The K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center at EDC: Cornerstone Claims

Authors

Kasi Allen Fuller, Mark St. John, Pamela Tambe, Tamara Evans, Laurie Lopez, Inverness Research Inc.

Purpose

From 1992 to 1997, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded twelve curriculum development projects aimed at improving mathematics education for grades K-12: three at the elementary level, four at the middle school level, and five at the high school level. The twelve new mathematics curricula that resulted were all designed to be “standards-based,” meaning that they would embody the vision of mathematics teaching and learning articulated in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics’ Curriculum and Evaluation Standards for School Mathematics (1989). Beginning in 1997, the NSF offered further funding for a small group of dissemination and implementation centers that were given the challenging task of helping schools and districts across the nation learn about these innovative new programs and providing additional support for those who choose to implement them. The Education Development Center (EDC) received such funding from the National Science Foundation in 1997 and established the K-12 Mathematics Curriculum Center (K-12MCC). To date, this center remains the only math-focused implementation and dissemination center that supports all 12 NSF-funded curricula and all 13 grade levels K-12.

Inverness Research Associates is an independent educational research, consulting, and evaluation group that has served as the external evaluator to the Center since the fall of 2001. In this capacity, our work has focused on studying the overall impact of the Center’s efforts, documenting how the K-12MCC’s clients make use of its products and services, and advising the Center’s leaders accordingly. While our association with the K-12MCC does not date back to its inception, we believe that our most recent evaluation work has put us in a strong position to draw some significant conclusions about how the Center is making a difference in the field of mathematics reform.

Intended Audience

Reform Leaders, Funders, Science and Mathematics Educators, District and School Administrators, and general public.

Funded By

This report was prepared with support from the National Science Foundation under grant number ESI-0073880.

Disclaimer

Any and all errors are claimed by the authors of this document, Inverness Research Associates

Date published

March 2003

Distribution Policy

Inverness Research Inc. grants permission to print and distribute copies.

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