Innovative K-12 Math Programs From Pearson Support Florida’s Plan
to Keep All Students on Path to Success
Differentiated Instruction in Custom Curriculum Designed to Ensure Learners
Meet Next Generation Sunshine State Standards
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – May 27, 2009 –Florida educators are leading the nation with their statewide plan for “response to intervention” and targeting individual instruction for students. With the state due to select new mathematics programs next year, Pearson – the education and technology company – has developed a comprehensive suite of K-12 math instruction that aligns directly to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for math and places the tools for Response to Intervention (RtI) and differentiated instruction at teachers’ fingertips, embedded right in the curriculum.
Under Florida Commissioner of Education Eric J. Smith’s leadership, RtI is a high priority for state classrooms, and the results are already apparent. In Education Week’s 2008 “Quality Counts” report, Florida earned high praise for student participation in rigorous Advanced Placement courses, significant gains in National Assessment of Education Progress results, closing of the achievement gap and preparing students for 21st century success by setting high standards and monitoring student progress.
Pearson’s Vice President for Florida, Debbie Campbell, said, “Commissioner Smith and education leaders around our state are creating a national model for targeting instruction with their coordinated, statewide approach to Response to Intervention and differentiated instruction. Our state’s educators recognize that all students learn in their own way and at their own pace and that individualized instruction is key to helping students build the math foundation they will need for college course work and for their 21st century careers.”
Campbell continued, “We developed Florida’s K-12 custom math programs to help teachers keep all students on track for meeting the new Florida math standards. Throughout the comprehensive K-12 curriculum, at all grade levels, are checkpoints for teachers to provide assessment and intervention to ensure that each student is mastering math concepts and skills before moving ahead.” She added, “These tools are directly embedded in our programs. Teachers won’t have to reach for a different tool or learn a new program to know that all students are on track to meet Florida’s math learning goals.This is a major time saver for teachers”
Pearson’s continuum of elementary, middle and high school programs, developed specifically for Florida, are centered on interactive problem-solving and building a conceptual understanding of mathematics, and all are directly aligned to the Next Generation Sunshine State Standards for math.
§Grades K-5 – At the elementary level, many Florida districts are using an RtI model to help struggling learners get back on track. The tools for implementing this multi-tiered approach are part of the design of Scott Foresman-Addison Wesley enVisionMATH Florida, an innovative, research-based curriculum customized to the new state standards. Throughout each topic, teachers will find assessments for closely and continuously monitoring student progress that provide the data for determining whether further instruction is needed or students are ready to advance. The program also includes targeted instructional resources – both in print and on the digital path – for giving students extra practice in the areas where they may be struggling.
§Grades 6-8 – Pearson’s middle school math program for Florida, Florida Mathematics 1, 2, 3, also features embedded support for differentiated instruction. Multiple assessments are integrated throughout the program
to help inform students, teachers and parents of student progress and to help teachers make decisions about the direction to take future instruction. Like all of Pearson’s math programs for Florida, Florida Mathematics 1, 2, 3 also includes targeted resources for teaching English Language Learner and special needs students.
§Grades 9-12 – Prentice Hall Algebra 1, Geometry and Algebra 2 ©2011 Florida Editionalso embed the tools for differentiating instruction right into the curriculum. Developed specifically for Florida, this new high school math program features assessments throughout each unit so teachers can ensure that students are grasping concepts as they progress. The teachers’ manual provides resources for remediation – both print and online – as well as suggested instructional strategies for teaching each concept.
Also at the high school level, Florida students taking Algebra IA and IB can learn with MathXL® for School, a comprehensive Web-based curriculum. Students learn at their own pace, taking assessments that differentiate their learning path moving forward. MathXL for School features powerful, interactive learning aids that assist struggling learners while allowing students with a firm grasp of math concepts to move quickly through the course, ensuring that everyone can learn at their own pace and stay on track to meet learning goals.
Pearson’s Campbell added, “The National Math Panel called algebra the ‘gateway’ course to future success in math, and so it is critical that students build a firm foundation in algebraic concepts. MathXL for School differentiates instruction in a way that will help teachers ensure that all students develop that foundation.”
For more information about Pearson and its support for math education in Florida, visit www.floridamathcrosswalk.com, an interactive Web site developed to offer teachers activities for teaching to the current math standards and making the transition to the new standards. The site includes videos, visual learning animations, problem-based interactive learning activities, printables, games and puzzles so that teachers can familiarize themselves with what to expect in the future without sacrificing content they need for their students today.
About Pearson and Florida
Pearson (NYSE:PSO) has been providing learning materials to Florida schools for more than 100 years.As the world’s leading education and technology company, you may know us individually as Scott Foresman, Prentice Hall, Longman, SuccessMaker, NovaNet, PowerSchool, , SuccessNet, and so many more - names in the world of education that are recognized and respected across the state and the globe. We provide education and testing materials from birth through professional learning as well as the complex management systems that maintain student information data for thousands of schools. Our Pearson people are living and working in every school district across the state, and visiting teachers, principals and curriculum directors every single day.In fact, most teachers in Florida have learned their profession by studying with Pearson's Merrill or Allyn & Bacon textbooks, and many have benefited from our professional development programs.
We are your education partners today, tomorrow and for the future and will continue to invest in the very best instructional materials, teacher education, technology advancements, and services to help you and your students achieve success for generations to come. Like Florida’s educators, we are stable, resilient and unwavering in our commitment to our children. The challenges of today’s economy will not deter us from our mission to create innovative educational solutions customized to align with Florida’s standards for 21st century learning. For more information, visit www.floridamathcrosswalk.com or www.pearsonschool.com.
Contact:
kate.miller@pearson.com
800-745-8489
