York Region Public School Board (YRDSB) is responding to parents concerned that their children are struggling under new math and history curriculum changes, but some parents say more needs to be done.
About a dozen parents attended the board of trustees meeting May 9 to highlight their concerns about YRDSB removing Grade 10 applied math and history and replacing them with more difficult academic-level courses.
The board had said the change was made to eliminate "streaming" and support marginalized students, but trustees voted unanimously for staff to develop an enhanced support plan for students struggling with academic math and to report back by the end of next month.
Parent Rozanne Treger said it is a positive step to help students who may have failed Grade 10 academic math this year, but added that applied math needs to return next year.
“We are grateful to the trustees … We see this as the first step only,” she said of the resolution last night. “We also want a plan for September so there isn’t a repeat of the last eight months.”
Local parents have been raising concerns for the past several months. As the province created new de-streamed Grade 9 math curriculum based on a study that dividing students early could be harmful, YRDSB took it a step further and de-streamed Grade 10 math as well. But Treger and other parents have said their children with learning disabilities have struggled and failed in the academic math course, without the option of the easier applied option on the table.
That prompted parents to come out in force at the board of trustees meeting, wearing buttons asking for the return of applied programming. Treger said trustees have become aware of the issue and know action is needed.
“We want to give a voice to parents and we want the York Region District School Board to know we really need change,” she said.
Parent Kelly Beck attended the meeting, concerned about how her child with some learning disabilities could be impacted in Grade 10.
“He’s just going to struggle mental health-wise, and he just will not survive academic math,” she said. “I want to advocate for my son and his right to feel confident and comfortable and his ability to be educated in high school.”
Interim director of education Scott Yoake said data from across the education world has shown streaming negatively impacted students with specific identities and that de-streaming results in better student outcomes.
“We acknowledge there are concerns where students are not achieving success,” Oake said, adding that the school board will support those students “so they have the learning opportunities and support they need.”
Teachers expressed concern
The board’s math departments educators did not want to see Grade 10 applied math removed this year.
In a March 2022 memo from YRDSB math department heads to the director of education, they asked the board not to proceed with removing applied math in 2022-23.
The decision to remove applied math came without consultation or input from any teacher who recently taught in secondary math classrooms, the memo said. It expressed concern for how the pandemic has recently impacted students.
“The work we have previously done on reducing math anxiety and promoting a growth mindset in math is in danger of being dismantled," the memo said.
The memo indicates support for de-streaming Grade 9 math but said the speed of more changes could stand to negatively impact students.
Treger said the support the board offers needs to go beyond independent education plans that are not specific to math. She further said the board needs to publicly release data on the number of students who failed or dropped out of academic math this year.
A return of Grade 10 applied math is needed, at least until the ministry implements a new de-streamed Grade 10 curriculum, Treger said.
“We would be open to the applied math option being upon parent request,” she said. “We want trustees to mandate the board to include all students, including those with disabilities, in their decisions and policies.”
