Wallingford board approves revised grade 4–5 elementary math curriculum

The Wallingford Board of Education on June 2 approved revised grade 4 and grade 5 mathematics curriculum, completing the district's five-year review of elementary math and adopting a new classroom resource.

The approval finishes the district's multi-year update to K'3 elementary math and aims to provide greater coherence across strands and more reading-linked context for lessons. The new materials reduce the number of units at grade 4 from seven to six, add a five-week launching unit and keep a culminating unit to integrate learning.

Christy Madanci, K-12 math coordinator for the Wallingford School District, presented the changes and told the board, "I'm bringing forward grade 4 and grade 5 mathematics. These are the final 2 courses in our 5 year review process for elementary math." Madanci said the revision focused on helping students make "deeper connections between the content strands within the grade level." She also described a new resource adopted districtwide, saying teachers and students "report love those lessons," referring to the read-aloud linked resource Math by the Book.

Board members asked no substantive questions during the presentation. After discussion the board moved to consensus and approved both grade levels.

The change is curricular (instructional scope, unit sequencing and a supplemental resource) rather than a programmatic budget decision; Madanci said the resource has already been used by classroom teachers during the last two years of the review.

Board actions recorded at the meeting show unanimous consent to adopt the grade 4 and grade 5 mathematics curriculum. The district will proceed to implement the new pacing and materials in the coming school year.