Connected Mathematics Project (CMP)
Texas SSI Implementation Pilot

Description of the Project

The Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) is a complete curriculum for grades six through eight mathematics developed at Michigan State University from 1991 through 1996 with funding from the National Science Foundation. Beginning in 1996, at the request of The Charles A. Dana Center, the Texas Statewide Systemic Initiative (SSI) supported a statewide pilot study of the implementation of CMP. The pilot included twenty-two campuses in seven Texas sites, including Austin Independent School District (ISD), Corpus Christi ISD, Lubbock ISD, Plano ISD, North Lamar ISD, the El Paso Urban Systemic Initiative districts, and Region I Education Service Center districts. These campuses represent a wide variety of Texas schools: rural, suburban, urban; low and high socio-economic areas; campuses that serve predominantly English-speaking students, bilingual students, and ESL students; and campuses that are ethnically diverse.

At the onset of the project, sites agreed that the following elements were critical for successful implementation:

  • active principal support from the beginning of the project,
  • a plan for whole mathematics department implementation of the curriculum,
  • intense and lengthy professional training for teachers before they teach the curriculum,
  • expectations of and time for teachers to plan and meet with colleagues,
  • adequate mathematics class time, and
  • ongoing professional development and support on many levels.

Each site created a plan for implementation and evaluation based on the above criteria and made a monetary commitment to the program to purchase materials and provide professional development and support. Under the direction of the Dana Center, the Texas SSI organized and coordinated professional development workshops for teachers, principals, coordinators, and teacher leaders during three summers. The emphasis was for sixth-grade teachers in 1996, seventh-grade in 1997, and eighth-grade in 1998. Teachers were expected to use CMP as their complete curriculum during the following school year. In addition, pilot sites provided professional development and regular opportunities for teachers to meet throughout the school year. Several sites expanded the use of CMP to other campuses, providing their own summer training and ensuring ongoing support throughout the district. During each school year, teachers and administrators were provided opportunities to visit other Texas sites and share ideas and concerns.

The Texas SSI and the seven sites have collected evidence throughout the project. This includes quantitative data, including TAAS scores, as well as stories that describe what students and teachers have learned. In addition, eighth-grade CMP students at many of the sites will be given the Algebra End-of-Course exam in 1999; several sites are considering using this exam as a placement test for students to advance out of Algebra I. Other suggested evaluation measures by sites include using assessment measures different from TAAS and tracking the number of students who complete higher level mathematics courses in high school.

As of January 1999, pilot schools have consistently shown positive results on what is expected for students at the critical middle school level. Students have shown growth in terms of skills, concept understanding and ability to solve complex problems.

The Dana Center does not now and has not ever endorsed the adoption of any instructional programs. It is our policy to support the decisions of local districts and to work with these districts to help them achieve their instructional objectives in ways that support the implementation of the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills.

Lessons Learned

Lessons learned from the Texas SSI pilot of the implementation of the Connected Mathematics Project (CMP) middle school curriculum

  • The CMP curriculum is mathematically strong and accessible to all students. Because CMP encourages students to think and communicate their mathematical understanding and to solve problems in mathematics, students who were previously unsuccessful with traditional mathematics are finding that they are mathematically competent. However, students who previously succeeded in mathematics by answering short numerical questions without justifying or explaining their reasoning need time to adjust to new requirements. Teachers report a great deal of success with students who have traditionally been labeled as special education students; they also find remarkable success with "honors" students. Data collected by districts and the Texas SSI support the finding that all subgroups of students in Texas using CMP made gains on the mathematics portion of the TAAS.
  • Entire mathematics departments need to be involved. Students need the continuity of the CMP curriculum throughout middle school. Because CMP helps students build a connected understanding of mathematics, the greatest success comes from continued use of the curriculum. Teachers need a school commitment to CMP as well as support from their colleagues as they work to increase mathematics achievement for their students. In the few schools where only one teacher attempted to implement CMP, it appears that the program has little chance of long-term success.
  • Principal support is critical. Teachers must have principal support in order to ensure a commitment to CMP as the mathematics initiative for the entire school; help inform and involve parents in CMP; provide release time for further professional development; provide time for common planning; schedule sufficient time for their mathematics classes; and free teachers from the constant concern about the need to teach to the state test, the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS). Teaching the mathematics required in the TEKS using CMP as instructional materials will meet TAAS objectives and targets.
  • Professional development is essential. An intensive professional development experience before beginning the program is important so that teachers can view the units as a whole and gain an understanding of their interconnectedness. Ongoing professional development during the school year is also critical. Although professional development is traditionally thought of in terms of one-shot workshops, teachers benefit more from an expanded definition of professional development that includes sharing ideas of mathematics; using student work to understand what they are learning; collaborating to plan units, share successes, and discuss problems; and observing other teachers. For the Texas CMP project sites, these collaborative actions serve as critical components of professional development.
  • Support on several levels is necessary. At one site meeting, teachers were asked what they thought was most important for the success of CMP. Support was the common thread throughout the conversation, and that support must be multi-layered: support on the campus from peers and principal, including quick discussions in the halls between classes as well as common planning periods and other administrative support; support from the district, including release days for further professional development and opportunities to share and plan with other campuses; and support at the state level, including an electronic forum to facilitate conversation between districts, common data collection from across the state for evaluation purposes, and a ready place to call on for information.
  • There are substantial costs involved in implementing reform curriculum. Some of the costs include: hard work, time, and energy in abundance, as well as a willingness by teachers to take risks; determination to keep the program going and time allowed for students, teachers, and parents to understand and trust that the curriculum does provide the kind of mathematics students need; commitment to continued professional development of teachers centered around mathematical concepts and an understanding of what students are learning; commitment to continued support at several levels (campus and district); and monetary commitment from the campus or district to provide CMP materials (if not part of the adoption process) and professional development. Teachers report that teaching CMP is one of the hardest things they have ever done; but because of the mathematics they see their students doing, they would not return to teaching a traditional curriculum.
  • Involving parents and the community is crucial. Parents need to know how they can help their students with mathematics that may look unfamiliar. They may have valid concerns about what is required of their children using CMP, for example, justifying their answers, communicating their mathematical understanding, and working with other students. Parents may wonder if students are learning the "basics" and need evidence to assure them that CMP does match the state curriculum framework (the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills) and the state assessment (TAAS). They need to be aware that all the NSF-funded curriculum projects, including CMP, have undergone extensive field testing and research. Implementing CMP provides an excellent opportunity to engage the community and parents in discussions about mathematics and what students need to know.