Turlock Students Bored By Common Core As Requirements Limit Math Class Availability
/ CBS Sacramento
TURLOCK (CBS13) — One math class is one too few for some middle school students in Turlock. This year, the Turlock Unified School District offers only one math course for 7th grade students and one math class for 8th grade students.
Several parents signed a petition to add a math class for advanced students, who feel the Math Common Core curriculum is too easy.
Seventh grader Kayla Gillman said she loves math, but finds the class at Turlock Junior High School not challenging enough.
"I like learning, because you're going to use it in the real world, so might as well learn it now instead of later," said Gillman.
"I'd like to learn more."
Parent and former math teacher Marie Guerrero saw a problem with the class when her child brought home the course offerings this year.
"That put a red flag up in my head," said Guerrero, who started the Change.org petition with another parent.
"It didn't seem right, because I know that kids are at all different levels in math, especially by the time they get to middle school."
Guerrero fears the students who excel at math, will lose interest in the study if they aren't challenged.
"The other is that they won't be able to progress where they might need to be to further any options that they might want later on," said Guerrero adding that some students might want to pursue a career with mathematics, but not get the opportunities early to advance their studies.
The core math class is new this school year. TUSD issued a statement via email:
TUSD will continue to implement our Multi-Tiered System of Supports with fidelity to accommodate the varied learners in our Math Common Core 7 and 8 math classes until we have substantial data from our first summative assessment to plan for the future. Internal rotations and differentiated instruction in classrooms will be at the forefront of our immediate efforts. Our Secondary Math Pathway Committee, made up of 37 educators who possesses both expertise in math and teaching at all levels, including GATE, will continue to review and discuss students' achievement progress and lack thereof to make the best recommendations on behalf of all learners for both this year and subsequent years.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 113 people signed the petition for an additional math class.
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