Math Proficiency on the Rise in Detroit Public Schools

For one thing, Gonzalez says, teacher instruction has been much more effective. “Teachers are thinking about the mathematics differently. They are solving problems, talking to one another about mathematics, and using mathematical models in their practice that they were previously unfamiliar with,” she says.

As for students, Gonzalez says they are working at a new level. “During the 2018–2019 year, it was observable the difference in the level of engagement of students and the quality of the work that they were producing,” she says. She adds that a survey of students confirmed that they found the new curriculum’s academic work more rigorous and engaging.

And the increase in end-of-year proficiency scores on the state’s M-STEP Mathematics assessment was a big win. “The rate of growth (in Detroit) exceeded the rate of growth statewide in all tested grade levels,” Gonzalez says. “We are excited to move into our second year of implementation with momentum from our positive test scores.”

Switching to new curricular resources, of course, also brings challenges. In Detroit’s case, teachers needed coaching to meet the pacing requirements of Eureka Math.

Gonzalez noted that major shifts in instruction, like the one Detroit undertook, can’t succeed without a significant investment in teacher professional development. The district, in collaboration with Great Minds®, offered summer professional development for teachers. The district also took advantage of all of the curriculum’s available resources. For example, Gonzalez says, “teachers have access to Eureka Math’s library of professional development videos and are leveraging them in collaborative and individual planning.”

"Teachers are thinking about the mathematics differently. They are solving problems, talking to one another about mathematics, and using mathematical models in their practice that they were previously unfamiliar with."

—Beth Gonzalez, assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction

This year, instructional leadership teams, made up of administrators and master teachers, are discussing key topics over multiple weeks. And the district is working to build coaching leadership in its schools.

Parents needed help understanding why their children’s homework looked so different from past assignments. To help parents and guardians, the district set up a teacher-staffed homework hotline to answer their questions in real time. “This has been a really helpful strategy in reducing families’ anxieties around helping their children,” Gonzalez says.

When asked what advice she would offer schools considering Eureka Math, Gonzalez says they should make sure to invest in professional learning and not wait to shift to high-quality materials. Our kids deserve better, she says. Without a rigorous curriculum like Eureka Math, “they are not going to reach the levels of proficiency to succeed in higher-level mathematics and be on a trajectory in a math or science field in post-secondary school.”