Board debates math pathways and whether to require a third year of high-school math

Nick (speaker 2) and Mark (speaker 4) outlined the district's approach to math pathways, including use of the Mathematics Diagnostic Testing Project (MDTP) for sixth- and seventh-grade placement and options that keep the path to calculus open for students who advance in middle school.

"Every sixth grade student walks into GW right now on path to get to calculus by their senior year," Nick said, describing placement into Math 7, Accelerated 7 or algebra in middle school based on MDTP results and other data. He said the MDTP is a norm-referenced assessment used across California for placement and gap identification.

Board members pressed on practical implementation: whether staff have capacity to evaluate every student after MDTP testing, how counseling and placement communications work with families, and whether the district should require a third high-school math year for graduation. One trustee asked, "Why are we at 2 years of math at high school?" and urged the board to consider aligning graduation requirements with college- and career-readiness standards.

Staff said the district aims to preserve multiple pathways — including college preparatory and CTE-aligned options — and pledged to return with data on how many students take third and fourth years of math, how many finish algebra in middle school, and what staffing or scheduling changes would be needed to expand options.

The board characterized the work as a 6–12 effort and asked staff to consult site administrators and classroom teachers to identify barriers and resource needs before any formal policy change is proposed.