Low Test Scores Prompt District to Explore Summer Math Program

Students in Kings Park High School may have the opportunity to enroll in a summer program that would help prepare students for what has been described as a challenging class; Algebra.
  
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Instruction and Personnel Ralph Cartisano, presented the board of education with a program that would allow students to take summer sessions prior to beginning their course work in the fall at the Tuesday meeting.

The program is being reviewed in response to lower scores in Algebra 2/Trigonometry, which Cartisano called a “challenging curriculum”.    

In the 2011-12 school year 274 students took the Regents Algebra 2/Trigonometry exam, with 19 percent scoring above an 85. When reviewing just the general education population, the result was slightly higher with 20 percent scoring above an 85. Click here to view all test results. 
  
Other schools districts such as Three Village offer a summer support program and have seen better test scores as a result, according to Cartisano.  
The district is looking at offering four sessions at 90 minutes long that would run for 10 days. The cost to the district for the four sessions, according to Cartisano, would be about $4,500. Sessions would run in July and August.

“We think this is one step in many to get students ready,” said District Superintendent, Susan Agruso.
   
The voluntary course, if approved, would be offered to any student enrolled in the course for the fall.