DeKalb County School District

Search

Top Topics

K12 Alerts
K12 Alerts is a new communications service to help keep parents and the community informed about news impacting DeKalb Schools. Register to receive timely email, text message and voicemail opens in same window icon alerts today »
Social Media Channels
DeKalb Schools is now on Twitter and YouTube! Follow us today for the latest news, events and opens in same window icon more »
Superintendent Releases Evaluation Audits
The Superintendent and administration has thoroughly reviewed each audit report for consideration of all and/or parts of any recommendations made by the opens in same window icon consultants »
Theory of Action for Change
The essence of the "Theory of Action for Change" is to transform the school district from a system consisting of singular pockets of high-performance areas into a district-wide School System of Excellence. opens in same window icon view key components »

Teaching and Learning

Mathematics

email link icon Wanda J. Audrict [ wanda_j_audrict@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ], Coordinator
678.676.0719
678.676.0229 (fax)

email link icon Dr. Lenisera L. Barnes-Bodison [ lenisera_l_barnes-bodison@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ], Coordinator
678.676.0333
678.676.0229 (fax)

email link icon Dr. Rita D. Williams [ rita_d_williams@fc.dekalb.k12.ga.us ], Coordinator
678.676.0240
678.676.0304 (fax)

1701 Mountain Industrial Boulevard
Stone Mountain, GA  30083

The vision for mathematics is to effectively implement the Georgia Performance Standards (GPS) in order to provide students rigor, depth, and real-world connections in every mathematics classroom. The mathematics GPS supply a strong, cohesive, and coherent curriculum, which offers a clear path to higher mathematics and intelligent citizenship. The mathematics curriculum calls for a rigorous and challenging program for every student—a complete program that reflects a balance of computational and procedural basic skills, conceptual understanding, and problem solving. Students integrate, problem solve, explore, investigate, and apply mathematics through hands-on and technological tasks. The DeKalb County School District will know that the vision has been fulfilled when all students are successfully learning challenging mathematics content in engaging and exciting learning environments with appropriate standards-based materials.

The Division of Teaching and Learning provides support for all mathematics instruction. Administrators at both the district and school level support the teaching and learning of mathematics with:

  • effective leadership
  • teacher recruitment and evaluation
  • necessary policies
  • sufficient budgetary resources

Additionally, there exists an organizational culture that supports continuous improvement for teachers, students, and administrators.

Assessment is a crucial component of the new curriculum. The Georgia High School Graduation Tests (GHSGT) assess a student's readiness to compete in situations beyond the classroom. The Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT) measures student achievement of the mathematics GPS in elementary and middle school. The CRCT is the promotional exam in math for grades five and eight as well as a valued indicator of a student's success on the mathematics section of the GHSGT. End of Course Tests (EOCT) gauge student competency of GPS courses in middle and high school.

The DeKalb County School District truly believes that all students can learn. It is the department's goal to provide students with a mathematical experience to promote success and prepare them for the challenge of mathematics at all grade levels as well as postsecondary experiences.

Math Plan

The quality of mathematics instruction will determine the level of student achievement. Therefore, expectations for K–12 mathematics instruction are:

  • Know the standards.
  • Teach the standards.
  • Assess the standards.
  • Use data to improve learning outcomes.
  • Participate in professional learning.

Math Academies

Tier I Professional Learning—New Teacher Math Academy Professional Learning Community (PLC)

Participants, who are all new teachers, enhance their knowledge of mathematical concepts and work collaboratively to design lesson plans and assessments aligned to opens in same window icon teaching and learning power standards [ http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/teaching-and-learning/power-standards ], state, and national standards. Participants are also required to use Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, Marzano's Essential Nine Instructional Strategies, Hyerle's Thinking Maps, and other research-based instructional strategies.

Tier II Professional Learning—Teaching and Learning Math Support Sessions

Participants enhance their knowledge of mathematical concepts and work collaboratively to design lesson plans and assessments aligned to opens in same window icon teaching and learning power standards [ http://www.dekalb.k12.ga.us/teaching-and-learning/power-standards ], state, and national standards. Participants are also required to use Webb's Depth of Knowledge (DOK) levels, Marzano's Essential Nine Instructional Strategies, Hyerle's Thinking Maps, and other research-based instructional strategies.

Tier III Professional Learning—Teaching and Learning Math Support Sessions (Title I Math Teachers)

Participants enhance their knowledge of the multiple and complex ways in which student characteristics (i.e. gender, race, socioeconomic status, conceptual understanding) can affect the teaching and learning of mathematics.

Tier IV Professional Learning—Teaching and Learning Math Sessions (Professional Enhancement)

Participants are able to choose the area(s) for further development that will enhance their ability to provide rigorous, standards-based instruction, as exemplified below:

Take One! Cohort—Take One! is a standards-based approach for improving teaching practices. It also links student learning to effective instruction. The program can be used as an initial step for becoming a National Board Certification (NBC) candidate. The DeKalb County School District has a cohort of Title I high school math teachers who are participating in this program.