The Anchorage School District commissioned The Council of the Great City Schools to evaluate why the Every Day Math (EDM) program is not increasing student achievement. In a voluminous report, the CGCS concluded that the school district has made some strides in Standards Based Assessment scores following the same students for several grades. There are many problems cited by the study and actions with which to improve the math curriculum. Recommended corrective action was to provide more professional development for teachers and assistance to parents, a Parent University. It seems as if teachers cannot adequately teach to the curriculum and parents find it very difficult to help their kids with homework. This would appear to be a formula for failure for our kids. The study places overall responsibility for lack of progress in math on the ASD staff, principals and teachers.
So, how does EDM compare to the more traditional Saxon math program in the ASD? Teachers, as a group, were surveyed and more than 600 of them responded. Of those who used the EDM curriculum only 34% rated the textbook as “good/excellent”. However, 88% of those teachers who used the Saxon curriculum rated their textbooks ”good/excellent”. If the teaching staff is not satisfied with the textbooks, then maybe the students are having even more difficulty with them. Perhaps, the texts are written to too high a level for most teachers and students. Those who teach at the K-6 grades usually are not math majors/minors and should not be expected to have a strong conceptual grasp of the subject.
In the teachers’ survey there are many comments stating the EDM is too conceptual, taught to a high level, does not provide a good foundation of basic math concepts, and is just not a good fit for the majority of students. It is especially not a good fit for transient students which comprise about 27% of the student population. For example, a nine year old military dependent who has been schooled in a more traditional math curriculum in the Lower 48 would have an extremely difficult time phasing into EDM. Some of these students may eventually get very frustrated and not reach their maximum potential in mathematics. Because of the highly mobile student population, EDM is not a satisfactory curriculum.
Many of the teachers stated that because the EDM program teaches on the conceptual level it would be a good fit for advanced and above average students. But what about the average and less than average students who comprise about 80% of the population on a standard bell-shaped curve? The EDM requires high level thinking which is not for everyone. Teachers further stated that basic skills are not mastered before moving on to another skill. If students are not able to master a math skill through practice and drill, then they probably won’t be able to master the subsequent skill(s). As one teacher said,”drill, baby, drill” regarding mastering of basic skills.
The study also noted that neither principal performance nor teacher performance are connected to student achievement. If there is no one accountable for achievement losses or gains, then how can one distinguish between the good and the bad? If teachers and principals were held accountable for student achievement, then the problem with the EDM program would probably have been identified and corrected years ago instead of continuing for nearly 15 years. It appears as if the only ones accountable are the students.
Finally, if one looks at the “concluding question” in the teacher survey (p.135), one would note that about 50% of the teachers are definitely for discontinuing the program. Some of the comments are very to-the-point: “(we need a)new math progam, Everyday Math is awful and skims areas!”. Many of the comments can be summed up by saying that EDM is not for Title I school students because it is too conceptual and the language is too complex, especially for ELL students.
If the EDM is too difficult for the majority of students, many teachers and parents, then it is probably time to adopt a better fit for our student population. A more traditional math program would enable more parents to help their kids with homework and get them involved in their kids’ education. So, let’s give the customers (parents/students) a break and ask them what fits them the best. It’s the right thing to do.
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