Greater Texas Foundation announces a grant in the amount of $203,296 to The University of Texas at Tyler in support of their project, Middle Math Matters: Promoting Successful Postsecondary Pathways through Mathematical Problem Solving in Middle Grades.
This project will replicate an initiative led by E3 Alliance in the Austin area, which provides a proven professional development program to middle school mathematics teachers. The program centers on Problem-Based Learning, in which students work with their peers to engage in authentic problem solving. All sessions include problems that teachers explore independently and in groups, discussions about the structure of and various approaches to solving the tasks, and review of student work on such tasks.
Middle school mathematics education matters. Through its research, E3 Alliance has shown that 63% of Texas students who take an AP math course during high school go on to complete college within six years, compared to 47% of students who take Pre-Calculus in high school and 21% of those whose highest math is Algebra II. Given this strong connection between high school math coursework and postsecondary success, it is important to ensure students build a solid mathematical foundation in middle school. By developing a strong base of middle school math educators, the Middle Math Matters project will place East Texas students on an advanced mathematics pathway that leads to success in their postsecondary education and career.
