K-5 Virginia Mathematics Specialist Project: A Preliminary Report
In our presentation, we report findings from a multiyear, case study project that aims to understand the participants' induction processes in different settings as they become and/or continue to serve as K-5 mathematics specialists. The six participants that comprise the case studies are currently enrolled in a K-8 mathematics specialist graduate degree program. At the completion of this program they will earn a Master's degree from one of three state universities that offers this degree program. They will also be eligible for a state licensure endorsement; the State School Board of Education has recommended that one mathematics specialist be placed in Virginia's K-8 schools for every 1000 students. (This initiative is currently an unfunded recommendation.) This move towards a K-8 mathematics specialist program is long awaited and is a result of over two decades of state-wide efforts spearheaded by the Virginia Mathematics and Science Coalition [VMSC], a collaborative venture among district, university and K-16 education stakeholders.
