The Alarming State of PPS’s Math Education (I): Stories From Parents

Recently updated on May 5th, 2023 at 09:48 pm

Since the publication of this article, PPS’s current math supervisor has not been retained and will not be returning for the 2023-2024 school year.

This article is part of a series aimed at bringing to light long-standing issues within the Princeton Public Schools that have remained largely unknown to the public outside of PPS families, and have been overlooked by district leadership. Three parents tell their stories about their disheartening experience with Princeton Public Schools’ math department and the district’s negligence and inaction.  — editor

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Dear neighbors and residents,

We wanted to bring to your attention some concerning issues currently affecting the public school education system in Princeton. Our experiences and stories are just the tip of the iceberg, and I urge you to read through them and become informed about the situation.

Story #1

In the fall of 2022, we relocated to Princeton from another school district. My child, a rising 7th grader, had a strong passion for math and had excelled in the subject during their 6th grade year. We provided Princeton Middle School with our child’s 6th grade transcript prior to the start of the school year, but unfortunately, the school failed to inform us of the option to take a math placement test. It was only after my child learned about the possibility of taking the accelerated course in the spring of 2023 that we became aware of this opportunity. I immediately contacted the PPS math department, but received no response, so I had to escalate the matter to higher-ups in order to get things moving.

It was only through my persistent efforts that my child was able to enroll in the accelerated course at such a late stage in the school year. I am saddened by the bureaucratic and neglectful manner in which the district handled this situation.

I have since learned that many parents and students were similarly affected, missing out on important opportunities. This neglectful approach could have had a significant negative impact on our children’s education and overall growth in math and other STEM subjects in general. It is saddening to see the district fail to take appropriate action and ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to succeed.

 — A parent from Griggs Farm

Story #2

Our family moved to Princeton in the summer of 2022 when my son was a rising 7th grader at Princeton Middle School. He had excelled in math at his previous school, earning straight A’s and completing Algebra 1 via online and self-learning during the pandemic. We were informed by PMS that there would be a math placement test, but my emails to the math supervisor went unanswered. As a result, without any notice or explanation, my son was placed in a slower-paced math class, which he found too easy and boring.

It wasn’t until two months into the school year that we discovered there were faster-paced math classes available at the school, and we were advised to contact the math supervisor for placement. Despite multiple attempts to reach out, there was no response. I later found out that my son would have to continue taking the same slow track for another year, which means he would spend two years re-learning materials he had already mastered in 6th grade. It’s frustrating that a prestigious school district like Princeton would treat a student with such negligence.

Furthermore, we have discovered that our experience is not an isolated case. Many transfer students had similar issues, if not worse. We have concerns about the lack of transparency on the school’s curriculum, no accountability for failing academic performance, and no engagement with parents. This raises questions about whether there is systematic neglect of duty ongoing in PPS and whether there are discriminatory practices against new residents and their children.

As a newcomer in town, we moved in with excitement and happiness. But now we have many questions and even more worries. What if I had never found out? What if the other transfer students’ families never found out? Who is responsible for making this rather simple and standard process so difficult?

We urge the district to initiate an immediate investigation into the following:

1. How many transfer students were not given math placement tests on time in the past three years, and what is their racial distribution?
2. Who should be responsible and accountable for this type of misconduct?
3. Could this issue be related to the historical decline in math performance in PPS in the past few years?

A good education system should provide every student with diverse opportunities based on their interests and needs. However, PPS seems to be doing the opposite, which worries us the most. We hope that the school district takes this issue seriously and addresses it promptly.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.

— A parent from Terhune Road

Story #3

When my daughter started in the Princeton School District as a 5th grader in 2021, we knew she was passionate about mathematics and did extremely well in math. In her previous school, she had already taken Algebra I with 7th graders. We were hoping to continue this pace in Princeton as well. However, despite presenting our daughter’s school report card and other credentials, the math supervisor stopped responding to our inquiries. As a result, my daughter ended up re-learning 5th-grade math last year. This experience has led me to believe that the PPS math department doesn’t prioritize encouraging students to work hard and excel or provide an environment that fosters such achievements.

This year, my daughter again asked if she could take the Algebra II placement, as her current Algebra I course is far too easy for her. Given that former students were placed in accelerated classes one or two years ahead of the regular curriculum, we were curious about the possibilities for our daughter as well. Once again, our emails to the math supervisor went unanswered. Other parents even warned us not to expect a reply unless we routed our emails to higher-level administrators. 

Beyond my daughter’s situation, I see numerous roadblocks hindering students from succeeding in math under supervision of the PPS math department. Many math evaluation criteria seem to be based on subjective or arbitrary judgments. Additionally, I don’t understand why there are no summer courses available for sixth or seventh-graders this year. 

Now I’m more concerned about all the students in PPS who have the potential to excel but aren’t receiving the guidance and positive academic environment they need from the math department. Who should be held responsible for their lack of professionalism and accountability? I’m not sure, but I do know that our kids are the ones suffering from this failure.

For many economically disadvantaged students, their school education may be their only accessible resource, and eliminating opportunities like this could significantly jeopardize their future success. Ultimately, I believe that all students deserve a top-notch education that lives up to the school’s promises, and I hope the PPS math department will work to create a more equitable and supportive academic environment for all students.

— A parent from Northeast Princeton

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Notes from editor: 

After reading the stories, you might be wondering, as I am, if the affected students have been treated fairly and equally. Why does the district choose to not communicate with parents? How long has this kind of negligence been ongoing in Princeton Public Schools? Does the lack of focus on academic excellence, as evidenced by these stories, lead to lower overall standards and lower performance across the board?

These are important questions that need to be addressed in order to ensure that all students have access to a good education that prepares them for success in the future.