Lexington Park, MD — The St. Mary’s County Board of Education has approved the purchase of laptops and software for a pilot project aimed at reducing the math achievement gap between general education and special education students. The 146 Dell laptops and the Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Space (ALEKS) software program will be provided to Esperanza Middle School sixth grade students.
According to Supervisor of Special Education Melissa Charbonnet, “Students with disabilities consistently struggle with the transition from elementary school to middle school.” Esperanza M.S. was chosen as the pilot of the program because it is a feeder school for three Title 1 elementary schools.
“This is a project that I am most excited about,” Charbonnet said. She credited the teamwork in the central office, Esperanza M.S. Principal Jill Mills and her staff, and the system’s information technology department with pulling it all together.
The math program will feature a 90-minute block with all students receiving a core 60 minutes of instruction followed by individualized coursework geared to the student’s level of achievement for the final 30 minutes. That’s where the laptops and software come in. Since each student, regardless of level of achievement, will be on their own laptop there will not be any stigma for any student.
Charbonnet said the program will be of advantage to accelerated learners as well as those having difficulty picking up the math concepts.
The software-system-generated data identifies each student’s strengths and weaknesses and allows grouping of students into “small group cohorts,” according to information provided by Charbonnet.
During Charbonnet’s presentation at the Aug. 12 school board meeting. Board member Rita Weaver asked how the effectiveness of the pilot program would be assessed. Charbonnet said the ultimate result of the reduction of the achievement gap would determine whether the program is working. Weaver asked for a report at the end of the school year on those results.
The 146 Dell 3450 Latitude laptops will cost $82,225.74 using an existing state contract. The laptops as well as the ALECKS software will be purchased with state monies through pass through federal funding. The laptops are part of supplemental funding made available to St. Mary’s County and the software was through a regular state allocation.
Contact Dick Myers at dick.myers@thebaynet.com