Algebra Success

Districts that serve historically under-resourced communities are best suited to implement TCP. 

TCP aims to create systems that support students of color and students from low-income backgrounds to access higher-level mathematics. For this reason, schools that implement TCP should serve a significant population of students from historically under-resourced communities, to align with the model’s mission and design. 

Schools must identify staff to lead implementation and have committed teachers who will participate in initial and ongoing training from TCP.

District and school-based staff are primarily responsible for the implementation of the model, with TCP staff serving as a resource and thought partner. Typically, the district serves as the funder and provides the resources for schools to implement the program. School teams are typically responsible for implementation of the day-to-day components of the program. When districts begin implementing TCP, they need to identify a Calculus Project Coordinator (CPC) to lead the implementation of the model. The CPC does not necessarily need to be a math leader but should be a respected or aspiring leader. The CPC and others supporting the implementation meet with TCP staff bi-monthly to receive support and guidance around setting up sustainable systems, analyzing assessment data, making adjustments to the curriculum, and planning for ongoing professional development (PD) for teachers as well as family engagement opportunities. 

Additionally, schools need to identify teachers that are highly motivated to implement the model. These teachers help develop the summer math curriculum, implement wraparound supports during the school year, and staff the after-school Academic Center and the Summer Academy. TCP staff deliver training for math teachers working in partner schools 1–3 times each year; however, training is more frequent in the first 3 years of a new partner school. Training is arranged to best accommodate schedules within the district; it could occur on PD days or require schools to give teachers additional release time for development. TCP staff support teachers to rethink systems, structures, and behaviors that suppress the achievement of students of color. TCP also supports teachers in adjusting and refining their own curriculum to best serve all students. Additionally, TCP staff offer training and support around the implementation of the Pride Curriculum that TCP provides.

Schools will need to prioritize clustering students in their math courses during the school year and will be in charge of creating Summer Academy and Academic Center schedules. 

Schools need to create schedules that allow students enrolled in TCP to take their core math courses in clusters with other students enrolled in TCP. 

Additionally, schools and districts are in charge of creating schedules for their Summer Academy that allow time for math content learning, collaboration on math tasks, and student engagement in the Pride Curriculum. 

Finally, schools need to identify days and times when they can host the Academic Center for students to get peer- or teacher-led tutoring outside of their core math content courses.

Family engagement and partnership is critical to successfully implementing TCP. 

Schools and districts implementing TCP must establish a Parent Advisory Council. The Parent Advisory Council is composed of parents of TCP students, school administrators, and student representatives. This committee meets regularly to learn how to best support their students and TCP as a whole in the district and in the school. These ongoing touchpoints provide families with updates and learning opportunities to ensure wraparound support and engagement from all stakeholders in a student’s education.

Implementation of TCP requires space for the Summer Academy and the Academic Center. 

TCP has summer programming for all students beginning with rising 8th graders. Schools will need to consider where they can house this summer programming. Typically students are grouped by grade level for the Summer Academy in groups that don’t exceed 25 students. Multiple sections per grade need to be created if there are more than 25 students in a particular grade. Each section will need its own dedicated space for the Summer Academy. 

Additionally, schools will need to identify space for the Academic Center, where after-school tutoring occurs throughout the year on a regular and ongoing basis. Typically 1–2 classrooms are sufficient for this programming, but space should be based on the typical turnout for tutoring in each school.

Implementation of TCP requires an investment from schools and/or districts to initially train teachers and provide ongoing guidance and support. 

Implementation of this model is a multi-year endeavor with varying investments across the years, depending on the level of support from TCP staff. Initially, TCP provides more support in Years 1–3 when the program is developing and when there is more onsite support needed for getting components off the ground. Support in Year 4 and beyond is a reflection of the monthly planning and support sessions, a needs assessment, and continued collaboration on professional learning for teachers.

TCP provides support for the initial recruitment of students into the program and guidance to schools and districts for ongoing recruitment efforts. 

At the start of a partnership, TCP staff play a heavy role in the recruitment of students and families into the program. They provide students and families with material explaining the program and support the school in connecting these potential students and families with TCP alumni that have been successful in navigating the program. TCP also provides a calendar to support schools in planning their outreach to new students. Timeline for Implementation Often, TCP leadership is directly involved in outreach to families, answering questions and supporting them in better understanding what they are committing to and what the outcomes will be.

TCP provides an initial needs assessment and ongoing support sessions to help schools achieve excellence in program implementation. 

An initial site visit from TCP is designed to focus on areas that will need to be present to support TCP programs and students. Visitors from TCP will collaboratively review curriculum and instruction in service of offering recommendations for improvement. 

Following this visit, TCP provides bi-monthly planning and support sessions for the TCP coordinator at each site to support with data analysis, program setup, curriculum support, program review, Summer Academy setup, and more. Additionally, TCP staff visit the schools monthly to focus on giving feedback around implementation and supporting curriculum both in the classroom and in Academic Center tutoring sessions. Finally, TCP offers professional learning for teachers on topics such as curriculum, assessment, culturally responsive practices in mathematics, or other specifically tailored topics that support the development of teaching and learning within a school. 

TCP also aims to respond to student feedback as it supports district and school implementation. Students are given a pre- and post-survey during the Summer Academy to gauge their likelihood of promoting TCP to peers. They are given this survey a third time after completing their first 9 weeks of school. TCP supports schools in analyzing and responding to this data.