Birmingham City Schools announced the launch of a pilot program with Suntex, makers of the online math skills portal First in Math. The project gives some 19,000 BCS students, grades K-8, access to the First In Math tool, a self-paced program that motivates students to excel and take ownership of their own learning process through focused practice and instant feedback.
The Birmingham City School System is using First In Math as a supplemental tool to help students keep up with the rigorous standards established by the Common Core States Standards Initiative. Because Alabama is one of the 45 U.S. states that have adopted the new national standards, the Birmingham City School System has introduced this program to help accelerate students’ learning to meet the new Common Core benchmarks. These benchmarks were set by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices and the Council of Chief State School Officers.
“Through the First In Math pilot program, we have the opportunity to bring an exciting game-based supplemental tool into the classrooms of Birmingham City Schools,” Beverly K. Kimes, mathematics program specialist for the district. “First In Math provides rigorous content in a gaming format that is familiar to our students. I am already getting great feedback about how much our students are enjoying and benefiting from the program.”
The program has a friendly competition component that gets students even more enthusiastic about mathematics and wanting to practice math at school, at home and with friends. Currently within the Birmingham City School System, Green Acres Middle School, Huffman Middle School and Lewis Elementary School rank as the top schools in the First In Math pilot since its launch at the beginning of the 2012-2013 school year.
“First in Math, as a supplemental learning tool, was proven effective long before the Common Core State Standards were set,” said Robert Sun, CEO, Suntex International, Inc. “Birmingham City Schools is using a robust program that is not just an afterthought to the new standards. We are excited to work with the Birmingham City Schools to ensure their nearly 20,000 kindergarten through eighth grade students are provided with the proper tools needed to succeed.”
About Birmingham City Schools
The Birmingham City School System is an urban district located in Birmingham, Ala. The district has approximately 25,000 students, who attend 49 schools. The district is working to increase the opportunities available to students by incorporating programs like First In Math. BCS opened seven career academies in its high schools this year and has two schools that are in the second year of candidacy for the International Baccalaureate program.
About First in Math
Founded by Robert Sun, CEO of Suntex International, Inc., First In Math® Online program offers comprehensive content-ranging from single-step addition to complex algebra in an engaging format. Students progress at their own pace to master basic and advanced math skills. First In Math is an innovative tool that is teaching a new generation of students to become critical thinkers and problem solvers. During the past 20 years, the complete line of 24® math games and the First In Math® Online program has been used by more than 10 million students throughout the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.firstinmath.com