FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
S
TATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
PHOEBE RAULERSON
KATHLEEN SHANAHAN
LINDA K. TAYLOR
John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
CONTACT
PERSON
NAME:
Todd Clark
PHONE:
(850) 245-0764
SUNCOM:
(850) 205-0764
EMAIL:
todd.clark@fldoe.org
K12:
2006:181
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Superintendents and Assistant Superintendents of Curriculum
FROM:
Cheri Pierson Yecke, Ph.D.
DATE:
December 4, 2006
SUBJECT:
Middle School Mathematics Initiative
I am pleased to inform you about a new initiative sponsored by the Florida Department of
Education (FLDOE), the Florida and the Islands Comprehensive Center (FLICC), and the
Florida Council of Teachers of Mathematics (FCTM). This initiative is designed to build
capacity of districts to implement the new mathematics requirements addressed in the A++
Legislation by bringing district leadership teams together to examine research, explore
instructional practices, and design lesson plans which incorporate rigorous and relevant
instruction in the area of middle school mathematics. A special emphasis will be placed on 6
th
grade mathematics which, according to data, has had a smaller percentage of students performing
at the proficiency level than the other grades.
Twenty district teams from throughout the state will have an opportunity to participate in the
Middle School Mathematics Initiative (MSMI) during the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 school
years. District leadership teams will be invited to attend a series of regional trainer-of-trainers
workshops to be held throughout the state. Facilitators will include nationally recognized leaders
from the International Center for Leadership in Education (ICLE), leaders from FLDOE, FLICC,
CHERI PIERSON YECKE, PH.D.
CHANCELLOR, K-12 PUBLIC SCHOOLS
325 W. GAINES STREET •SUITE 444• TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0426 • www.fldoe.org
Middle School Mathematics Initiative
December 4, 2006
Page Two
and FCTM. All costs for materials and conference registrations will be provided by FLICC.
Travel expenses and any costs for substitute teachers will be provided by the districts. More
details about the program will be provided to interested applicants.
Interested districts should complete the attached application and return it to FLICC by January
12
th
. Districts will be notified of their acceptance by January 22
nd
. The first institute will be
scheduled for early February.
In order to ensure the success of this initiative, a district administrator and staff development
coordinator must agree to the assurances that are attached. Prior to the first institute, the liaisons /
mentors will confer with the district contact to ensure that all expectations are clear and all
questions are answered.
If you have questions about this initiative, please contact Mr. Todd Clark, Deputy Bureau Chief,
Bureau of Instruction and Innovation, e-mail address todd.clark@fldoe.org or Dr. Alice Lindsay,
Assistant Director, FLICC, at 800-756-9003; email alindsay@ets.org.