AB 1705: Math Task Force sets Oct. 25 reconvene with 3 strands
Math Task Force ‘Central Valley Way’
gains national math attention
As a July 1, 2025 deadline approaches regarding implementation of Assembly Bill 1705, the Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Math Task Force prepares for its next convening of valley math minds Friday, Oct. 25 in Clovis amidst several new developments.
The group has now met five times since October 2022 – three in person and two virtually – as Central Valley community colleges prepare to meet the requirements of AB 1705 related to equitable placement, support and completion practices for STEM programs.
The free convening Oct. 25, again co-facilitated by John Spevak, Ph.D., CVHEC regional coordinator who oversees the consortium’s Math Task Force, and Tammi Rice-Perez, Ed.D., of the Charles A. Dana Center (University of Texas at Austin), will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Clovis Community College Herndon campus (390 W. Fir Ave. in Clovis).
At the April 19 gathering attended by about 70 that Spevak described as “filled with energy, synergy and productivity,” math professors and deans shared ideas about how best to meet AB 1705 requirements.
That conversation will continue on Oct. 25 with the focus narrowed to three strands and discussion of a new direction provided recently by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.
Spevak said the task force, with the help of the Dana Center, has been working over the summer to present reports on these three updated strands:
- “Developing a Single-Course Prerequisite to Calculus,” led by Professor Jeremy Brandl of Fresno City College
- “Developing a Calculus 1 Course with a Corequisite,” led by Professor Shelley Getty of Taft College
- “Verifying the New Prerequisite Course,” led by Professor Nathan Cahoon of Taft College.
“The Oct. 25 math gathering in Clovis will continue to focus on the Central Valley Way to Math Success in light of AB 1705,” said Dr. Spevak. “Math professors will be giving updates on the development of new courses that will be taught starting in fall 2025, including a new calculus prerequisite course and a calculus with corequisite course.”
Spevak said another group of professors is working on ways to deal with the challenges presented in the Chancellor’s Office guidelines to implementing AB 1705.
He added that the Central Valley’s pursuit of best math practices is gradually expanding as representatives from the California State University and the University of California are expected to attend on Oct. 25 and provide updates.
That gathering will also include expanding representation from K-12 partners, who are also working on finding the best paths to math success in the Central Valley.
Dr. Spevak also announced that this collaborative endeavor by CVHEC, the Dana Center and consortium member institutions of higher education – convening community college math educators, administrators and researchers as well as K-12 representatives to address AB1705 – is getting national attention with the invitation of two strand leads of the Math Task Force, Jeremy Brandl and Shelley Getty, to present at a national math conference in Georgia this fall.
They will join Rice-Perez of the Dana Center to make a presentation about the “Central Valley Way to Math Success” collaboration at the annual conference of the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC) in Atlanta I Nov. 14-17.
“We continue to thank all the math professionals in our region for their dedication to math success for our Central Valley students,” said Dr. Benjamín Durán, CVHEC executive director and president-emeritus of Merced College.
“You are all doing something unique — a collaboration of math educators working closely together to create the Central Valley Way to Math Success. Now the work of your partnerships is being noticed nationally.”
He noted the AB1705 collaboration on the Central Valley front is providing an added benefit: the establishment of an ongoing network between the consortium’s math community.
“This is one of the primary purposes of our consortium, to convene our members on issues of higher education affecting our region and to unify as one voice when needed,” Dr. Duran said. “That’s why we call this CVHEC Math Task Force endeavor ‘the Central Valley Way.’”
Registration for the event is now open.
See also:
- Math Task Force resumes AB1705 curriculum planning April 19
- Math Task Force continues AB 1705 work with April 19 convening
- CCCCO Memo Feb. 27, 2024: AB 1705 Validation of Equitable Placement, Support and Completion Practices for STEM Programs
- CVHEC Math Task Force
- What is AB 705 and AB 1705?
- WHAT THE CV-HEC IS HAPPENING BLOG (October 2022): AB 1705 – What Does It Do?
- CCC Memos and Resources
- https://bit.ly/MTFconveneKSEE24
- Valley’s math ed experts unite to address AB 1705 challenge for student success
- The CVHEC Way to Math Success — Implementing AB1705
- Math Task Force begins discussion of AB1705 implementation – Nov. 17 next
CVHEC Math Task Force meets in-person Oct. 13 for AB 1705 follow-up - NEWS RELEASE – CVHEC Math Task Force: Impactful legislation (AB 1705) Convenings Oct. 6 & 13
- CVHEC Website Feature: Math Task Force Page
