Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Education Math topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Walpole math department reports gains across grades; district adopts IXL and expands AP offerings
Summary
The Walpole School Committee heard a comprehensive math update Dec. 12: leaders reported growth on MCAS and PSAT/SAT, a student growth percentile of 55, high AP pass rates, new AP Precalculus enrollment and district rollout of IXL and ST Math (reported effect size 0.61).
John Redolfi, math department chair for grades 6–12, told the School Committee on Dec. 12 that the district’s assessment data show “phenomenal growth” across multiple measures and that Walpole’s student growth percentile exceeds state expectations. “Our data demonstrates significant growth and achievement all the way from our freshmen to our MCAS scores, our AP scores,” Redolfi said, noting the district’s continued gains in MCAS and in student growth metrics.
Redolfi highlighted several concrete results: last year 86 students took AP math courses, 77 achieved passing scores and 67 of those earned scores of 4 or 5 on their exams. He also reported that the district’s student growth percentile is 55, above the state average of roughly 50, and said the department has raised the share of students meeting or exceeding expectations on targeted MCAS items.
Student Nora Broderick, a senior enrolled in the district’s new AP Precalculus course, described initial difficulty adjusting to the pace and rigor, then steady improvement. “AP precalculus really pushes you to think critically and develop problem solving skills,” she said, and recommended the course to students willing to put in the work.
At the middle-school level, STEM coordinator Jill Masterson emphasized the instructional benefits of the new middle school building and explained a new 7th-grade related-arts ‘Connections’ course designed to foster problem solving, collaboration and perseverance. Masterson also described the district’s shift from I-Ready to IXL for diagnostics and said that IXL is being used regularly to generate individualized skill plans and to track growth throughout the year.
Elementary math coaches reported continued implementation of the Bridges curriculum and use of ST Math as a supplemental, visual program. A presenter said ST Math produced strong average pre/post growth in Walpole and reported, “For the 2023–24 school year, Walpole’s ST Math average effect size was a whopping 0.61.” The coaches also noted participation in a DESE-funded Math FactLab pathway this year, which provided 20 seats for 4th-grade students; the district has budgeted Math FactLab subscription costs for this school year and will evaluate continuation as part of the upcoming budget cycle.
Redolfi and other presenters described several instructional practices the department is expanding—including common assessments, unit/quarterly scoring rubrics and increased peer observation—to sustain gains and to expand AP access. The committee asked for follow-up reporting on AP enrollment trends and the elementary pilot results; presenters agreed to return with more detailed outcome data after the winter assessment cycle.
The School Committee did not take a formal vote on curriculum items; the presentation concluded with thanks and an invitation for the department to return with more data.
