Petition claims Troy schools is removing honors classes; district says math classes being restructured
TROY, Mich. (CBS DETROIT) - The Troy School District has responded to what officials claim is misinformation about the removal of the district's middle school honors math classes.
A spokesperson with the district says sixth and seventh-grade math is being restructured.
A petition, which now has more than 2,300 virtual signatures, says the district is attempting a "misguided attempt at equity" by removing middle school honors math classes. Parents are concerned about transparency in this and that the removal of honors courses will become a trend, eliminating them from the curriculum completely.
A school board workshop took place Tuesday night to educate the Troy school board and families about the reasoning behind these changes.
Around 50 slides were shared by math curriculum specialists describing the research, data, effective teaching practices and standardized testing prep.
"We need to have more statistics on if this is a good idea or not," said Tracy Owens, a concerned parent with children in the district.
Owens started the petition to oppose the removal of honors classes in Troy schools. She says she's completely against this restructuring.
"Listen to the parents, this is what people are talking about, parental rights. We spend a lot of time with our kids, we know what's going on and they just don't want to listen to any of the parents," Owens said.
Tonight is not about making a decision, tonight is just about listening," says Troy School District Superintendent Dr. Richard Machesky.
He tells CBS News Detroit he wants parents to feel heard, as he and the Troy school board learns themselves what this restructuring would look like before making an actual decision.
"There has not been a formal decision made. That will be made at the regular board meeting on May 16," Machesky says.
Machesky sent an email Tuesday in response to concerned parents, saying in part:
"Dear ONE Troy,
Let me be clear: The Troy School District has no intention of getting rid of honors and accelerated opportunities for students.
The TSD prides itself on setting the standard for excellence in education with a rigorous curriculum that encourages students to excel, innovative experiences for all ages, and a strong foundation of deep learning for all. This will never change. It's who we are and who we will continue to be.
Unfortunately, as we have seen nationally and here in Michigan, a politically motivated group funded by outside interests is orchestrating a campaign of misinformation here in Troy. This group has now utilized some of our parent directories in direct violation of our policy and undertook other efforts to spread false information throughout our community. These deceptive tactics are harmful to our students, staff and families. We are aware that this group is attempting to hold a public meeting. The email you may have received and this meeting are not affiliated with the Troy School District in any way and given the details shared thus far, will contain further misinformation and fear-mongering.
We rarely respond to this kind of dishonesty, but this has reached a point where we need to make sure that our community has accurate, truthful information.
Here are the facts:
- There is no plan to remove honors opportunities from the Troy School District.
- Our changes to the 6th and 7th grade math structure are deliberately designed so that students have a better preparation for advanced mathematics in high school and beyond—and so that more students are prepared to take AP and advanced math.
- This change affects 6th and 7th grade only. In 8th grade, students will have the same opportunity as they do now to take Algebra 1—or they can choose a separate 8th grade math class. The change in structure simply moves the timeline for the selection of an advanced track to 8th grade.
- The end point for advanced middle school math students (Algebra I) does not change. Students in Honors Math 6/7 and Honors Math 7/8 currently enroll in Algebra 1 in 8th grade and can continue to AP Calculus in high school if they choose. The opportunities for advanced students does not change. The curricular and structural change allows students to build a deeper foundation in mathematics, instead of racing through three years' worth of content in two years. This structure will also allow other students to push themselves and be ready for Algebra 1 in 8th grade if they choose.
- In addition to advancing to Algebra I, students will still have the opportunity to "skip grades" of math through demonstrating mastery, as they do now. There will still be 8th grade students taking Geometry and high school students advancing through the curriculum as they choose.
- This structure change does NOT impact advanced or accelerated math in high school and is intended to strengthen opportunities for students in AP and dual enrollment courses.
We have prepared a variety of information for families to learn more about the structure and curricular change. This includes how we worked with colleges, universities, and industry partners to develop the best program to enhance the path of achievement for our students.
Change can often bring anxiety, we recognize this and honor that as parents, you want what is best for your students. Your feedback in this process has helped us identify where we can be better. We are thankful for parents and students who have sought more information—and that has resulted in numerous productive conversations throughout the TSD. As always, we welcome your questions and continued feedback. Our middle school principals, teachers, and curriculum specialists are ready to sit down for any discussions you may want to have. At a district level, you are more than welcome to reach out to me or any of our administrators to learn more.
The Troy School District will always be a place where excellence reigns. We will never rest on our past successes. There is no finish line where we stop and say, "good enough." Instead, like any world class organization, we are on a continuous journey of improvement, always looking for ways to strengthen our practice, expand opportunities for students and benchmark ourselves against the best in the world. We know that you entrust us with the most precious people in your lives and we don't take that lightly.
We appreciate your trust and willingness to allow us to set the record straight.
The best is yet to come!
