Washington

Washington

Mount Rainier National Park

Lead Agency

  • Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Math Task Force Facilitator

  • William Moore, Director for K-12 Partnerships and Core to College Alignment, Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Math Task Force Co-Chairs

  • Helen Burn, Mathematics Faculty, Highline College
  • Barbara Alvin, Professor and Mathematics Department Chair, Eastern Washington University

MPC Consultant

  • Jane Sherman, (retired) Vice Provost for Academic Policy and Evaluation, Washington State University

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Coordinator

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William Moore, Ph.D.
360-704-4346
bmoore@sbctc.edu
Washington Math Pathways Task Force
Name Title Institution
Andrea Cahan Mathematics Faculty Everett Community College
Kendra Feinstein Mathematics Faculty Tacoma Community College
Bev Vredevelt Mathematics Faculty Spokane Falls Community College

 

Name Title Institution
Rosalie Tepper Director of Math Learning Center Shoreline Community College
Sarah Adams STEM Math Instructional Specialist Big Bend Community College
Patrick Averbeck Department Head Edmonds Community College
Jane Muhich Mathematics Faculty Seattle Central College
Pete Wildman Mathematics Faculty Spokane Falls Community College
Vaughn Foster-Grahler Mathematics Faculty The Evergreen State College
Katherine Lewis Assistant Professor, Mathematics University of Washington
Aaron Montgomery Professor of Mathematics Central Washington University
Chuck Moore Professor and Chair, Mathematics Washington State University
Jessica Cohen Assistant Professor, Mathematics Western Washington University
Jeff Wagnitz Vice President, Academic Affairs Highline College
Ata Karim Vice President, Student Affairs Bellevue College
Peter G. Williams Dean of STEM Clark College
Ed Harri Dean for Instruction Whatcom Community College
Devin DuPree Policy Associate Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Joyce Hammer Director of Transfer Education  Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges
Julie Garver Director of Policy & Academic Affairs Council of Presidents
Randy Spaulding Director of Academic Affairs & Policy Washington Student Achievement Council
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Listen as Task Force Facilitator Dr. Bill Moore and Co-Chair Dr. Helen Burn, of the Washington Math Pathways to Completion Task Force, present outcomes of the work with the MPC project.
Formal Charge

Formal Charge

The state of Washington has a systemic mathematics policy in place, via articulated math pathways described in the Direct Transfer Agreement (DTA) as well as a statewide math strategic plan framed around the notion of math pathways. However, three critical problems need to be addressed in order to scale math pathways in the state. In spring 2016, the Washington State Mathematics Pathways Task Force was charged with addressing these problems by:

  • Aligning the content of college-level mathematics courses to educational/career pathways.
  • Creating clear links between precollege mathematics and college-level math pathways.
  • Incorporating valid and reliable placement procedures while giving students access to intentional advising procedures framed around math pathways.

In February 2017, the Task Force published its report -- Washington Math Pathways to Completion Task Forceview full resourceView Full ResourceDownloadFile -- which identified five specific recommendations and strategies committed to dramatically improve the success of students in developmental and gateway mathematics courses. These five recommendations include:

  1. Provide students, faculty, and advisors greater clarity and consistency about the math pathways currently available in Washington higher education institutions.
  2. Develop a rationale for math pathways, including evidence for promising models and approaches that accelerate student progress into and through college-level gateway math courses.
  3. Align the content of college-level gateway math courses to the mathematical needs of students’ educational / career pathways; create clear links between precollege math courses and the gateway college math courses; and identify how well prerequisite precollege content prepares students for their required entry-level college math coursework.
  4. Connect to current initiatives and grants in order to best leverage assets.
  5. Provide postsecondary mathematics faculty members with professional development related to teaching in pathways.

In Fall 2017, 8 two-year institutions and 2 four-year institutions committed to implement mathematics pathways in Fall 2018. See Summary of Institutional Commitments for Washingtonview full resourceView Full ResourceDownloadFile for more information about who committed and institutional expectations to implement mathematics pathways.

For more details on the work in Washington see this Washington Math Pathways site.

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Featured Resources

Task Force Report: Washington Math Pathways to Completion Task Force

In fall 2015, Washington state, through the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC), joined the Mathematics Pathways to Completion (MPC) project.

Level
State
Process Stage
Planning
Role
Policy
Institutional Leadership
Math Department

A Data–Driven Process for Improving Transfer and Applicability of Mathematics Courses in Washington State

Analysis and “backward mapping” of data illuminate natural pathways students are taking to fulfill their math requirements. This approach informs a state-level data framework to address transfer inconsistencies between two-year and four-year institutions.

Level
State
Process Stage
Continuously Improving
Role
Policy
Institutional Leadership
Partner Disciplines
Advisors and Coordinators
Researchers
Notes-from-the-Field-Number-7_FINAL.pdf

Washington Math Pathways

Helping Washington students achieve success in college math.

https://wamathpathways.org/
State Level Organizations
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William Moore
Pathways to Success
“In Washington, we’ve been committed to math pathways for years through different statewide efforts. Through the Mathematics Pathways to Completion (MPC) project, we will make math pathways available at scale by: aligning the content of gateway college-level mathematics courses to specific educational and career pathways; creating clear links between precollege mathematics and college-level math pathways, and improving our placement assessment; and advising processes to help students choose and enter pathways best suited to their academic and career plans.”
Dr. William Moore
Director for K-12 Partnerships & Core to College Alignment,
Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges

Our Work at the State Level

Select a state to learn more about how local leaders are setting a vision for math pathways or read an analysis of math pathways work across multiple states.