Math & Science Partnership

The El Paso Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) was funded by a five-year, $30+ million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant advanced efforts initiated under El Paso’s NSF-funded Urban Systemic Initiative and Urban System Program, but took them to a new level, broadening the number of program partners and deepening the nature of those partnerships. MSP brought together all 12 of the region’s school districts with the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), El Paso Community College (EPCC), and a host of business and community organizations, to ensure that all students succeed in mathematics and science at every point in the schooling process, K-16.

Goals

The El Paso Mathematics/Science Partnership adopted the following goals::

• fully engaging university and community college leadership and mathematics, science, engineering and education faculty in working toward significantly improved K-12 math/science student achievement;
• ensuring the number, quality and diversity of K-12 teachers of mathematics and science across all schools, particularly schools with the greatest needs;
• building the capacity of area districts and schools to provide the highest quality mathematics and science curriculum, instruction and assessment and ensure the highest level achievement among every single student;
• ensuring the alignment of mathematics and science curriculum, instruction and assessment, K-16, to the highest national standards such that students graduating from area high schools are prepared to enroll and be successful in mathematics, science and engineering courses at UTEP and El Paso Community College; and
• prioritizing research on educational reform and identifying critical elements in K-12 and postsecondary systemic improvement efforts.

Results

Evidence of the impact of the El Paso MSP program is clear and multi-dimensional, and is best exemplified by the following:

• Deeply committed core partners, including postsecondary STEM faculty, jointly responsible for the implementation and success of the program;
• Provision of rigorous STEM courses and curricula—and teachers prepared to teach demanding course content—to all students, K-16;
• A huge increase—33 percentage points—in the proportion of students passing TAKS Mathematics, from the beginning of MSP to its conclusion;
• A similar level of increase—31 percentage points—in the proportion of students passing TAKS Science, with performance at one grade level increasing 55 percentage points;
• All students in MSP urban districts —100 percent—enrolled in Algebra I, Biology and Algebra II; 95% of all students enrolled in Geometry by grade 10 and 91% of all students enrolled in Chemistry by grade 11;
• A dramatic increase in the proportion of entering students prepared for college-level mathematics at UTEP, with a moderate increase occurring at EPCC;
• A significant increase in math teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge, knowledge of how to teach high-level mathematics content;
• Completion of the math and science K-16 alignment efforts, including the K-12 curriculum frameworks, the Algebra II End-of-Course exam, development and application of frameworks at the postsecondary levels, and adoption of new curriculum and instruction scope and sequence documents across area districts based upon the MSP frameworks;
• Institutionalization of math placement testing in the junior and senior years of high school across all MSP districts to alert students and schools to prepare students for college-level coursework and avoid placement in developmental math courses in college;
• Implementation of a newly approved tenure and promotion policy providing appropriate recognition for faculty contributions to the advancement of math and science education and/or improvements in K-16 education and research;
• Institutionalization of the Master of Arts in Teaching Mathematics and Master of Arts in Teaching Science degrees specifically designed for working teachers, and developed to improve the quality of math and science instruction in area schools;
• Creation of mathematics instructional reforms at UTEP and EPCC, including developmental courses offered in hybrid/online modes and accelerated 6-8 week versions, thereby accelerating and supporting students to enroll and complete their first college-level math course;
• Full implementation of UTEP and EPCC’s Enhanced New Student Orientation which provides a 6-hour math workshop for new students testing into developmental math and resulted in 48% of students re-testing at least one course level higher, and 31% re-testing out of developmental math altogether;
• Development of organizational structures to ensure the sustainability of MSP programs and policies for the long-term.

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