PR1ME -- Strategic Plan Notes

Annual benchmarking meetings will be held in October of each year. During the benchmarking meeting, progress will be assessed on each goal and objective of the grant. The information from the benchmarking meeting will be used to inform the next annual implementation plan.

Student achievement will be monitored by annually analyzing of district level and building level achievement data. The data used will be the South Dakota STEP Test, which is designed to measure student growth against the South Dakota Content Standards. The student achievement data will be used to develop district level and building level professional development plans which will identify specific needs in mathematics and instructional strategies to meet those needs.

Within the first year of this project, nine elementary mathematics teacher leadRapid City Area SchoolsRapid City Area Schools. Weekly training will be provided for the mathematics teacher leaders to build their capacity in effective mathematics instruction. Those teacher leaders will then work with teachers in individual buildings to improve their classroom practice. In addition, preservice teachers from Black Hills State University will be mentored by the mathematics teacher leaders while working in Rapid City Area Schools.

There is a separate project management plan attached to the strategic plan.

Faculty from both the College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Education at Black Hills State University will work side-by-side with Rapid City Area Schoolsmathematics coordinators and mathematics teacher leaders to provide weekly professional development sessions. Faculty members
representing both Colleges also serve on the Central Planning and Support Team, which plans and implements the day-to-day work of the grant. Representatives from both Colleges also serve on the Project Leadership Team. Those referred to as “Mathematics Specialists” and as “Content
Specialists” within the Strategic Plan are faculty members with deep understandings of the mathematics content, itself, and of mathematics education reform.

Rapid City Area Schools is providing the funding for the mathematics coordinators and some of the mathematics teacher leaders. After the funding for the grant expires, these positions will remain in the district.

One of the major goals of the PRIME grant is to increase and sustain the quality of teachers of mathematics in Rapid City Area Schools. The mathematics coordinators and the mathematics teacher leaders will be using the Horizon Classroom Observation Protocol to monitor and assess the progress of the district’s mathematics teachers. Because these positions will remain in the district, that work will be ongoing over time.

Another major goal of the grant is to enhance the preparation of future teachers at Black Hills State University. Enhancements to the Professional Development School model and to the pre-service math classes are expected to extend indefinitely beyond the duration of the grant. Sustainability of these changes is supported by the deep commitment and involvement of higher education faculty members and by the Dean of the College of Education, who serves on the Project Leadership Team. In addition, the Center for the Advancement of Mathematics and Science Education (CAMSE) at Black Hills State University has is charged to provide continuous professional development support for practicing K-12 teachers. Project PRIME is helping CAMSE to develop a powerful professional development model that the Center is committed to sustain with Rapid City and to extend to other districts throughout the
state and beyond.

Community members were involved in the curriculum revision process that was completed in the first year of this grant. Parents are included on building-level advisory councils. The building-level advisory councils will receive training in the new mathematics curriculum and instructional practices that support the new curriculum. Parents are also invited to participate in family math nights.