Opening Two City-Based Excellence Classes

In 2017, the foundation approved a three-year grant to collaborate with the municipality of Umm al-Fahem in an ambitious attempt to double the rate of its five-unit track graduates in mathematics. Umm al-Fahem is an Arab city in Northern Israel comprising 60,000 residents. In 2017, only 7.2% of the twelfth grade students in the city matriculated in the five-unit track in mathematics. However, thanks to the investment made in the professional capacity of the teachers, by the end of the 2020 school year, the rate is expected to reach 13.6%.

Now, the eyes of the municipality are turning towards middle school. There are 7 middle schools in Umm al-Fahem with no division into ability groups and no excellence classes. The exception is 13 classes that teach 31% of the eighth and ninth grade students, which have been allocated two additional weekly hours in mathematics. These hours are dedicated to enrichment and preparation for the psychometric exam. Since only 24% choose the five-unit track in tenth grade and only 13.6% complete the track, the municipality acknowledges that the quality of content and teaching in these classes is not sufficient.

In order to address this need, Umm al-Fahem is planning a three-year program to strengthen the foundations of excellence in its middle schools. In this program, they will open two city-based excellence classes for the top performing students in mathematics. In collaboration with an academic institution, these classes will study applied mathematics and mathematics-based science for four additional weekly hours. The mathematics and science teachers of these classes will be trained and mentored by the academic institution.

In addition, the content taught in the 13 classes will be replaced by applied mathematics assignments and two weekly teaching hours will be added. In the three schools where there is currently no such class, a new class will be opened. The 25 mathematics teachers who teach these classes, as well as 15 science teachers, will join a professional learning community in which they will develop their teaching practice with respect to using the applied tasks. The school principals and department heads will routinely meet in special fora, in order to support the process.

A diagnostic tool developed by CET will be used to measure whether the program goals were met. The aim is for 75% of the participating students to achieve PISA levels 5-6 by the end of ninth grade.

* The text presented above shows the grant as approved by the Foundation Board / Grant 402