Recommendations

Recommendations

In 2024, Colorado's math pathways task force finalized this set of five recommendations for modernizing high school math pathways:

  1. Create and advocate for equally rigorous mathematics pathways (e.g. statistics, quantitative reasoning, and advanced algebra/calculus) from secondary through postsecondary education, based on student interest and career goals. (Read more about establishing pathways)
  2. Support meaningful individual career and academic planning (i.e. ICAPs) by connecting students with adults (e.g. counselors, advisors, math faculty) who have been trained in math pathway options to provide personalized advising in selecting relevant math course sequences aligned with individual interests, aspirations, and postsecondary goals. (Read more about advising students)
  3. Support student progress along math pathways by providing Supplemental Academic Instruction (SAI) to assist learning content in rigorous on-level mathematics courses. (Read more about supplementing instruction)
  4. Strengthen connections between school districts and institutions of higher education (IHEs) through math pathways, concurrent/dual enrollment, and refining postsecondary placement policies. (Read more about strengthening connections)
  5. Provide time and space for robust professional learning opportunities. (Read more about supporting teachers)

These recommendations became the anchors for future work, including thinking about stakeholder roles and responsibilities, action steps, desired outcomes, and tasks for future working groups.

Working Paper: Math Pathways: Defining Problems and Challenges in the State of Colorado

Prior to making recommendations, Colorado's math pathways task force worked to organize and describe problems and challenges that students, educators, and other stakeholders would encounter in modernizing high school math pathways. In January 2024, the task force published a white paper called "Math Pathways: Defining Problems and Challenges that detailed two primary problems with the current state of math pathways:

Problem 1: Colorado K-12 students are typically tracked into high school math courses according to their perceived ability, regardless of their interests.

  • Placement decisions are often made too early
  • Students’ post-secondary plans get ignored
  • Tracks are inflexible
  • Tracking is opposed by NCTM, NCSM, and ASSM

Problem 2: Colorado schools typically offer one track to calculus that is privileged above all others.

  • College Algebra and/or Calculus I is the only well-defined, non-dead-end pathway target in many systems
  • Increased calculus enrollments is an achievement, but for students who would benefit more from other math, being on a calculus track may represent a missed opportunity

Solving these problems will require us to overcome a variety of policy-focused, practice-focused, and perception-focused challenges:

Policy Challenges:

  • Differences in governance structures
  • Graduation guidelines vs. HEAR
  • Placement rules and multiple measures
  • Colorado Academic Standards
  • The “Big Blur”

Practice Challenges

  • Tracking and HS placement
  • Students who stumble can’t get back on track
  • School and teacher capacity
  • Teacher preparation and professional development

Perception Challenges

  • Your pathway is your “smartness”
  • Beliefs that lead to segregating students by ability or demographics
  • Change is too risky

The task force compiled these problems and challenges into a working paper called "Math Pathways: Defining Problems and Challenges."