The Boulder Valley School District's last adoption of new elementary math materials was mired in controversy.

Ten years ago, a committee recommended one program, "Everyday Mathematics," but instead the district adopted the "Investigations" series -- a new, relatively untested series that was derided by critics at the time as promoting "fuzzy" math and abandoning the requirement to learn math facts.

Several elementary schools, unhappy with the selection, fundraised to buy the more expensive Everyday Mathematics materials instead, raising equity issues. Committee members also expressed frustration that their recommendation didn't go through.

This time around, district officials and members of the selection committee say it will be different.

"The elementary adoption is very emotional for a lot of people," said Jackie Weber, Boulder Valley's math director. "We're trying to make sure the process feels very fair."

The district is adopting new math programs -- which include textbooks, workbooks and other materials -- for elementary and middle schools and new textbooks for high schools. The elementary committee is expected to make its final recommendation today, while middle school is expected to make a recommendation Wednesday.

All the recommendations are expected to go to the school board on Feb. 12.

Weber said all three elementary programs that made the final cut take a balanced approach. The three possible programs are Everyday Math, Math in Focus and Math Expressions.


"Publishers themselves have really re-balanced their programs," she said. "I think it will help address a lot of the concerns that have been expressed in the last decade."

She said the programs include the more engaging style of "reform math," helping students gain a deeper understanding of how numbers work and showing students different ways to solve problems.

But, she said, they include more math practice problems than in the past and require students to learn math facts like multiplication tables. She said publishers also have done a better job including support for parents, who generally are unfamiliar with the new teaching methods.

Another requirement for new programs and books is that they reflect the new Common Core standards recently adopted in Colorado. The Investigations program's publisher decided not to revise the materials, taking the program out of the running.

Mary Ann Davis, a parent representative on the elementary selection committee who's taught in Boulder Valley, is writing her graduate school thesis on the math Common Core standards. She said she's helped the committee take a close look at whether the publishers did a thorough job reflecting the new standards.

"The publishers all say they're aligned, but they're not all truly aligned," she said.

The Common Core standards, she said, require teaching fewer concepts in more depth and focus on coherence across the grade levels, so skills build on each other.

She said having the same elementary math materials for all teachers will be helpful, both for professional development and for students who switch schools. Another advantage, she said, is having materials that reflect the new standards -- especially helpful for those elementary teachers who aren't as strong in teaching math.

"At elementary, we teach multiple subjects each day," she said. "For a less experienced teacher, or a teacher who is not as passionate about math, it's really important to have a complete program that you know covers the standards."

She said other goals include that the program provides support for struggling students and students learning English, along with challenge for high achievers.

At the middle school level, selection committee member and Casey Middle School math teacher Cary Hoste said she's most looking forward to updated materials.

She said the programs that are under consideration are "excellent choices" that provide more real world applications and incorporate technology.

"Our math texts at Casey are pretty old," she said. "We have three different textbooks we've collected over the years. It will be much nicer to have a clear, cohesive curriculum. It all builds on each other, instead of us having to pull together the resources."