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Committee adopts new secondary math curriculum; district cites accessibility and diagnostic tools
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Summary
After a year-long review, math department chairs recommended a Cengage secondary math program (Big Ideas/Math & You); the committee voted to accept the 8–12 recommendation and staff outlined costs, diagnostic tools and supports for English learners and special education.
The Mendon-Upton Regional School Committee voted to adopt a new secondary math curriculum recommended by math department chairs after a year-and-a-half review.
Presenters Ryan LaVarre (math department chair, speaker 4) and Lauren Plann (department chair, speaker 12) described the process: an initial desk review of five resources narrowed to three finalists followed by formal review against district priorities (focus and coherence, rigor and mathematical practices, teacher and student support). The chairs recommended a Cengage program — referred to in the presentation as Big Ideas and by its rebranded name, Math and You: Concepts and Connections — noting its alignment to Massachusetts frameworks, embedded English-language-development supports mapped to WIDA levels, extensive differentiation (tier 1/2/3 supports), digital diagnostics and embedded teacher videos (CalcView) and solution supports (CalcChat).
Staff described financing as a six-year subscription typically financed over two years; one committee member repeated a figure that the vendor price would be about $51,000 for the six-year package, while district staff also said first-year consumable and licensing timing would put FY27 costs "under $30,000." Presenters estimated roughly 2,700 student users over the six-year contract and said the vendor's offering included technology integrations (Desmos, GeoGebra) and career-connected unit openings produced in partnership with National Geographic.
The recommendation was moved, seconded and approved by a voice vote. Committee members asked multiple questions about calculus/precalculus alignment, special-education supports and the role of AI in publisher tools; presenters said the resource offers tiered supports and diagnostic/skill-builder tools to help intervention and extension.
Implementation notes: staff said teacher training and implementation planning will follow, and any final purchase will depend on maintaining the district's budget priorities and vendor negotiation.
