TRAVERSE CITY -- Students in Traverse City elementary and high schools will use new math textbooks next year, in part a response to parent requests for reform.
High school students will learn from a new Discovering Mathematics series that attempts to blend ideas from both of the district's existing curricula.
And all elementary students will receive an updated version of the current Investigations program, piloted at Long Lake, Blair and Central Grade schools this year. The newer edition contains more parent support and online resources than before.
"I think they've experienced in the past what happens when you don't listen to the parents," said Dianne Walker, a retired TCAPS math teacher and member of parent group We All Count. "We don't want to run the show. We just want to make sure the parents are included."
We All Count formed more than a year ago to address changes mainly at the elementary level. The first version of Investigations, which most students use today, emphasizes problem-solving, and some parents worried their children were missing basic math skills.
Administrators promised to include supplementary skills practice with the program next year, which made some parents more comfortable with the choice.
"That's the only reason I was for it," Walker said. "Without that assurance, I would have said, 'You know, the parents are not going to be happy.'"
Some parents, she said, still wish administrators would have considered multiple books, something We All Count sought a year ago. The district looked at one other series besides Investigations.
Before the school board approved it this week, member Megan Crandall said she didn't like being pressured into selecting one in order to meet a time constraint.
Dan Fouch, TCAPS' K-12 math support specialist, said waiting much longer would have hindered the district's ability to order the books by fall. Plus, he said, it's an updated version of an existing program, not a new one.
A team will ensure all components of the program are properly introduced, and that parent guides are distributed and returned, Fouch said.
The Discovering high school series was chosen by a committee from five possible texts. High school students for years had the option of choosing an investigative, problem-solving pathway or a more traditional track that emphasizes basic skills.
The new series will begin with incoming freshmen so students can follow one program throughout high school, with a grade added each year until all students participate.
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