CALCULUS PROJECT EXPANSION WILL BROADEN IMPACT

Consortium of Six School Districts to Aid More Black and Brown STEM Students 

BROOKLINE, Mass., Dec. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Calculus Project (TCP) is expanding to become a consortium of Calculus Project districts. The Brookline, Newton, Milton, Braintree, Chelsea and Concord school districts have all signed on to help bridge the achievement gap in math, while diversifying honors and advanced math classes. 

"I look forward to working collaboratively with the educators in the consortium because I know they're as committed as I am to equity in mathematics," says Dr. Adrian Mims Sr., founder of TCP.

Math educators in the six districts will collaborate on teaching methods, best practices, and research-supported components of TCP.  An advisory council of students, parents, and educators will work together to make data-informed recommendations that bolster accountability and increase family engagement.

"Too many Black and Brown students have historically been underrepresented in advanced math classes. This puts them at a disadvantage in pursuing post-secondary opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)," says Mims, a mathematician and the first in his family to attend college.

Since TCP's inception at Brookline High School in 2009, many in the first cohort have earned degrees in STEM.  Some are paying it forward as math and science teachers, a trend that its founder welcomes. 

Prior to the pandemic, significant academic performance disparities existed between Black, Hispanic, and low-income students and their White and Asian counterparts. Those gaps only widened during the pandemic, which is why TCP's relaunch is so critical. It is the only non-profit that prepares Black and Hispanic high school students to pass the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure (MTEL), which enhances their college applications and resumés as they seek math-oriented tutoring jobs. The newly formed consortium will increase the number of Black and Hispanic students who are prepared to take the MTEL, and offer the added benefit of providing more peer role models for younger students. 

Alisha Andrew, a UP Academy Charter School math teacher, says her time in TCP put her on the path to success: "I was a member of the first cohort of The Calculus Project: It made me a stronger mathematician, helped me earn money as a peer teacher, and planted the seed for my future career."

The Calculus Project- The Calculus Project (TCP) is a grassroots-style initiative to dramatically increase the number of students of color and low-income students who complete AP Calculus in high school. TCP is defined by its comprehensiveness, its very high expectations, its cultural sensitivity, and its commitment to sustainability. To learn more visit https://thecalculusproject.org/

Contact Pamela Johnson
(612) 520- 7569
[email protected]

SOURCE The Calculus Project