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Students and parents urge district to expand accelerated math options, call mixed-ability classes 'boring'
Summary
Multiple students and parents told trustees they are dissatisfied with mixed-ability middle-school math, describing boredom and lost enthusiasm; district staff outlined existing extension activities, counseling outreach and pathways, and trustees asked for more cohort and site-level data.
Several students and parents used the study-session public comment period to press the San Mateo'Foster City School District for clearer pathways to accelerated math and for better differentiation in middle-school classrooms.
Christina, a Bayside student, said visual methods used across the curriculum do not suit every learner and called for more traditional numeric approaches alongside visual techniques. "Visual methods don't work for everyone," she said, urging that students be allowed to advance after demonstrating proficiency. Another speaker, sixth-grader Adelina Lee, described persistent boredom: "I'm really bored in my math class... the sixth grade class was still being taught 8 divided by two," and urged routine proficiency testing so students who demonstrate mastery can move ahead.
Parents at the meeting echoed those concerns. Katie Diak, a parent and educator, said changes made four years ago had a large effect on her child and argued the current heterogeneous model has left some high-performing students unchallenged. Ling He, a parent and former math coach, urged the board to clarify whether teachers are allowed to teach beyond the standard curriculum and asked that alternative resources and personalized pathways be permitted for advanced students.
District staff responded by pointing to built-in extensions in lessons and to existing options: Amy Burke, the district math coordinator, described embedded extension activities that teachers can select for students who are ready to go deeper, and staff said the double-math 8th-grade option is available to any student who elects it. Staff also explained the proficiency route for moving from sixth- to eighth-grade math is available to students who volunteer to take an after-school proficiency assessment; the district said it communicates pathway options through classroom presentations, video materials sent to families and follow-up counseling outreach to underrepresented students.
Trustees flagged access concerns. Several board members said after-school proficiency testing and opt-in procedures may disadvantage families who have limited time or who miss emailed notices, and asked staff to present cohort and site-level data and to consider more active outreach and makeup options. Trustees also requested clearer data on how many students leave the district for private schools because of course availability.
Next steps: staff said they will follow up with site-level numbers, cohort data disaggregation by race/ethnicity and outreach plans to ensure equitable access to accelerated pathways. The board took no formal vote on program changes at the study session.
