No 20 (Fort Fairfield). He was awarded Maine’s 2018 Superintendent of the Year. Prior to being promoted to MSAD No 27 Superintendent of Schools in 2010, Doak served as the principal of Community High School in Fort Kent for seven years.  He was also named President of the Maine Principals’ Association in 2007-2008 where he held various positions within the association on both the Interscholastic Management Committee and Professional Management Committee from 1995 to 2010. Doak holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from the University of Maine at Presque Isle, a Masters Degree in Secondary Education from the University of Maine, and holds a Certificate of Advanced Studies in Educational Leadership from University of Southern Maine.   currently serves on the University of Maine at Presque Isle Foundation Board, the Aroostook Mental Health Center Board of Directors, the State Advisory Board for Maine’s JMG program, he is the education representative for Mobilizing Northern Maine Committee; as well as chairing the Education to Industry Committee for Aroostook County; and he is a member of the MSSA Executive Board.

Jon Doty, Ed. D. is Director of Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment for Regional School Unit #34 (Old Town, Alton, and Bradley). In addition to this focus on PK-12 academic programs, Dr. Doty is responsible for the district’s ESSA programs, Chapter 104 (Gifted & Talented) program, and system of Professional Growth & Performance Evaluation. In past roles, Doty served students as a middle school teacher (mathematics, science, and technology education) and as Coordinator of Gifted & Talented Services. Outside of RSU #34, Doty serves on regional committees focused on curricular efforts and pre-service teacher preparation, on the Board of Directors of the Maine Curriculum Leaders’ Association, on the UM College of Education and Human Development Dean’s Advisory Council, on the Leadership Team for the UM-RiSE STEM + C NSF grant, and as administrator for the Eastern Maine Reading Recovery Site. Doty earned the doctorate in Educational Leadership at the University of Maine, and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in Elementary Education, Instructional Technology, and Leadership / Gifted & Talented Education. Doty and his family live in Bradley.

Joan Ferrini-Mundy is the president of the University of Maine and its regional campus, the University of Maine at Machias. Prior to joining the UMaine and UMM communities on July 1, 2018, she was the chief operating officer of the National Science Foundation. Her distinguished career spans the fields of mathematics education, STEM education and policy, teacher education, and research administration. Among her awards and recognitions are the U.S. Senior Executive Service Presidential Rank Award of Distinguished Executive, and election as a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. President Ferrini-Mundy is a member of the National Academies Board on Higher Education and the Workforce, and is leading the development of a University of Maine System plan for research and development. She holds a Ph.D. in mathematics education from the University of New Hampshire.

Jason Judd, Ed.D. is the Project>Login Program Director at Educate Maine, a business-led education advocacy organization where he works with K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and employers to grow the number of Maine people with tech skills. He chaired the Maine Computer Science Task Force and works with leaders from other states to grow computer science efforts nationally. He is a current member of the Maine STEM Council, Maine STEM Collaborative, and serves on the Advisory Committee for the Code.org Regional Partners. He is the past chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Maine School of Science and Mathematics. He also worked at Maine Central Institute for 12 years as a teacher, academic counselor, and academic dean. Jason has a bachelor’s degree in English secondary education from the University of Maine at Farmington, a master’s degree in educational leadership from the University of Southern Maine, and a doctorate in organizational leadership studies from Northeastern University.

Shannon Larsen, Ph.D.  is an Associate Professor of Elementary Education at the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF). She holds a B.A. from Middlebury College, an Ed. M from Harvard University Graduate School of Education, and a Ph.D. in Curriculum, Teaching, and Learning from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto. Shannon has experience working as both an elementary classroom teacher and a K-8 mathematics coach. In addition to teaching undergraduate methods courses, Shannon has helped to develop the Maine Mathematics Coaching Project at UMF. This is a series of graduate courses designed to support K-8 mathematics coaches in the state. Shannon’s research interests focus on how teachers (pre- and in-service) learn to improve their practice. Some of her recent work has been published in NCTM’s Annual Perspectives in Mathematics Education 2017, the ICME-13 Monograph Uses of Technology in Primary and Secondary Mathematics Education: Tools, Topics, and Trends, and AMTE’s Elementary Mathematics Specialists: Developing, Refining, and Examining Programs that Support Mathematics Teaching and Learning.

Kelly McCormick, Ph.D. is a Professor of Mathematics Education and Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of Southern Maine, where she has taught mathematics education courses for the past 13 years. Dr. McCormick has a masters degree in mathematics and a doctorate in mathematics education from Indiana University. Her scholarship focuses on creating meaningful learning opportunities to help children and preservice teachers make sense of mathematics.

Kevin A. Michaud is currently in his fourth year as the Director/Superintendent at Waldo County Technical Center/Region 7, where he is also the Adult Education Director. Prior to his arrival at WCTC, KAM held PreK-12 leadership positions in Maine and New Hampshire, and before this, was a teacher/coach at the middle level for sixteen years. Kevin has been a huge proponent and advocate for tech math integration at WCTC, which is only one of two Maine CTE schools taking part in year two of the innovative UMF Math Coaching pilot program. In his spare time, Kevin also operates his business KAM-Do Martial Arts & Fitness, is the leader of the KahunaKAM Band, in which he performs original blues/rock music with his three sons, and holds various lay leadership positions within his church. He is married and lives with his family in China, ME.

Pat Murray is currently retired, living in Bradford with his wife Mary. He has six adult children and thirteen wonderful grandchildren.  Prior to retirement, Murray’s employment background includes the U.S. Navy, law enforcement, District Manager for The National Federation of Independent Business and as a self-employed convenience store owner. Murray is a prior school board member, Town Selectman and member of several other committees including the Central Penobscot Solid Waste Facility and Economic Development. His interests include educational research PreK - Grade 12 math standards and curriculum.

Pamela Rawson teaches mathematics and computer science at Baxter Academy for Technology and Science, where she is a founding faculty member. She has also taught at Poland Regional High School, Wells High School, Cape Elizabeth High School, and Portland High School during her 30+ years of teaching. Prior to the adoption of the Maine Learning Results, Pam worked for the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA) as a mathematics facilitator in the SAD75/Brunswick Beacon Center where she helped elementary and middle school teachers to use the standards and practices published by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) to guide their lessons. She has previously served on Maine Learning Results review teams and recently was a member of the Maine Computer Science Task Force. She is also a T3 Regional Instructor for Texas Instruments’ Teachers Teaching with Technology program and a founding member of the Better Math Teaching Network. A Past-President of the Association of Teachers of Mathematics in Maine (ATOMIM), Pam often presents at regional and national conferences on student-centered and standards-based instructional practices.

Howard Tuttle has served the Sheepscot Valley Regional School Unit 12 school district as Superintendent since July 2013. During his twenty-eight years in education, Mr. Tuttle has worked as Curriculum Director, School Principal, Title I Coordinator, Mathematics Coach, and Classroom Teacher in central and midcoast Maine school districts. Mr. Tuttle has been a part-time lecturer for the University of Southern Maine Professional Development Center teaching graduate courses in elementary mathematics instruction. Mr. Tuttle holds a Certificate of Advanced Study in Educational Administration and a Masters in Education.