In question is whether Oak Park District 97’s (D97) re-naming part of the math program is meant to hide systemic discrimination against math high achievers. The program is necessary for “synching to OPRF” high school says Superintendent Ushma Shah.
E3 asks…why is it necessary to rename and “synch” if this program follows the law mandating fair decision criteria for high achievers?
D97’s new buzz phrase “Access to Algebra” lacks a certain creativity even if it does describe new guidelines for advancing a year in middle school math and does not describe changes to curricula. Superintendent Shah tried to calm concerns at the Tuesday December 10, 2024, board meeting saying “Those are all questions relevant to when you are actually making curriculum and course changes, that’s not what’s happening here.” What is happening – fewer students are being accelerated in math. Parents were curious Tuesday, and some board members admitted they do not understand.
There are no longer math classes at D97 middle schools for 8th grade double-accelerated students. There had been three classes at both D97 middle schools as recently as last year (SY 23-24). Documents obtained by E3 from a FOIA request to OPRF show the number of double-accelerated 9th graders at OPRF this year is 130, whereas the number of double-accelerated 8th graders from D97 is 13, suggesting 90% drop in double-acceleration over one year. D97 is restricting accelerated students from participating in “Access to Algebra” to double-accelerate, cutting classes and complicating guidelines and scheduling, while claiming it still offers a double-acceleration opportunity.
It is reasonable to be suspicious and critical of school officials that elevate social programs above curriculum and instruction. Board members indicated Superintendent Shah had sent an email to them prior to the December 10, 2024 meeting reinforcing “Access to Algebra is an access pathway, not an acceleration pathway. I’m going to repeat that. Access to Algebra is an access pathway, not an acceleration pathway”. You would be right if you thought Shah’s clarification on access versus acceleration sounds like another serving of word salad.
“Access to Algebra” is the social justice equity language foisted on families in River Forest D90, Oak Park D97, and Oak Park & River Forest high school D200 that signals lower academic standards and higher focus on identity groups and emotions. It may signal something more to those familiar with Illinois law describing school responsibilities for accelerated placement.
It would be important to call “Access to Algebra” something other than an acceleration program if one believed the name would prevent the program from falling under the Illinois Accelerated Placement Act. If it does fall under the law, then restricting participation is a violation.
Among other points favorable to fostering maximum student learning, the law states “A student who exceeds State standards in mathematics shall be automatically enrolled into the next most rigorous level of advanced coursework in mathematics”. It doesn’t stipulate who, how fast, or how far students may accelerate, other than its requirement for a “fair and equitable” decision process and non-discrimination criteria.
Section 6:135 of D97’s board policy, Accelerated Placement Program, appears consistent with the law and specifies the goal of educating students to their “maximum potential”. If the schools have teachers and classes to accelerate students based on individual math ability, then why be so tricky with the language?
It walked like a duck for Superintendent Shah Tuesday, whose email to board members also said “every d97 student matriculating to D200, regardless of math advancement, has the opportunity to be on track to take calculus at D200 before high school graduation”. Thankfully, one board member set the record straight saying, “I don’t think that’s one hundred percent accurate without summer school”. Others concurred.
The parallels with River Forest District 90 (D90) and OPRF District 200 high school (D200) are uncanny, and they provide important background to understanding “synching.” As president of the D90 school board, Ralph Martire opened the door to implementing unproven curricula and instruction by alleging the “teachers and curriculum discriminate”. Renewing a focus on constructivist instructional theory included adopting block scheduling at the middle school. Beside manufacturing racism, the mixed message justifying the new schedule included a need to “provide more math minutes.” The district called it “evidence based” and “best practice” even though research showed the new curriculum, compared to the existing, would significantly lower student achievement. It didn’t add up then, and the pieces are coming together now.
So, when the same guy with financial strings to teachers unions alleged the high school “artificially disadvantaged specific student populations”, it was predictable this salad would be served with a side of lower expectations. Martire would lead de-tracking of D200 by first eliminating separate standalone honors classes for freshmen in English, science, history, and world language beginning in 2022. Math would wait.
From when it was announced in September 2019 to when changes took effect in Fall 2022, OPRF school officials would name the initiative Access for All, Honors for All, Singular Curriculum, and may have finally settled on Restructured Freshman Year. It was recent that OPRF administrators announced the corresponding changes to math that include dropping several single-topic math classes and integrating these topics using an unnamed curriculum. Integrated math is a three-year sequence that replaces Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and adds a data science requirement.
The talking around topics is a fascinating listen beginning at timestamp 3:29:20. It lasts until the board unanimously approves the program’s twenty thousand dollars of spending at 3:54:40.
Superintendent Shah pledged to better explain and take questions on “Access to Algebra” at the January 14, 2025, board meeting. Let us hope she can ditch the double-speak and answer the simple question of why D97 must cut classes and limit acceleration to “synch” with freshman year at OPRF.
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