Case Study - Portsmouth, RI

Implementation Site: Portsmouth High School - 900 Students

Number of students presently using MATH Connections: over 100

Number of teachers presently using MATH Connections: 3.

Implemented 1998.

Reasons for selection:

• The results from the previous years of State Testing indicated they needed a change to their approach
• It was a data- driven, problem- based approach
• After visiting schools- and talking to the teachers and students who were using this program - the search committee felt MATH Connections had the elements they wanted

"Our school went from around 14th place overall in the State to #2 Overall, and the #1 position in Problem Solving. The teachers have told me that they wouldn't give MATH Connections up for anything. We began a pilot with our lowest level students, but now we want to place some of our regular Algebra 1 students into the program too. What I have seen with these students in MATH Connections is that many of them are now far above our regular students who are not in MATH Connections. And to think that these were the students who used to be completely turned off to math." - Eleanor Ferri, Math Chairperson