In summer 1996, RUSMP began collaborating with HISD on a district-wide Algebra Initiative. The Initiative is designed to improve students' understanding of algebra, to increase student scores on the Texas Algebra I End-of-Course Examination, and to increase the number of students successfully completing advanced mathematics courses. To achieve these goals, the Initiative provides time for building-level collaborative planning among teachers and provides professional development activities that support implementation of innovative, effective teaching strategies. RUSMP personnel were involved in developing the structure of the Initiative, writing the Algebra I Syllabus, designing a curriculum aligned to the NCTM Standards, and providing training and support for lead teachers in each school. The Algebra Initiative involves teachers district-wide with a new group of teachers phased in each year. The first year targeted Algebra I teachers; the second and third years included middle school teachers, with syllabi developed for grades 6, 7, and 8. In 2000-2001, teachers in grades 3-5 were added. In subsequent years, K-2 teachers will be included. Appropriate curriculum resources for each level are being developed.

Houston ISD Geometry Initiative

Building upon the success of the HISD Algebra Initiative, RUSMP collaborated with HISD to launch the district-wide Geometry Initiative in the spring of 2003. The vision behind the Geometry Initiative is to improve students' understanding of geometric concepts in grades PreK-12. The recent emphasis on geometry on the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) serves as one of the catalysts for reforming geometry instruction. Current research on how students learn geometric concepts is the foundation of this initiative. The Geometry Initiative has both curricular and professional development components. RUSMP also developed and is offering courses for elementary and middle school teachers and professional development support for high school mathematics teachers in geometry to support the implementation of the initiative.

Houston ISD Ninth-Grade Success Initiative

As part of HISD's Ninth-Grade Success Initiative grant, RUSMP developed an intensive two-week summer program that focused on the curricular, pedagogical, cognitive, affective, and social goals that teachers working with at-risk ninth-grade students must address. Teachers from Community Education Partners, Contemporary Learning Center, Jordan, Ninth-Grade Academy, Reagan, Sam Houston, Sharpstown, and Yates completed the summer program in Summer 2000 and participated in four follow-up sessions during the 2000-2001 school year to further help them to meet the academic and social needs of their students.

Visit the photo gallery from the 2003 Ninth-Grade Success Initiative

Houston ISD — Project GRAD

Initiated in the Houston Independent School District in 1993, Project GRAD (Graduation Really Achieves Dreams) is a school-community collaborative to improve the instructional quality and school culture of at-risk feeder systems of schools. Project GRAD is a not-for-profit organization currently partnered with 24 schools reaching over 17,000 Hispanic and African American children. RUSMP's work with Project GRAD is varied. RUSMP personnel serve as curriculum authors and consultants and provide teacher training to help Project GRAD with their federal "Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)" grant. RUSMP also developed a summer program for academically gifted students from Project GRAD schools, The Rice University/Project GRAD Advanced Summer Mathematics Academy, that is held annually on the Rice campus. This program is designed to insure the continued success of these students in advanced mathematics courses while exposing them to a university atmosphere. RUSMP also served as the Rice University Partnership Coordinator for McReynolds Middle School and Wheatley High School. In this role, RUSMP provided mentors and tutors from the Rice community for students and helped expose them to college life through field trips to the Rice campus.

View the curriculum matrix for the Summer 2003 Project GRAD Advanced Summer Mathematics Academy.

View the photo gallery from the Summer 2003 Project GRAD Advanced Summer Mathematics Academy.

Houston ISD - Career and Technology Education (CATE)

In 2004, RUSMP designed a technology-focused program for HISD CATE teachers to assist them in supporting mathematics and science instruction at their schools. CATE teachers conducted mathematics experiments, discussed important mathematics concepts, and received technology support. The success of the initial June 2004 program led to the involvement of CATE teachers in other RUSMP programs and to the offering of a second CATE course during the summer of 2005, and a third course during the summer of 2006.

The Pershing/Rice University Math Partnership: PUMPing Up Math Achievement

RUSMP initiated a partnership with Pershing Middle School in 2004 to increase student achievement in mathematics through the development of problem-solving skills. An enrichment mathematics course, taught by the entire Pershing mathematics faculty, was designed to enhance and extend what students were learning in their mathematics classrooms by focusing on the development of problem-solving strategies. RUSMP is collaborating in the 2005-2006 program.

Pearland ISD - Geometry Initiative

RUSMP began collaboration with Pearland ISD's Mathematics Department in 2005 to improve the instruction of Geometry. Through professional development incorporating RUSMP's Geometry Module, Pearland ISD's Geometry teachers are using the van Hiele model of geometric thinking to inform the revision of their district's curriculum.

Humble ISD - Elementary Mathematics Curriculum Development Project

RUSMP personnel led a PreK-5 curriculum development project for Humble ISD's Mathematics Department. The focus of the project was the development of a seamless conceptually-driven elementary mathematics curriculum for grades PreK-5. Model lessons that allow teachers to implement this new curriculum were developed under the direction of RUSMP personnel.

Klein ISD - Gifted and Talented Action Team

RUSMP personnel served as advisors for the Klein ISD Gifted and Talented Action Team in mathematics during 2003 and 2004. They crafted the vision for the mathematics education of gifted students and provided professional development and curricular support for the Action Team as they wrote the new curriculum. RUSMP personnel are assisting in the implementation of the new curriculum by providing professional development for the district's mathematics teachers.

Houston Urban Systemic Initiative (HU-LINC)

RUSMP personnel were a part of the design team for HISD's Urban Systemic Initiative from the onset and actively participated in planning the first HU-LINC Conference. They served on the HU-LINC University Coalition and the Professional Development Task Force. A district-wide mathematics needs assessment was conducted by RUSMP for HU-LINC. Many of the RUSMP professional development programs were supported by HU-LINC funding.

Alief ISD & the Southwest Education Development Laboratory (SEDL)

A unique follow-up program for the Alief ISD participants to the Summer Campus Program was developed in partnership with SEDL. During July and August, after participation in the Summer 2000 Campus Program, teachers from Alief ISD developed an assessment document consisting of alternative assessment items and associated rubrics compiled from learning plans (capitalize and italicize?) developed during the summer program. This document is being refined, field-tested with students, and edited during the academic year. Teachers are collecting samples of student work from the assessment items. The edited assessment document will be made available to SEDL for possible publication.

Education for the Energy Industry (EEI)

RUSMP, in collaboration with Aldine ISD and Harris County Department of Education, is providing on-site professional development and support at Bethune and Drew Academies and Carver High School. During the summer, teachers from these schools collaborate with RUSMP personnel to design curriculum to present to their students in summer school programs. During the academic year, teachers continue to plan instruction collaboratively for their classrooms and to participate in RUSMP programs. Much of the emphasis is on developing students' awareness of energy-related professions and of the mathematics used in the energy industry.

Lamar Consolidated Independent School District (LCISD) Academics 2000 Grant

Developing leaders in mathematics instruction at the elementary level is the focus of this collaborative program with the Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, funded through the district’s Academics 2000 grant. Teachers from targeted elementary schools are working with RUSMP to better understand the NCTM Principles and Standards for School Mathematics, their relationship to the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills, and their implementation in the classroom. Through analysis of case studies, role-playing exercises, presentations to colleagues and readings on motivation, leadership and systemic change, these leaders will develop the skills necessary for them to assume leadership roles at the campus and district level. A second component of this grant involves the creation and implementation of an algebraic thinking seminar for the district’s elementary teachers during the academic year.

The Math Tools Leadership Development Workshop

Since 2005, RUSMP has collaborated with The Math Forum @ Drexel University using the National Science Foundation's National Science Digital Library to develop a series of workshops for Houston-area teachers. Houston teachers receive professional development to help them become leaders in the use of Internet-based resources for the mathematics classroom. Teachers also receive online support for the duration of the program.

Equity Initiatives for Science and Mathematics

RUSMP personnel collaborated to plan the curriculum for the Science and Mathematics Institute (SMI) for elementary teachers and spoke on assessment and the RUSMP Learning Plan. For the Equitable Classroom Practices Institute, RUSMP personnel made presentations on equitable classroom practices for the mathematics classroom for teachers and administrators who attended these summer institutes.

GK-12 Fellows A project of the National Science Foundation, the GK-12 Fellows Program teams outstanding undergraduate and graduate students from Rice University and the University of Houston's central and downtown campuses with veteran and novice teachers at four middle schools in the Houston Independent School District in an exchange of content knowledge and pedagogy. RUSMP has been instrumental in the development of the program and the training of the university fellows.

Institute for Advanced Study/Park City Mathematics Institute

In collaboration with the Rice University Department of Mathematics, RUSMP coordinates the Houston site of the Institute for Advanced Study/Park City Mathematics Institute. Activities for the Houston area high school teachers who were selected to participate in the two-year summer program include programs on the Rice campus for the teachers and their students and discussions about mathematics.

Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas at Austin

RUSMP has collaborated with the Charles A. Dana Center at the University of Texas, Austin, to develop TEXTEAMS Mathematics Institutes as well as an Algebra I Assessment document. RUSMP Directors serve on the various Dana Center projects including the leadership team of the Advanced Placement Equity Center and the advisory boards for Algebra II and the FIPSE project, Supporting and Strengthening Standards-based Mathematics Teacher Preparation. As Master Trainers, RUSMP personnel are currently offering selected TEXTEAMS Mathematics Institutes through contracts with local school districts. Currently, RUSMP Directors are serving on the Teacher Quality Evaluation Advisory Committee.

Region IV Educational Service Center

RUSMP works with the Region IV Educational Service Center to create curricular materials for teacher development and student classroom use. TEXTEAMS Geometry Across the TEKS consists of two staff development modules, one for teachers of grades 6-8 and one for high school teachers. These institutes focus on how to incorporate the teaching of geometry concepts throughout the mathematics curriculum. The Algebra II/MMA Project developed a curriculum that allows students to receive support in Algebra II through a parallel in course in Mathematical Modeling with Applications. The Algebra I/Integrated Physics and Chemistry Project developed interdisciplinary units in mathematics and science for use with high school students. The Region IV mathematics team served on the writing team for RUSMP's Geometry Module for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Region IV is providing the Texas Mathematics Master Teacher certification training for the Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute's lead teachers.

National Science Foundation - The Rice University Mathematics Leadership Institute

To nurture the intellectual curiosity and stimulate the teaching repertoire of high school mathematics teachers in the Houston area, Rice University and RUSMP were awarded a National Science Foundation grant in the amount $3,799,311 to establish a Mathematics Leadership Institute (MLI). Expected outcomes include:
a. Expanding teachers knowledge in each of the important mathematics strands that form the core of the high school mathematics curriculum;
b. Developing long-term relationships among high school and college faculty in the departments of Mathematics (MATH), Computational and Applied Mathematics (CAAM), and Statistics (STAT);
c. Inspiring better teaching practice among K-20 faculty;
d. Exposing teachers to the beauty, power, connections, and richness of mathematics.
MLI will engage a total of 80 teachers over a five-year period beginning in June, 2005. The Rice University School Mathematics Project (RUSMP) together with CAAM, MATH, and STAT will partner with two very ethnically diverse school districts, Aldine (AISD) and Houston (HISD) Independent School Districts.

Mathematical Tours of the Rice Campus RUSMP regularly provides tours of the Rice University campus for students of teachers in the RUSMP network. These tours focus on the mathematics that is evident in the university's architecture, art work, and landscaping.

Expanding Your Horizons

In 1993 at the suggestion of a former RUSMP participant, RUSMP brought the American Association of University Women’s (AAUW) Expanding Your Horizons (EYH) Conference to the Rice University campus. This annual conference for middle school girls, their parents, teachers, and counselors is designed to increase young women's interest in mathematics and science and to foster awareness of career opportunities for women in mathematics- and science- related fields. EYH provides students an opportunity to meet working women in nontraditional professions and provides adults with ways to foster and promote gender equity in the classroom. The conference is now held annually at The Rice School.

Children’s Museum of Houston – Everyone Counts! Exhibit

RUSMP collaborated with the Children’s Museum of Houston to design their mathematics exhibit Everyone Counts! Todo el Mundo Cuenta! The exhibit features a hands-on collection of brain teasers, games from around the world, and everyday activities-turned-special that show just how everyone counts in so many ways.

Children’s Museum of Houston – Cyber Clubhouse

In collaboration with the Psychology Department at Rice University and the Children's Museum of Houston, RUSMP planned and piloted a project designed to address current inequities in access to educational technology. Housed in the Children's Museum computer lab, the project is a low cost, community-based approach to providing access to educational software for low-income families. The program holds promise as a model for similar labs in university, museum, community center, or school settings.