Superintendent Math Initiative Newsletter: Raising Achievement

Math performance is one of the clearest indicators of whether students are on track for college, career, and economic opportunity. When math achievement is lagging, the superintendent owes the community a clear explanation of what is happening and what is being done about it. Here is how to write that communication.

Open with the Current Data

Give families the honest numbers before you explain the initiative. "This year, 54% of our third through eighth grade students met grade-level math standards on state assessments. That number has declined from 61% three years ago. We know the causes and we are addressing them." The opening data tells families the initiative is a response to a real problem, not a program launch for its own sake.

Explain What Is Changing in Classrooms

Parents want to know what will look different in their child's math class. Be specific. "We are adopting a new instructional approach that emphasizes both procedural fluency and conceptual understanding. Students will still learn the standard algorithms, but they will also learn why they work. Teachers will use more small-group instruction and fewer whole-class lecture periods. Students will explain their reasoning, not just produce answers." Specific descriptions reduce family anxiety about change.

Name the New Curriculum

If you are adopting a new math curriculum, name it. "Starting this fall, all K-8 classrooms will use the Illustrative Mathematics curriculum, which has the highest rating from EdReports.org for alignment to state standards. We selected it after reviewing four finalists over two years." Naming the curriculum and explaining how you selected it is more credible than a generic reference to "evidence-based materials."

Describe Teacher Training

A curriculum change is only as good as the training that supports it. Tell families what teachers are learning. "Every K-8 teacher participated in 30 hours of professional development before the school year began. Instructional coaches are in classrooms weekly during the implementation year. Teachers have access to planning support and peer collaboration time built into their schedules." Families who know teachers are prepared are more confident in the change.

Give Families a Way to Support Math at Home

Parents often want to help with math but feel lost, especially when instructional approaches change. Give specific, practical suggestions. "The best thing families can do is talk about math in everyday life: measuring when cooking, estimating costs at the grocery store, reading sports statistics. Our website includes grade-by-grade family guides explaining what students are learning each month and how to support it at home."

Share the Evaluation Plan

Tell families how you will know whether the initiative is working and when you will share results. "We will track math proficiency through quarterly assessments and share results in the spring newsletter. We will also survey teachers and students on their experience with the new approach. If adjustments are needed, we will make them and communicate those changes transparently."

Acknowledge That Change Is Difficult

Curriculum transitions are hard for teachers and disorienting for students in the short term. A superintendent who acknowledges this is more believable than one who promises a smooth rollout. "We know that any major curriculum change takes time to implement well. The first year will be a learning year for our teachers as well as our students. We are committed to supporting them through the transition and to sharing honest data on how it is going." Then follow through on the data sharing. If the initiative is not working as expected, say so, and say what the district is doing about it. That honesty builds the kind of community trust that sustains long-term improvement.