Tennessee District Creates Custom Multimedia Math Curriculum

• By David Nagel
• 08/13/09

Hamilton County Schools in Tennessee is looking to boost student performance in math with the help of a custom multimedia math curriculum built around Carnegie Learning's Bridge to Algebra Grade 8 and Algebra I.

According to information released this week, the curricula were developed in a partnership between Hamilton County and Carnegie Learning. Beginning this fall, all of the district's eighth-graders will use either the custom Carnegie Learning Tennessee Bridge to Algebra Grade 8 Mathematics or Carnegie Learning Algebra I. Bridge to Algebra includes a mix of software, textbooks, professional development, and other resources.

"Building a custom 8th grade math curriculum was critical to Hamilton County School's implementation of the new and more rigorous Tennessee Mathematics Standards," said Jamason Parris, director of secondary mathematics and science at Hamilton County, in a prepared statement. "We worked closely with Carnegie Learning to customize Tennessee Bridge to Algebra Grade 8 Mathematics, which we believe is best aligned to the standards and will prepare our students to be successful in Algebra I and beyond."

The district is also working with Carnegie Learning on a custom program to help high school seniors prepare for math at the post-secondary level. It will be used in a pilot program, called Bridge to Postsecondary, which will be offered to students based on their ACT scores.

In addition, Hamilton County has renewed its licenses for Carnegie Learning's Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II curricula for use in the district's 18 high schools.