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MDE providing 15 math coaches to 30 schools to aid teachers, improve student outcomes
JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) will provide 15 new math coaches to 30 K-8 public schools beginning Feb. 22, to provide instructional support to teachers and improve student outcomes.
On Feb. 17, the Mississippi State Board of Education (SBE) voted to approve $1.6 million in state appropriated funds to contract with Teaching Lab, a nationally approved provider of learning and curriculum services, to deliver mathematics coaching services to selected schools. To see the list of selected schools visit Math Coaches.
The addition of math coaches builds upon MDE’s coaching model success that has proven to be an effective method of transforming Mississippi schools and improving student achievement. Coaching staff has expanded from 29 literacy coaches in 2013-14 to a team of 116 coaches in literacy, school improvement, early childhood, special education and digital learning.
“We’ve been anticipating adding mathematics coaches to MDE’s current effective coaching model,” said Dr. Carey Wright, state superintendent of education. “With the new coaches in place, schools and teachers will receive significant support in math instruction to help students progress even more.”
Math coaching services will be available to selected schools the remainder of the school year and in the summer until June 30. With an additional appropriation of funds, the math coaching services will continue and likely include additional coaches to serve more schools in the 2022-23 school year.
Schools selected to receive math coaches during this pilot year of the program were chosen based on a review of Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) data in math across several years.
Teaching Lab engaged national partners during the recruitment of math coaches to maximize the quality of coaches and to avoid pulling current Mississippi teachers out of the classroom to serve in this full-time statewide capacity.
All of the math coaches have previous experience coaching teachers or school leaders. For selected schools, the math coaches will offer in-person and virtual coaching support, individualized plans of action, in-person modeling and co-teaching, classroom observations, lesson plan development, professional development and summer enrichment for administrators.
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