New Mathematics Standards of Learning Update
2023-24 School Year
- PWCS students learn the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning
- PWCS (and all Virginia) students assessed on the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning
2024-25 School Year
- PWCS students learn 2023 Mathematics Standards of Learning
- PWCS (and all Virginia) students assessed on the 2023 Mathematics Standards of Learning
On August 31, 2023, the Virginia Board of Education approved the 2023 Mathematics Standards of Learning. The Virginia Department of Education provided school divisions guidance around three options for transitioning mathematics instruction during the 2023-24 school year. Since the PWCS school year had already begun, curriculum materials were provided to staff based on the 2016 Standards of Learning. We also recognize that professional learning is necessary to implement standards revisions. For these reasons, PWCS decided to go with option three and continue teaching the 2016 Mathematics Standards of Learning for the 2023-24 school year.
The 2023 Standards of Learning are an exciting opportunity to provide students with new data literacy skills and integration of mathematical process goals.
Data Literacy
The statistics standard for students in kindergarten through algebra 2 experience the data cycle. At each grade level, students will represent data with different graphs but the graph itself is no longer the focus. The focus becomes students formulating questions they wish to explore, learning how to collect and find data, finding ways to organize and represent the data, analyzing the data, communicating the results, and determining if the question has been answered. The cycle can continue as the question may create more questions or the data did not supply a comprehensive answer and more data is desired.
Integration of Process Goals
- Problem-solving
- Communication
- Reasoning
- Connections
- Representations
The 2016 standards included in the Essential Knowledge and Skills in the Curriculum Framework at the beginning of each standard that "The student will use problem-solving, mathematical communication, mathematical reasoning, connections, and representations to...". In contrast, the 2023 standards include the process goals within standards. Examples include requiring students to: justify, model, connect, explain reasoning, use multiple strategies, describe, illustrate, classify, and use relationships. The inclusion of the process goals creates mathematicians who can make connections in their learning and communicate it in different ways.
Learn more about the 2023 Mathematics Standards of Learning from the Virginia Department of Education.
Middle School Math Placement
PWCS offers three options in middle school mathematics.
Traditional Pathway
Students in this pathway are in a grade-level appropriate course, learning mathematics at the pace suggested by the Standards of Learning. Students in this path would take Math 6 in grade 6, Math 7 in grade 7, Math 8 in grade 8, and Algebra I in 9th grade. Children who take Algebra I in 9th grade can master four years of high school mathematics, possibly culminating in a pre-calculus class or AP Statistics, and should be well prepared mathematically to compete for admission to the best colleges and universities.
Accelerated Pathway
Students in this pathway accelerate the learning of middle school content, learning three years of content in two years. Math 6 Extended contains all the content from Math 6 and approximately half of the content from Math 7. Math 7 Extended contains the rest of the content from Math 7 and all the content from Math 8. Students in this path would take Math 6 Extended in grade 6, Math 7 Extending in grade 7, and Advanced Algebra I in grade 8. As students in this pathway learn math at a more rapid pace, it is necessary that they have demonstrated a high level of mastery of Kindergarten through Grade 5 Mathematics.
Promoted Pathway
Students in this pathway enter middle school in Math 7 Extended as a sixth grader. This means that the student will not receive formal instruction on the content from Math 6 and some of Math 7. After successful completion of Math 7 Extended, a student would enroll in Advanced Algebra I in grade 7 and Advanced Geometry in grade 8. As students in this pathway will be skipping some content, it is essential that they have demonstrated a high level of mastery of Kindergarten through Grade 5 Mathematics and show evidence of a deep understanding of number relationships.
The Prince William Public County Schools Mathematics program promotes an environment in which students develop a comprehensive and enduring understanding of the concepts of mathematics. Students learn to effectively apply these concepts and use a variety of problem-solving strategies. The program nurtures a productive disposition toward mathematics, challenges all learners and supports further investigations in this field.