Sandia/Carlsbad awards $20,000 math grant through Lockheed Martin fee money

Sandia/Carlsbad recently awarded a $20,000 grant to the Carlsbad Municipal SchoolsSixth Grade Academy through Lockheed Martin fee money for the MidSchoolMath Program.

The program addresses the decline in student performance during the middle grade years in math. Teachers report ease of use for math curricula to be one of the most important factors in gaining achievement with students. With its innovative technique, MidSchoolMath launches a three-act video series that transports students to another place — for instance on a spice trading ship in the 1600s or in outer space — and present them with a challenge.

Students grapple with the problem, come to a solution, and learn how math is a useful tool to solve problems. A high-quality printable clicker quiz and an advanced adaptive test trainer are then added. Instructors report that they see higher engagement from students using the MidSchoolMath approach than they’ve seen with any other math curriculum.

Steve Morgan, the lead math teacher at Carlsbad Sixth Grade Academy, told Carlsbad Board of Education members during this recent presentation, that he is “blown away” by the program as he’s seen it used in other schools across New Mexico. “I am impressed by how much better students perform,” he said.

Program funds are being handled by the Carlsbad Community Foundation, a local charitable nonprofit organization that promotes and enhances the lives of people in Carlsbad and South Eddy County. It has been in existence since 1978 and has been a primary supporter of education, arts and humanities, health and human services, and other key issues for nearly four decades.