Jubilee Christian School
Accelerated Math Program Overview
In 1990, the National Governor's Association and the President adopted the National Educational Goals, a framework for educational improvement consisting of eight goals to be met by the year 2000. Goal Five states that by the year 2000 United States students will be first in the world in mathematics and science (National Education Goals Panel, 1995). However, recent test score results indicate that the United States has not achieved this goal. In the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), eighth grade students in the United States scored below the international average in math, and eighth-graders in 20 other countries scored higher in math than American eighth-graders (Beaton:et. al., 1996). In the 1999 follow-up study, TIMSS-R, U.S. eighth-graders were still outperformed by eighth-graders in 14 other countries (Gonzales et. al., 2000).
In order for U.S. students to compete worldwide, math skills are becoming increasingly important. Nonetheless, our students still trail behind. Among the many factors impacting mathematics achievement, time on task-practice time-is one of the most important. Research demonstrates that increasing time spent on academic tasks boosts achievement, especially in mathematics (Cotton and Wikelund, 1989). Students learn more about a subject if they spend more time studying it-if they have more opportunity to learn (Berliner, 1990: Brophy, 1988). The TIMSS report agrees that time on task is important, but says that this time must be spent efficiently with students academically engaged in mathematics tasks. In other words, simply allotting more time to mathematics instruction and practice is not enough; the time must be used well.
In their Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) concurs that time on task is important, but proposes that certain characteristics will make it more effective. For example, NCTM asserts that teachers need frequent formative feedback from a variety of assessment methods to diagnose learning problems promptly, and intervene with individualized attention (NCTM, 2000). Furthermore, the NCTM report contends that students learn more and learn better when they are able to take charge of their learning, set goals, are challenged by aptly chosen tasks, and can monitor their own progress (NCTM, 2000).
Math Renaissance and its learning information systems components, Accelerated Math and STAR Math, offer an effective way to manage time engaged in math tasks. Through a significant increase in available tasklevel information, teachers are able to individualize instruction, provide more meaningful feedback to students, and closely monitor academic progress. As a result, math achievement improves dramatically.To view additional research available on the Accelerated Math System
* Renaissance Learning (2001) Summary of independent math research. (November 5, 2006)
< http://research.renlearn.com/research/85.asp >
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Jubilee Christian School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs
