Valley math profs to present national experience at AB1705 convening March 28

Getty, Brandl share ‘The Central Valley Way’ to AB1705 at

AMATYC national meet – March 28 MTF agenda released

[REGISTER]

BY TOM URIBES
CVHEC Communications Coordinator

Among the highlights of the upcoming Central Valley Higher Education Consortium Math Task Force convening this month in Fresno will be a full report from two members featured in the national spotlight with a presentation at a national math conference in Atlanta last fall about “The Central Valley Way” in tackling AB 1705 curriculum issues.

CVHEC released the official agenda for the “The Central Valley Way to Math Success: AB 1705 Success and Beyond” Convening set for March 28 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the new West Fresno Center of Fresno City College where community college professors Shelley Getty  and Jeremy Brandl will discuss how, at the national math conference Nov. 17, they shared  CVHEC’s approach to addressing AB 1705 the past two years.

In addition to updates in five breakout sessions from Central Valley community colleges regarding their revised calculus and precalculus curricula, the upcoming event will feature a visit by Dr. Erik Cooper, assistant vice chancellor of the California Community College Chancellor’s Office, presenting “Reflections from Chancellor’s Office” regarding a Dec. 10, 2024 memo which provides “additional direction on placement and enrollment options.”

Dr. John Spevak, CVHEC regional coordinator who oversees the consortium’s Math Task Force and serves as event facilitator, said participants will also hear about innovations in teaching calculus from university colleagues, as well as ways to improve math outcomes through student engagement from the Central Valley Math Bridge Program now in full swing by College Bridge and CVHEC.

“We will have an opportunity in break-out sessions to hear what our math colleagues are doing, now that curricula has been finalized and fall schedules are set, in terms of innovative pedagogy, student support structures and collecting relevant data,” Spevak said.   “We will conclude the event with discussions about next steps.”

Session topics are:

• “Math Strand Report Out”
• “Math Bridge in the Central Valley – Improving Student Engagement Quantitative and Qualitative Outcomes of Increased Student Participation in Mathematics”
• “Reports & Updates on Regional and State Math Initiatives”
• “Conversations around Pedagogy, Support and Data”
• “How was Atlanta? Showcasing CV Math Efforts to a National Audience”

The Atlanta session features Getty of Taft College and Brandl of Fresno City College who attended the  American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges Conference (AMATYC)  with Dr. Tammi Pérez-Rice, course program specialist for the Charles A. Dana Center (University of Texas at Austin), a co-facilitator of past MTF convenings with Spevak.

When the delegation returned, Pérez-Rice commended the Central Valley math professors for their Atlanta presentation which she said drew approximately 20 participants representing about six states.

“Our presentation at AMATYC was a success,” Pérez-Rice said in an email report. “Jeremy and Shelley were amazing.  Even more exciting are the conversations sparked during the session, including ideas about returning next year with even more data and updates to share. The enthusiasm and engagement from attendees were inspiring, and it’s clear that the momentum around this work is only growing.”

Brandl noted in the email report that “many in attendance were very taken back with what we are going through, and how we are navigating it all.”  He said the national conference experience also provided the opportunity to attend other presentations that provided numerous ideas.

“I will have some notes to share, both to my department, as well as the CVHEC community,” he said.

Getty called it an “amazing experience” where the attendees were “very interested both in the challenges we have faced in California and the benefit CVHEC and the Dana Center have offered us.

“I have learned a lot from some great presenters and gathered ideas that will be very beneficial as we continue to move forward in this adventure we call AB1705,” Getty said. “It has been really good to see how schools across the country are wrestling with similar challenges, but on much longer timelines. It has made me very thankful to be a part of ‘the Central Valley Way’.”

Event questions:  contact Ángel Ramírez, operations and finance manager, at CVHECinfo@mail.fresnostate.edu or 559.278.0576.

Media inquiries: Tom Uribes, CVHEC communications coordinator, text 559.348.3278 or cvheccommunications@mail.fresnostate.edu

FULL AGENDA [link to come]

See:

• Math Task Force sets next AB1705 convening March 28 – (February 12, 2025)
• Community colleges loosen STEM math placement rules, calming some critics – EdSource(Dec. 13, 2024)
• Educators divided on impact of changes in STEM math placement at California community colleges– EdSource (Nov. 20, 2024)
• Math Task Force AB1705 collaborations to continue– (November 15, 2024)
• AB1705 update: Math Task Force Convening draws state higher ed officials– (October 4, 2024)
• AB 1705: Math Task Force sets Oct. 25 reconvene with 3 strands– (September 12, 2024)
• Math Task Force resumes AB1705 curriculum planning April 19– (April 17, 2024)
• Math Task Force continues AB 1705 work with April 19 convening– (March 15, 2024)
• MATH TASK FORCE: ‘Something extraordinary’ (Jan. 26 wrap– February 23, 2024)
• CVHEC SPOTLIGHT: Math Task Force Convening Jan. 26 in the news– (February 23, 2024)
• “Central Valley Way To AB1705 Success” Convening – KSEE24 Central Valley TodayShow – (January 23, 2024)
• Valley’s math ed experts unite to address AB 1705 challenge for student success– (January 18, 2024)
• The CVHEC Way to Math Success — Implementing AB1705– (December 20, 2023)
• Math Task Force begins discussion of AB1705 implementation – Nov. 17 next– (November 1, 2023)
• CVHEC Math Task Force meets in-person Oct. 13 for AB 1705 follow-up– (October 10, 2023)
• NEWS RELEASE – CVHEC Math Task Force: Impactful legislation (AB 1705) Convenings Oct. 6 & 13– (September 28, 2023)
• CVHEC Website Feature: Math Task Force Page– (September 7, 2023)
• Math Task Force

Community colleges loosen STEM math placement rules, calming some critics – EdSource (Dec. 13, 2024)