Integrating High Order Mathematics of Middle School Students

Ashdod is a large city in southern Israel with a population of 250,000 residents, 30% of whom are ultra-Orthodox Jews. The city has 29 secondary schools of which only 15 prepare students for the matriculation examinations, while 13 of these schools offer a five-unit track in mathematics.

In 2013, Ashdod ran a municipal program with support from the foundation. The target was to raise the rate of high school graduates of the five-unit track in mathematics in these 13 schools from 16% to 23% within three years. Twenty-two teacher leaders were trained and 50 teachers participated in ongoing professional development. As a result, in 2021, 22% (493 students) of the high school students graduated with five units in mathematics (14.7% of the graduates of high schools that prepare students for the matriculation, compared with a higher national average of 16.6%).

The Ashdod municipality believes it can further increase the high school five-unit graduation rate, by expanding the opportunities for excellence starting in middle school. The city currently has 23 excellence classes in middle schools, attended by 543 students (31%).  The city is in the process of adding two weekly teaching hours for 10 high ability groups in mathematics, attended by an additional 209 students. In both the existing excellence classes and the new enhanced high ability groups, students will learn high order applied mathematics with the initial content being provided by the University of Haifa’s MAOF program and using Reichmann University’s social-emotional diagnostic tools.

In order to support this effort an academic institution specializing in teaching applied mathematics will assist in the professional development of the 25 mathematics teachers, helping them to implement the applied content. In addition, Oranim College will assist in training the mathematics department heads to lead their school-based communities of practice. The municipality will also create a forum of 13 school principals where they will share their knowledge and common challenges. The principals, teachers, and parents will be invited to seminars and workshops.

The program will be considered successful if 80% of the participating students meet the 5-6 proficiency levels on an assessment tool developed by CET, and if the percentage of graduates of the five unit track in mathematics reaches 30% by 2026.

* The text above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation’s Board of Directors / Grant 497