Pima Butte Elementary outlines math-instruction plan emphasizing math talks, common assessments and intervention blocks

Pima Butte Elementary Principal Elizabeth Allison told the Maricopa Unified School District governing board on March 26 that the school implemented a deliberate, data-driven program to strengthen math instruction across pre-K through fifth grade.

“All of our work is rooted in deliberate planning, strong instructional practices, and a focused use of data,” Allison said, summarizing a set of changes the school adopted after analyzing assessment trends.

Allison said the school identified inconsistent use of small-group instruction, manipulatives and common understanding of standards as drivers of declining performance on AASA and district assessments. To address those gaps, Pima Butte prioritized tier 1 instruction in the master schedule, added daily intervention and extension time, restored manipulatives in classrooms, and reintroduced math talks to warm up student thinking. Teachers participate in weekly professional learning team (PLT) meetings that focus on four guiding questions: what students should know, how staff will measure learning, strategies for students who have and have not mastered the standard.

The school also introduced quarterly common formative assessments (CFAs) created in SchoolCity for grades 2–5, and uses FastBridge to monitor foundational skills in kindergarten and first grade. Allison said CFAs were aligned to essential standards and are intended to provide regular checkpoints in addition to district assessments. She described math talks as brief activities that encourage students to connect prior knowledge to new problems; a fifth-grade student quoted in the presentation said, “math talks help him to grow his brain. They help him to grow his understanding of mathematical concepts and connect old concepts to new learning.”

During board Q&A, a board member asked whether math interventions overlap with reading interventions. Allison said the school provides designated time for both reading and math intervention and extension, “but they don't necessarily overlap.” She described the work as an opportunity to build a shared understanding of standards and to improve consistency across classrooms.

Allison outlined additional supports including teacher coaching, use of manipulatives, and math centers that allow teachers to circulate, provide feedback and pull small groups for intervention or enrichment. She said the school expects to see improvement as teachers continue to implement the strategies and use data from CFAs to adjust instruction.

The presentation concluded with the board asking follow-up questions and Allison responding that the school found the process an “opportunity” to align understanding and assessment practices across grade levels.