QUESTION:  May a school select Add+Vantage MR as the primary intervention program for the Mathematics Achievement Fund grant proposal? 

ANSWER:  A school may select any research-based primary intervention program.  Although the Add+Vantage MR program is an excellent professional development offering for training classroom teachers to use the Math Recovery frameworks for diagnostic assessment and differentiated numeracy instruction for groups or classes, the Kentucky Center for Mathematics encourages schools interested in Add+Vantage MR to apply for the full course of training the Mathematics Intervention Teacher (MIT) in the Math Recovery Specialist certification program, for the following reasons:

--More in-depth training:  By selecting the Math Recovery professional development program, the MIT will receive more rigorous course, including 10 days of free training valued at $4400, 3 free on-site coaching visits from Math Recovery leaders, and 4 collegial team meetings led by Math Recovery Leaders.  By selecting Add+Vantage MR professional development program, the MIT will only receive 4 days of free training worth $550 with no on-site coaching.   

--Flexibility:  Math Recovery certification requires 100 hours of one-on-one instruction with first graders and 100 hours of videotape analysis, but Math Recovery MITs have also worked with small groups and/or collaborated with regular classroom teachers.  The Math Recovery Specialist normally provides intensive tier-three intervention services, whereas the Add+Vantage MR teacher is trained to only conduct whole class tier-one intervention or small group tier-two intervention.  

--Leadership:  Math Recovery Specialists are eligible to become Math Recovery Leaders and Add+Vantage Champions, meaning they can become trainers of other teachers in your district who wish to become Add+Vantage teachers or Math Recovery Specialists.  Add+Vantage MR teachers are not eligible to become Champions, unless they first complete the Math Recovery Specialist certification process.

--Sustainability:  Through leadership development, the Math Recovery Specialist has the capacity to not only to provide training for other teachers in their buildings/district, but they can also provide ongoing support through coaching and collegial team meetings.