Information provided by the San Benito County Office of Education. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
San Benito County Office of Education, in partnership with Dr. Phil Gonzalves, has just begun the second year of the San Benito County Math Initiative (SBCMI) 2.0. The SBCMI 2.0 initiative is part of SBCOE’s Building Bridges 2 Literacy initiative, which seeks to increase student achievement for all students in San Benito County. In particular, the purpose of SBCMI 2.0 is to build high level mathematics skills in students at all grade levels by improving their math literacy and knowledge.
Most students in California score below standard in math, with only 34.62% students across the state and 26.23% of San Benito County students meeting or exceeding the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessment math standards during the 2022-23 school year, the most recent year for which there is data. In the spring of 2023, County Superintendent of Schools, Krystal Lomanto, met with district Superintendents to develop a plan to increase student math skills. After reviewing several options, the group decided to partner with Dr. Phil Gonzalves, who successfully worked with county math teachers and administrators several years ago.
SBCMI 2.0 is not a curriculum. Instead, It is a framework of engaging instructional strategies that can be used with all board-adopted mathematics curriculum in grades K-12. A key component to SBCMI 2.0 is building teachers’ mathematics skills, which helps them teach math content and use strategies such as demonstrating multiple methods for solving problems with students. Additionally, teachers who are participating in SBCMI 2.0 work regularly with a math coach who has been trained on the strategies and on instructional coaching. As part of SBCMI 2.0, math teachers in grades K-12 participated in a multi-day summer institute and will attend follow up training throughout the school year.
To support San Benito County math teachers, this year SBCOE hired Erica Robledo Dickens to serve as a countywide math coach. Before joining the county office, Ms. Robledo Dickens worked as a teacher and Student Activities Director at R.O. Hardin and Rancho San Justo Middle School for 26 years. She is passionate about teaching Math and showing teachers how to incorporate instructional strategies that help students increase their understanding of math.
Supporting math through SBCMI 2.0 is a multi-year effort that builds teacher capacity and helps students develop math skills they will use throughout their lives. For more information about SBCMI 2.0 or SBCOE’s Building Bridges 2 Literacy initiative, contact Assistant Superintendent of Educational Services, Keith Thorbahn.
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