Greater Philadelphia Secondary Mathematics Project

staff:	F. Merlino (Principal Investigator)
grant award #:	9734183
funding began:	06-01-1998
funding ends:	05-31-2003
project focus:	Math
grade levels:	Middle School,High School
venue type:	Suburban
abstract:	The five-year Greater Philadelphia Secondary Mathematics Project brings together the Philadelphia Regional Center for the Interactive Mathematics Program (IMP) at La Salle University, the New Jersey State Systemic Initiative, the Philadelphia Urban Systemic Initiative, and other partners with 27 schools to implement standards-based change in secondary mathematics teaching and learning. As a Local Systemic Change through Teacher Enhancement in Mathematics, Grades 7-12, project, approximately 600 mathematics teachers of grades 6-12 in selected schools/districts in Philadelphia, southeastern Pennsylvania, and southern New Jersey - essentially all within an hour's drive of Philadelphia - will have engaged in 130 - 240 hours of professional development centered around NSF-supported instructional materials (primarily IMP, Mathematics in Context, or Visual Mathematics) by the conclusion of the project. The teacher enhancement curriculum also emphasizes use of graphics calculators and Geometer's Sketchpad, and supports selected teachers in reformed calculus, AP statistics, and Agriculture-based mathematics for high school students. Cost sharing, which approximates 50% of the NSF request, is derived primarily from participating schools/districts. Total commitments from partner schools are expected to exceed 292% of the NSF request.