Office of the Superintendent

Donald Gill, Ed.D.

Preparing Students for Success in College, Career, and Life.

July 29, 2010

For Immediate Release

Antioch Unified School District’s focus on every student completing Algebra 1 by the 8th grade:

The State Board of Education mandates that students satisfactorily complete California
Algebra I standards by the end of 8th grade. Antioch Unified School District Superintendent Dr.
Donald Gill has stated “It is critical that we push our students hard to meet this grade level standard. Today, if
our students are going to compete on an equal basis with students from other nations, they must go beyond the
basic question of what students learned. The more important question is what can our students do to apply their
mathematical knowledge with real world problems?”

While the district has clearly identified the need to give access to all students to UC a-g course of study, a large
group of math teachers, site administrators, and counselors from each middle and high school met several times
this past year and during the summer to tackle the issue of very low math grades across all schools. Over the
years, several alternatives were provided in the middle school such as Algebra Concepts and Math Readiness,
each aimed at providing the foundation for Algebra 1. The results, however, do not indicate any significant impact
from this. Mary McCarthy, Director of Educational Services, shared that “while 40% of students in the middle
school take the Algebra 1 Content Standards Test (CST), only 24% were proficient. Of the 63% of 9th graders who
took the Algebra 1 CST, only 8% were proficient. Many of these 9th grade students have received support math
courses in addition to Algebra 1 both in middle and high schools. The district is awaiting the 2010 STAR results.

“By focusing on one objective, that is to ensure that all 8 th grade students in 2012-13 will be enrolled in Algebra 1
in the 8th grade, we have revisited our support plan. Starting this year, we will provide each student in the 6 th grade
who is not testing at advanced levels for their grade will be provided a period of math support. This support will
continue in their 7th grade and we will have data in two years to show if this level of resource has worked. This
new plan, shared and embraced by middle school principals, provides multiple pathways to completing Algebra 1
by 8th grade, while also supporting students throughout their middle grades” reported High School Reform
Administrator, Dr. Fal Asrani.

The district has embarked on the college readiness initiative and continues to struggle with the number of students
who are taking higher levels of math and science courses. Deer Valley High School Co-Principal Clarence
Isadore, member of the Task Force commented, “One common theme appears that our students are so burnt out
by having to repeat Algebra 1 that large numbers don’t proceed to Algebra II. We know they need Algebra II to
ensure that they are college ready”.

The district has become a member of the Silicon Valley Math Initiative (SVMI) to assist in training
teachers on strategies and pedagogy around Algebra I. The Task Force will continue their work this year
and closely monitor this plan.

Contact: Fal Asrani, Administrator, High School Reform (925) 776-2060

510 G Street, Antioch, California 94509-1259
 Office of the Superintendent
Donald Gill, Ed.D.

510 G Street, Antioch, California 94509-1259