The Coast Mountains School District is no longer employing a numeracy coordinator, but will instead form a team of teachers to work with a consultant and develop a mathematics plan.
Math and literacy success is significantly lower in this district compared to the provincial average, with more than 50 per cent of Grade 7 students not meeting expectations in math.
As a result, the school district’s No. 1 goal is to improve math and literacy. Last year, it hired a numeracy coordinator to start a district-wide plan to improve math education.
The move was prompted by teachers and school district director of instruction Janet Meyer said good progress was made.
“That work, on a foundational level, was completed,” said Meyer.
This year, the numeracy coordinator position was discontinued due to funding, according to the school district.
“The Numeracy Coordinator position, funded through the Education Fund, is no longer provided by the Ministry of Education,” said superintendent Katherine McIntosh in an email.
“Therefore, upon Karen Scales’ retirement in June 2017, the position wasn’t renewed.”
The numeracy coordinator position cost the district $140,000, a typical administrator salary, said Meyer.
But Meyer said work is ongoing to develop a district-wide math plan, known as a numeracy framework.
A relationship has already been established with a well-known education consultant Carole Fullerton, who specializes in math, and has been contracted by the district to work with educators on a plan.
