TERC MSPnet: An Electronic Community of Practice Facilitating Communication and Collaboration

The Alliance for Improvement of Mathematics Skills PreK-16 (AIMS PK-16) is a partnership of nine independent school districts in South Texas and two Hispanic-serving institutions of higher education, Del Mar (Community) College and Texas A&M University, Kingsville. The partner school districts serve roughly 30,000 students, of whom 61% are minority students and 50% are economically disadvantaged students. The overarching goal of AIMS PK-16 is to prepare all students in the partner districts for success in college-level mathematics courses by the time that they graduate from high school. This will require the partnership to close significant achievement gaps among student groups, especially raising the achievement of a sizeable Hispanic student population.

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With its emphasis on mathematics education, AIMS PK-16 partners will engage preK-16 administrators, teachers, guidance counselors and higher education faulty in action research, case studies and analysis of student work. As a basis for establishing a challenging curriculum for all students that emphasizes the development of mathematical skills necessary for the college classroom, partner school districts teachers and administrators will work with higher education faculty to vertically align mathematical content in preK-12 courses as they relate to college expectations. TEXTEAMS professional development for teachers, then, will be directed at offering a mathematics curriculum that matches these expectations, and in understanding and implementing the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) and TEKS-based assessments. To enhance teaching and learning, AIMS PK-16 will support the appropriate use of technology to support richer mathematics and problem-solving experiences for students. AIMS PK-16 school districts and university partners are committed to serving as a laboratory for research about the effectiveness of intervention strategies designed to increase mathematics achievement of all students and closing various achievement gaps.

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Project Contributions

Focused Mathematics Professional Development Results in Student Achievement Gains
The Alliance for the Improvement of Mathematics Skills -- PreK-16 (AIMS), funded fall 2002 by NSF, has four goals, one of which focuses on teacher professional development and its affects...

NSF $4 Million Grant Helps South Texas Students Master Math

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