Leaders at Iberia Parish Public Schools are justifiably proud of their progress over the past several years using Eureka Math®, and they are taking steps to strengthen instruction even further.
DISTRICT PROFILE
Schools: 27
Students: 12,000
Most notably, the gains in student achievement have been impressive. The percentage of students in Grades 3–8 scoring mastery or above on the state’s LEAP math test improved an average of 7.5 percentage points from 2015 through 2019. More than three-fourths of the district’s schools are at or above the state average for proficiency in math, according to Assistant Superintendent Heath Hulin. And Iberia now ranks 13th of the 72 Louisiana districts tested in math, an all-time high.
Percentage (%) of Students Scoring Mastery or Above on LEAP Math Test
“We’re going into our seventh year with Eureka Math, and we have really grown. Especially in the lower grades, instruction has really improved,” Hulin says. “Kids have a much stronger understanding. Their math vocabulary is better. And they can explain their thinking.”
STRENGTHENING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
For the lower grades, the priority going forward is for math coaches and district teams to conduct learning walks in all elementary schools. Learning walks are brief classroom visits that focus on what students are learning, how they’re learning it, and their interaction and engagement with the content. Principals will receive the feedback, and coaches will follow up as needed.
"We're going into our seventh year with Eureka Math, and we have really grown. Kids have a much stronger understanding. Their math vocabulary is better. And they can explain their thinking."
—Heath Hulin, assistant superintendent
In addition, content leads at every school in the district are training all regular education and special education teachers how to teach core content in greater depth. In particular, they help teachers understand the key concepts and use the lesson debriefs more effectively. “A lot of teachers are still jumping straight to the Problem Set, teaching old school: ‘I work an example, you work an example, we’re done,’” says Leslie Stuart, math supervisor for Grades 6–12.
ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN MIDDLE GRADES
As in most districts, in Iberia Parish the middle grades present greater challenges, including students who arrive not having mastered basic concepts in elementary school. But Hulin and Stuart are encouraged that students are entering Grades 6–8 with fewer learning gaps; most have been using Eureka Math since Grades 1 and 2 or even Kindergarten in some cases.
Plus, the district has provided middle-grades teachers and educators with a new round of Great Minds® training. Teachers attended the “Launch Eureka Math” and “Preparation and Customization” professional development sessions created by the curriculum’s teacher–writers. Administrators also attended the “Lead Eureka Math” PD session to learn what they should see in classrooms using the curriculum—both in terms of instruction and student engagement.
“It has been so long since we had a formal training like this,” Hulin says. “It really helped to see the curriculum with a fresh set of eyes and to be reminded about the reason for all the components. We had a lot of aha moments.”
Adds Stuart, “The reaction from teachers was amazing. Many said this is just what they needed.”
Both Iberia administrators emphasize the importance of quality PD. Specifically, Stuart says, educators new to Eureka
Math “need to understand the why of all components and the coherence from grade to grade.”
Hulin notes that Eureka Math implementation requires a shift in planning. “Teachers no longer have to find resources or create their own. But they do have to dive into the curriculum, do the lessons, and see where students might struggle,” he explains. “It’s not more work. It’s different work.”
Jenny Taylor
Jenny has over a decade of experience in education policy and research. She has worked with states and districts on the development and implementation of college and career readiness policies, especially around the implementation of rigorous standards and high-quality instructional materials. She has extensive knowledge about K–12 standards, graduation requirements, assessments, and accountability systems nationwide. Additionally, she has conducted research for school districts to address pressing needs in those districts. Jenny received her B.A. in English and education from Bucknell University and her M.Ed. in education policy from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education.
Topics: Professional Development Data Stories Student Achievement
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