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Testing pilot math program
Bryan Melara / Roundup
This fall Pierce will be the first college in the district to do a pilot study of a new curriculum called Statway, which will work as an alternative for students who struggle with remedial algebra courses.
Statway should help students by placing them in math courses they are better suited for and allowing them to complete their math requirements in two semesters, rather than three according to the Los Angeles Community College District’s (LACCD) Academic Senate President David Beaulieu.
“Statway is to acceleration in math as Kleenex is to tissue,” said California Community College Success Network’s LA Regional Coordinator Dr. Daryl Kinney at the April 13 board of trustees’ meeting.
Funding for courses will come from the Carnegie Foundation, which will prevent any other math courses from being cut.
A PowerPoint presentation shown at the April 13 board of trustees’ meeting showed that 27 percent of students complete intermediate algebra courses, 20 percent complete elementary algebra and 10 percent complete pre-algebra or arithmetic.
“We shouldn’t forget the study of math leads us to be better thinkers,” said LACCD Chancellor Daniel LaVista.
Students in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics program will not be able to take any Statway courses.
Statway courses will be transferrable to California State Universities.
Beaulieu credits Pierce’s Curriculum Committee Elizabeth Atondo and Chairman of mathematics Bruce Yoshiwara for bringing the program to Pierce.
As of now there are no plans for any other college in the LACCD to adopt the program.
“We’re trying to convince others,” said Beaulieu. “It could start elsewhere fall of next year.”
