Mathematics Achievement Fund

Overview

Established in 2005, the Mathematics Achievement Fund is visionary legislation that looks to provide support and resources to Kentucky school districts, educators and students. The goal is to ensure that Kentucky students are achieving their academic grade level proficiencies.

The Kentucky Center for Mathematics is a collaborative partner with the Kentucky Department of Education, University of Louisville, and M2 Consulting to support schools in the implementation of mathematics coaching to improve mathematics teaching practices and student achievement outcomes. KCM provides one-on-one support by an experienced KCM regional consultant using Cognitive Coaching. Our goal is to guide and grow each mathematics coach in the following areas:

• Implementation of research-based mathematics teaching practices
• Teacher and student look-fors in high performing classrooms
• High-quality professional learning designed to support Kentucky Academic Standards for Mathematics implementation
• Establishing professional learning communities around mathematics instruction and intervention
• Ensuring high quality instructional resources alignment to the Kentucky Academic Standards for Mathematics in order to meet the needs of primary students and other students who are struggling to meet grade level standards in mathematics

MAF Coaching

The research of Drs. Jennifer Bay-Williams and Maggie McGatha lays the foundation for the Kentucky Center for Mathematics' school-level math coaching. In their book, Everything You Need for Mathematics Coaching, the researchers promote the Leading for Mathematical Proficiency Framework. This framework sets forth for math coaches the structure for making positive systemic change in their school.

(Bay-Williams, Jennifer, and Maggie McGatha. Everything You Need for Mathematics Coaching: Tools, Plans and a Process That Works for Any Instructional Leader. Corwin, 2018.)

The KCM regional consultants offer expert resources and Cognitive Coaching to help educators meet the goal of improved student achievement in mathematics. This includes:

• Implementing research-based mathematics teaching practices
• Professional development resources and support for school-based professional learning communities
• Expertise in the Kentucky Academic Standards
• Support for Family/Community Math Night initiatives

The outcomes from math coaching are to equip school-level educators with research-based content on foundational mathematics knowledge aligned to the Kentucky Academic Standards.

MAF Schools

Legislation

158.844 Mathematics achievement fund -- Creation -- Use and disposition of moneys -- Administrative regulations -- Requirements for grant applicants -- Department to provide information to schools and to make annual report to Interim Joint Committee on Education.

1. The mathematics achievement fund is hereby created to provide developmentally appropriate diagnostic assessment and intervention services to students, primary through grade 12, to help them reach proficiency in mathematics on the state assessments under KRS 158.6453 and in compliance with the "No Child Left Behind Act of 2001," 20 U.S.C. secs. 6301 et seq., as required under KRS 158.840.
2. The grant funds may be used to support the implementation of diagnostic and intervention services in mathematics. The use of funds may include: pay for extended time for teachers, released time for teachers to serve as coaches and mentors or to carry out other responsibilities needed in the implementation of intervention services, payment of substitute teachers needed for the support of mathematics teachers, purchase of materials needed for modification of instruction, and other costs associated with diagnostic and intervention services or to cover other costs deemed appropriate by the Kentucky Board of Education.
3. The fund shall:
   1. Provide funding for the Center for Mathematics created in KRS 164.525 and the costs of training selected teachers in the diagnostic assessment and intervention skills that are needed to assist struggling students in the primary program and other grade levels;
   2. Provide renewable, two (2) year local grants to school districts and for purposes described in subsection (2) of this section; and
   3. Provide operational funding for the Committee for Mathematics Achievement created in KRS 158.842.
4. Any funds appropriated to the mathematics achievement fund that are specifically designated by the General Assembly to support the Center for Mathematics shall be appropriated to the Council on Postsecondary Education and distributed to the university administering the center, as determined by the council under KRS 164.525.
5. Any moneys in the fund at the close of a fiscal year shall not lapse but shall be carried forward to be used for the purposes specified in this section.
6. Any interest earnings of the fund shall become a part of the fund and shall not lapse.
7. 1. Any funds appropriated to the mathematics achievement fund and specifically designated by the General Assembly as funding for grants to local school districts or to support the Committee for Mathematics Achievement shall be administered by the Kentucky Department of Education.
   2. The Kentucky Board of Education shall promulgate administrative regulations relating to the grants for local school districts based on recommendations from the Committee for Mathematics Achievement, the secretary of the Education and Labor Cabinet, the commissioner of education, and the Center for Mathematics established in KRS 164.525. The administrative regulations shall:
      1. Identify eligibility criteria for grant applicants;
      2. Specify the criteria for acceptable diagnostic assessments and intervention programs and coaching and mentoring programs;
      3. Establish the minimum annual evaluation process for each grant recipient;
      4. Identify the annual data that must be provided from each grant recipient;
      5. Define the application and approval process;
      6. Establish matching fund requirements if deemed necessary by the board;
      7. Define the obligations for professional development and continuing education for teachers, administrators, and staff of each grant recipient;
      8. Establish the conditions for renewal of a two (2) year grant; and
      9. Specify other conditions necessary to implement the purposes of this section.
   3. As part of the application process, the board shall require that a grant applicant provide assurances that the following principles will be met if the applicant's request for funding is approved:
      1. Mathematics instruction will be standards-based and utilize research-based practices;
      2. Intervention and support services will supplement, not replace, regular classroom instruction; and
      3. Intervention services will be provided to primary program students and other students who are at risk of mathematics failure within the school based upon ongoing assessments of their needs.
   4. If matching funds are required, the school council or, if none exists, the principal or the superintendent of schools, shall allocate matching funds. Funding for professional development allocated to the school council under KRS 160.345 and for continuing education under KRS 158.070 may be used to provide a portion or all of a school's required match.
   5. The Department of Education shall make available to schools:
      1. Information from the Center for Mathematics regarding diagnostic assessment and intervention programs and coaching and mentoring programs of proven-practice in meeting the needs of primary students and other students who are at risk of failure;
      2. Technical assistance to potential applicants and grant recipients;
      3. A list of professional development providers offering teacher training in diagnostic assessment and intervention strategies and coaching and mentoring; and
      4. Information from the Center for Mathematics on how to communicate to parents effective ways of interacting with their children to improve their mathematics concepts, skills, and understanding.
   6. The Department of Education shall submit a report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education no later than September 1 of each year outlining the use of grant funds. By November 1, 2007, the Department of Education with input from the Committee for Mathematics Achievement and the Center for Mathematics shall conduct a statewide needs assessment of the resources needed in each school to help each child achieve proficiency in mathematics by the year 2014 and report to the Interim Joint Committee on Education an estimate of the cost and a specific timeline for meeting the goal established by the Commonwealth.