June 25, 1997

Letter to the Editor

Dear Parents , Educators, and School Committee Members,

          CPR met with Dr. Harutunian and Mr. Richards on June 18, 1997. This meeting was a follow-up to our first meeting on May 14, 1997. The purpose of the meeting was for Dr. Harutunian to report on information he had learned. CPR was disappointed at the lack of information available concerning our original three requests. CPR had hoped that a preliminary verbal report would be available on our three proposals. In addition, Dr. Harutunian had identified fifteen additional areas that he had proposed to investigate. Unfortunately, no information was available other than a handout list saying work was "In Progress". No progress was reported, with the exception that the anonymous teacher questionnaires were complete. No information was shared with CPR members. CPR repeated our request to review these anonymous questionnaires.

          Dr. Harutunian was pleased to report that his friend, Mr. Michael Zapanthis, a former Beverly High School Science Coordinator, and former employee of the State Board of Education would be working fifty hours to assist in the informational gathering and report writing. This will hopefully allow the official report to be finished by the end of the month, or the first week of July as promised at the school committee meeting. Mr. Zapanthis apparently worked at the State Board of Education during the time the 1996 Massachusetts Mathematical Frameworks were completed, so CPR hopes he will bring an unbiased prospective. CPR has requested that Mr. Zapanthis include his resume for review with the final report and to indicate if he participated in the drafting of the Massachusetts Mathematics Frameworks. It is worth reminding the members of the school committee that the Massachusetts Math Frameworks are based upon the NCTM "standards" and these "standards" have and continue to generate tremendous controversy. These "standards" lack specific and discrete grade by grade performance standards (see articles by Drs. Frank Allen and William Quirk for complete reviews, articles previously given by CPR to the School Committee). The California experience is one Reading had best avoid. According to Statistics from the National Department of Education , California is ranked the fourth lowest or forty-sixth out of fifty states in math performance this year. So pernicious have the NCTM based 1992 California Standards been on math skills, that the California Board of Education issued a new Advisory, stressing that basic skills are essential for a balanced mathematics program. California is currently working to modify their State Standards, and will be issuing them early next year. It was for this reason that CPR urged caution and prudent review of the UCSMP, so that Reading not follow California's downward decline in Math performance.

          CPR expected that our first request for testing of all upcoming 5th graders would be addressed at this meeting. We were just as confused as we were at the School Committee Meeting. The videotape of the meeting reveals two conflicting statements by Dr. Harutunian. First, Dr. Harutunian said he would probably test, but then later said testing may not be necessary based on his research and his final report. Standardized testing is a good idea, since our fourth graders were not offered the State MEAPS this year, and no Stanford tests are planned for next year. The UCSMP has only in house not published journal studies verifying its effectiveness and our children have been the "guinea pigs" for the four years of the program. A test can serve several functions: 1. one to evaluate the performance of the UCSMP program and 2: identify weaknesses and strengths in our students. If the UCSMP program is so superior, then testing should be welcomed! One of the originators of the UCSMP, Dr. Zalman Usiskin (see Charles Sykes, Dumbing Down Our Kids page 119) admits the program downgrades math computational skills, because he and his co-authors do not feel these skills are important. They advocate the use of the calculator to substitute for basic math skills. CPR and many leading mathematicians and scientists do not agree and feel one cannot develop higher order thinking skills unless the basics are routine and automatic. CPR has continued to research the appropriate test and has located the Buros Institute of Mental Measures based at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE. This institute publishes the Mental Measurements Yearbook as well as the guide to Tests In Print. CPR was able to locate the following tests available by major testing publishers. Any of these can be used effectively in evaluating the computational and conceptual skills of our students and the effectiveness of the UCSMP program.

1.       California Achievement Test-5 (CAT-5) published by McGraw Hill located at 20 Ryan Ranch Road, Monterey, CA. 93940. This test is also now called The California Test of Basic Skills (CTBS-4). It is the test used routinely by Principal James Coady to evaluate his students at the Morse School in Cambridge, MA
2.       Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS). Available through the Riverside Publishing , 8420 Bryn Mawn Ave., Chicago Illinois 60631.
3.       Metropolitan 7 (MATS-7) developed in 1992 and available as "Elementary 2" suitable for our 5th graders next September/October. This test consists of a computational "procedures" and a second "concepts and problem solving" section. This test is available through Psychological Corporation (1-800-228-0752) a division of Harcourt Brace & Company.
4.       Stanford 9th Test developed in 1995. This latest version test is available and the "Intermediate 1" version appropriate for our 5th graders. This test is also marketed by Psychological Corporation consisting of both a computational "procedures" and "concept and problem solving" sections. CPR has been in communication with the Boston Representative of the Psychological Corporation, Ms. Eileen Buckley (1-401-331-0481). The cost of the math test is : $3.25 for the test booklet ( a one time purchase), $1.25 per exam to scan and correct the test, $0.75 for each individual analysis, and $1.00 per individual to do a group analysis. The grand total per pupil is $6.25 if each student has their own test booklet. The total for approximately 400 students would be $2500.00. However, if only 100 booklets were purchased and rotated throughout the four elementary schools one could save $975.00 and drop the cost of testing to $1525.00 for the entire 5th grade. For this small investment ( less than $4.00 per student), we can gain the information needed to evaluate the UCSMP program and our studentŐs ability to do math. CPR challenges the administration and the school committee to fulfill their responsibilities to our students by testing as soon as possible!

          CPR's second request was to form a task force to review the UCSMP (Everyday Learning or Chicago Math) program. Dr. Harutunian is utilizing Mr. Zapanthis as his task force to review the 15 points raised by Dr. Harutunian at the May meeting. CPR submits this is a job appropriate to a math task force composed of math educators and parents with real world math and science skills. CPR has demonstrated that the NCTM "standards" have great controversy surrounding them and little scientific validity to support their agenda.

          CPR's third request was to research the minutes of the Math Task Force which selected the UCSMP program. Dr. Harutunian admitted at our meeting that the UCSMP program was selected because it was consistent with the NCTM frameworks and that there were absolutely no minutes of the meeting. CPR wishes to correct Dr. Harutunian's statement to the School Committee at the June 16th meeting. CPR has never asked for telephone numbers and addresses of the Task Force Committee. CPR has asked for the names of the members and believes that Dr. Christine Redford and Mr. Charles Papandreou, as co-chairs of the Task Force, should officially report to the school committee and parents their recollections of the Task Force Vote and the UCSMP selection process. CPR feels it is unfortunate that no minutes can be located and hopes in the future important decisions will be thoroughly documented. CPR has heard that the outcome of the Math Task Force vote was:

1. Seven votes for the Harcourt Brace Program
2. Six votes for the UCSMP program
3. Three votes for an Addison Wesley program , that was nearly identical to the Harcourt Brace Program
4. one vote abstaining

          CPR eagerly awaits the final report of the superintendent promised by the end of June or early July. CPR has approached the Administration with justifiable concerns with the UCSMP program. CPR has tried to cooperate and assist the Administration to thoroughly research the issue. CPR is disappointed with the lack of progress and that the simplest of questions have become a major research project!

Sincerely,

          Steering Committee Concerned Parents of Reading
Dr. Robert and Jackie Mandell
Mr. Frank and Sue Morton
Ms. Louise Shapanka
Ms. Annie Sgroi