Taunton Public School Students Continue to Experience Impressive Test Scores With Everyday Mathematics

Taunton Public Schools recently boosted elementary math scores on the Stanford 9 standardized test with support from Wright Group/McGraw-Hill's Everyday Mathematics curriculum, which was adopted in 2001 for Grades K-5 and in 2005 for Grade 6. Twenty percent of Grade 2 students scored Advanced, up from 12% in 2004-2005. Meanwhile, only 4% of students scored in the Below Basic category, compared to 12% three years ago.

"The continued improvement over the past three years is a testament to the hard work of the students, teachers, parents and staff of the schools. Given the current rate of progress, our goal of 100% math proficiency is within our reach," said Megan Bennett, math coordinator for Taunton Public Schools.

Dr. Arthur Stellar, superintendent of Taunton Public Schools, said, "Everyday Math certainly deserves credit for some of this significant improvement. We anticipate our math scores to continue to rise with help from Everyday Math."

Last spring, Taunton Public Schools also experienced significant gains in elementary math on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System, earning the district the honor of being ranked No. 2 in math among 22 urban school districts in the state. Taunton is one of only three Massachusetts urban school districts in 2007 to make Adequate Yearly Progress two years in a row under No Child Left Behind. See the news release (http://www.wrightgroup.com/download/common/tauntonschools_em_release.pdf) for details.

About Taunton Public Schools

Serving more than 7,919 students in Grades K-12, this district's student population is 78% Caucasian, 10% Hispanic, 7% African American, less than 1% Asian/Pacific Islander, less than 1% Native American and 3% unspecified. Thirty-eight percent of Taunton students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. For more information on Taunton Public Schools, please visit TauntonSchools.org.

About Everyday Mathematics

With more than 20 years of history, Wright Group/McGraw-Hill's Everyday Mathematics for Grades Pre-K-6 helps students measure up to the demand for greater mathematical competence and problem-solving ability. Everyday Mathematics was developed by the University of Chicago School Mathematics Project. The research-based curriculum is used in nearly 185,000 classrooms across the United States by more than 3 million children.

The third edition was recently launched and offers more support for learning differences, extra help for English-language learners, enhanced assessment and new support for the Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten mathematics classrooms. The third edition also features new technology components to support teachers and students. The Everyday Mathematics eSuite includes an online lesson planner with digital access to all teacher materials, an interactive online student edition, animated games for additional fact practice, an assessment management system to monitor student progress, and multilingual family letters in nine languages to support the home-school connection.

Visit EverydayMathSuccess.com to read about the program's efficacy and to see videos of the program in use in the classroom and see wrightgroup.com/parent_connection/index.html for parent resources.

About Wright Group/McGraw-Hill

Wright Group/McGraw-Hill publishes innovative core and supplemental literacy and mathematics programs for differentiated instruction and teacher training in Grades Pre-K-8. The research-based approach is anchored in real-world applications and is based on the assessed needs of students, combining developmentally appropriate materials with explicit outcomes.

Wright Group is part of McGraw-Hill Education, a leading global provider of instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower the success of professionals and students of all ages. McGraw-Hill Education has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 40 languages. Additional information is available at http://www.mheducation.com/. For more information on Wright Group's products, call 1-800-648-2970 or visit WrightGroup.com.

  Contact:    Amy Tillinghast                    Melina Metzger
              Wright Group/McGraw-Hill           Paul Werth Associates
              614-750-7285                       (614) 224-8114 Ext. 236
              amy_tillinghast@mcgraw-hill.com    mmetzger@paulwerth.com

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

SOURCE: Wright Group/McGraw-Hill

CONTACT: Amy Tillinghast
Wright Group-McGraw-Hill
614-750-7285
amy_tillinghast@mcgraw-hill.com
Melina Metzger
Paul Werth Associates
(614) 224-8114 Ext. 236
mmetzger@paulwerth.com

Web site: http://www.mheducation.com/
http://www.wrightgroup.com/
http://www.tauntonschools.org/
http://www.everydaymathsuccess.com/