As the Department of Education’s mandated Algebra I math curriculum has expanded from a few hundred high schools last year to citywide this school year, so have teachers’ concerns that it is a mismatch for city schools and is hampering their students’ academic progress.

The DOE implemented the new Illustrative Math curriculum without input from math teachers, who are the frontline experts. Had it asked math teachers, the DOE would have learned there are unrealistic expectations about how fast educators should move through lessons, it is misaligned with the Algebra I Regents, and it presumes knowledge of core concepts that students from middle schools that did not use Illustrative Math would not know.

Math teachers have been discouraged from modifying Illustrative Math to remedy these issues. Given the diversity of the student population, it is unrealistic to demand that teachers follow the curriculum “with fidelity.” UFT math teachers who used the curriculum before it became mandatory say it is not usable “out of the box” and must be adapted.

As for the Algebra I Regents, teachers have to find time to cram in polynomial operations, unit conversions, sequences and operations on rational/irrational numbers. Illustrative Math does not allow time for teachers to review middle school statistics before tackling Algebra I statistics. Without those vital topics, students will be unprepared for the Regents exam.

Math teachers need the flexibility to modify the curriculum to meet the needs of their students, particularly multilingual learners and those with disabilities. UFT Teacher Center experts, who know our schools and our students best, have proven that they are ready and capable of training our members, whatever the curriculum. Outside consultants are not up to the task.

The new chancellor has said she wants to fix what is broken in the DOE. Illustrative Math would be a great place to start.