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Mississippi State University’s Research and Curriculum Unit (RCU) was recently awarded $1.5 million by the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund to implement a pair of projects aimed at providing innovative education solutions across Mississippi.

The projects are part of $4.3 million allocated to MSU during a second round of funding by Gov. Tate Reeves. The GEER program is funded by federal COVID-19 relief legislation and administered by the governors in each state.

“This has been a challenging period for the educators, students and parents in our state. Thanks to Gov. Reeves’ support, these GEER projects will allow the RCU to work with partners such as Math Nation to provide valuable resources that will assist our state’s teachers in providing quality instruction through this pandemic,” RCU Director Betsey Smith said.

The RCU’s partnership with Math Nation – formerly Algebra Nation – will provide expanded digital mathematics tools and resources. The second project will support the development of a robust K-12 online learning environment that would be the first of its kind in the state.

Mississippi’s 141 school districts currently have access to Math Nation’s Algebra 1 and Geometry Mississippi College- and Career-Readiness Standards resources. The GEER Fund award will expand those offerings for students in grades 6-12 to include tools and resources for math; additional support resources for families; and no- or low-cost tutoring with certified tutors from Mississippi’s colleges and universities.

Math Nation’s videos, workbooks and online practice tools have proven successful in Mississippi, with an RCU evaluation of the 2017-2018 school year showing students in high-usage Math Nation schools had an 8.6% higher pass rate than the state average on the Algebra 1 Mississippi Academic Assessment Program.

The expanded offerings will provide more students in grades 6-12 access to Math Nation’s digital platform. The platform is ideal for students needing additional supports and increased standardized test preparation in a COVID-19 learning environment, giving online and offline access to videos and practice tools.

The second GEER project will allow the RCU to create high-quality online courses for most subject areas required for high school graduation and beginner and advanced computer science courses.

The RCU will recruit experts in content creation, online course design and special education to build these online environments that will be available to students for the 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.

While these courses will enhance learning opportunities for students faced with COVID-19-related quarantine situations, districts can also utilize the courses as remediation for struggling students, an aid for new teachers lacking high levels of expertise and a source of continuing education following a natural disaster.

As part of the project, the RCU will also create and manage a professional development resource to aid state educators in implementing the online courses.

The GEER Fund program seeks to address COVID-19’s impact on the nation’s students and parents. The U.S. Department of Education awarded GEER Funds by formula to the nation’s governors, with Mississippi receiving almost $35 million.

About the RCU
Founded in 1965, the RCU contributes to MSU’s mission as a land-grant institution to better the lives of Mississippians with a focus on improving education. In particular, the RCU benefits K-12 and higher education by developing curricula and assessments, providing training and learning opportunities for educators, researching and evaluating programs, supporting and promoting career and technical education, and leading education innovations. For more information about the RCU, visit rcu.msstate.edu or follow the organization on Facebook (facebook.com/rcumsu), Twitter (twitter.com/rcumsu) and Instagram (instagram.com/rcumsu).

Back to school means back to the books and Mississippi school districts are making sure students are able to learn to their fullest potential.

Starting this school year, all Mississippi school districts are implementing the new Algebra Nation program. A school subject that can often be difficult for students, the Algebra Nation program is an online community intended to be a supplemental resource for teachers and parents to use for their students who may be struggling in the subject.

Ocean Springs High School assistant Principal Jacob Dykes says after students get algebra instruction at school they can go home and get further help from the online tutors in the program. “The best thing for us is to kind of educate the kid holistically. This will provide a less stressful or less taxing experience for the student. We really want them to get the full benefit of algebra, but sometimes it can be stressful. This will provide an opportunity for them to learn the material in an environment that’s best for them and we’re all for it.”

Dykes says he looks forward to seeing the progress made through the program and hopes it will be extended out to other subjects as well.

PURVIS, MS (WDAM) – Eighth-grade Algebra 1 students at Purvis Middle School received a surprise by special guests outlining the importance of math on Monday. The goal is to help raise science and math scores in Mississippi classrooms.

Study experts from Algebra Nation, an online assistance program, surprised the students at school encouraging them to continue working hard.

“It was awesome, I love seeing them on the computer,” said eighth-grade student Katherine Ladner. “It’s awesome. Seeing them in person was amazing.”

Eighth-grade teacher Cononiah Watson said the online collaboration focuses on improving student achievement in Algebra 1, which is a required course for students.

“They work with different states in the U.S. They provide videos, extra practice and anything students need to help them in their Algebra 1 course work,” Watson said.

During the past couple of years, the Mississippi state legislature has funded the Algebra Nation pilot project in many schools across the state.

“The idea being that our science and math are really the area our students have the most trouble and need the most help,” said Mississippi Sen. Joey Fillingane. “In order to raise those scores and make sure we are still competitive to other states in the country, we felt it was very important to focus in on math and science.”

Students said they rely on the educational videos several times each week and their skill set will be beneficial for years to come.

“Well, basically our entire civilization is based on math, so you use it in pretty much everything,” Katherine said.

Algebra Nation pilot program districts experienced a 7.2 percent increase in the percentage of students scoring at Level 4 or 5 on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program, compared to a 4.8 percent increase for non-Algebra Nation pilot program districts in the Spring 2017 Algebra 1 assessment.

HAMILTON, Miss. (WTVA) — Mississippi’s reading and math scores are on the rise according to the 2015 National Report Card, but there’s always room for improvement. The Mississippi legislature is funding a new web based learning resource known as Algebra Nation.

For some, x plus y seems more like a foreign language. However, educators in Monroe County are using a new program that makes math more understandable. Linda Isbell said, “I teach them a concept. show them Algebra Nation. Show them a video. Pause it. Ask if there are any questions and make sure they are understanding it and they get to check their answers too.”

Each student learns at his or her own pace and it’s made all the difference to freshman Lauren Walters. She said, “I’m able to go back over it if we went too fast in class and I don’t remember what we went over.”

If a student is working on their homework at home and needs a help with a math problem, they simply take a picture of the problem and upload it to the math wall. Taya Baggett says Algebra Nation is similar to a math based Facebook. Those questions are answered by fellow students and even Algebra nation tutors. Baggett said, “They’re called the study experts. or admins if we are going to use facebook terms. They’ll post a question to challenge students. And if you get it right in a certain amount of time, then you get extra points.”

In fact, Taya answered a lot of questions for fellow students and earned an iPad for the most points in September.

Educators say Algebra Nation is a “plus” for all their students. Brian Jernigan is the Assistant Superintendent for Monroe County. Jernigan said, “We started out with just Algebra I, but have opened it up to Foundations of Algebra, Algebra II, Geometry and any student who has not passed the state Algebra 1 test, we’re allowing them to use it as well.”

Monroe County is one of 30 school districts in the state participating in Algebra Nation.

Algebra Nation recognized Linda Isbell as the featured teacher for the month of September. Isbell was chosen based on how the program is implemented in the classroom and students usage during the
month.

Congratulations are also in store for Lauren Walters, who placed in the top 5 and Taya Baggett, who placed first.

State legislators are doing what they can do to improve math scores throughout Mississippi.  The new Algebra Nation program recently started at Purvis Middle School.

JACKSON, Miss – Starting this school year, all Mississippi public school districts will be able to implement the Algebra Nation program, which is designed to help students perform better in the Algebra I course.

Piloted in approximately 30 districts over the last two years, the Algebra Nation program includes custom-developed Algebra I resources, supports, student performance reports and professional development for teachers. The program also extends learning outside of the classroom by providing a virtual community of teachers and students that collaborate and learn online.

Algebra Nation pilot program districts experienced a 7.2 percent increase in the percentage of students scoring at proficient or advanced on the Mississippi Academic Assessment Program (MAAP) compared to a 4.8 percent increase for non-Algebra Nation pilot program districts on the spring 2017 Algebra I assessment.

The Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) Office of Secondary Education content staff and the Research & Curriculum Unit at Mississippi State University validated the effectiveness of the Mississippi-developed Algebra Nation resources.

“Mississippi students are benefiting from the instructional support Algebra Nation provides,” said Dr. Marla Davis, MDE bureau director and mathematics content specialist. “The program’s flexibility allows each district to use it in a manner that fits their individual needs and capacity.”

Algebra Nation staff, in partnership with the MDE, are hosting approximately 10 regional trainings for teachers around the state during the months of August and September.

The Algebra Nation program is being extended to all school districts through a $500,000 appropriation from the Mississippi Legislature.

Algebra Nation awarded Newton County High School 9th-grade student Alexis Tran an iPad for her exemplary work in helping her peers across the state succeed in Algebra I.

Algebra Nation presented the award on Tuesday at the school “I am very proud of Alexis for working so hard to win this award,” Newton County Algebra 1 teacher Wynter Bounds said in a news release. “She is a very talented and deserving young lady. It is an honor to have her as my student.”

Tran earned the most ‘Karma Points’ in Mississippi. Karma Points are earned whenever a student helps another student on the Algebra Wall – such as directing them to an appropriate video to address their question, explaining how to start solving a math problem, or by showing their peers where they’ve made an error. Each month, the student who earns the most Karma Points in the state receives a free iPad, and the students who place 2nd-5th receive prize packs with Algebra Nation T-shirts, pencils and stickers. Algebra Nation is a free, online resource built for algebra student and teachers in Mississippi. The program provides around-the-clock support to more than 500,000 math students across six states, with personalized learning program of 24/7 homework help from Study Experts, teachers, and peers, according to a news release.

For more information on the Algebra Nation, email Shauna Hedgepeth, assistant director, at Shauna@AlgebraNation.com

Full print article: Newton County Student Wins Math Award

Some people can comprehend math better than others, so the more interaction they can receive means the quicker they can come to a problem’s solution. To help students comprehend Algebra I, schools in Monroe County have access to the interactive online resource Algebra Nation, which is a little bit of social networking and YouTube rolled into one.

Algebra Nation representative, Chelsea Jones, recently visited Hamilton students to deliver prize packages and hear first-hand how the instructional tool is helping them comprehend better.

“This helps them. There are study experts to help and the incentive to revisit concepts they’ve been taught so they don’t forget before state tests,” said Hamilton High School algebra teacher Linda Isbell.

The program started in 2013 as a partnership with the University of Florida and has expanded to other locations throughout the nation, including 33 Mississippi pilot school districts.

“There are four different study experts, and students can choose who they like the best,” Jones said. “There’s a test yourself component with a 10-question quiz for each section. The questions are closely aligned with state tests.”

There’s also an Algebra Wall where students and study experts can network about certain problems from the accompanying student material. Teachers also have the same access to resources and ways to collaborate with other educators.

“Students can earn karma points when they help other people with problems. It allows them to feel encouraged,” Jones said.

During her visit, Jones awarded Stacy Ryals with an iPad and Cassie Barnes and Rylan Fast with prize packs for having the most karma points in the state.

Although Algebra Nation is geared toward Algebra I, there’s an on-ramp tool acting as a bridge from more fundamental math classes to help students prepare for Algebra I.

As soon as Darnell Boursiquot hits the hallways of a Florida middle school, he’s mobbed by starstruck teenagers.

When he steps into a classroom, Sharpie-wielding students line up to ask for autographs on their shoes, phone cases, and body parts.

In the main office, teachers rush over for photos.

But Boursiquot isn’t a politician, pop star, or professional athlete.

He’s a wildly popular online math tutor, whose surprising celebrity has been made possible by an explosion of new online learning models in Florida and across the country.

“Honestly, it’s surreal to actually get to see him in real life,” said Joselyn Espinoza-Guadamuz, an 8th grader at Conniston Middle School.

“I’m used to just seeing him on a screen. When I don’t get something, I just watch his videos, and he makes me understand.”

Boursiquot is one of the public faces of a project called Algebra Nation, which includes a library of web-based instructional videos featuring T-shirt-clad instructors who sprinkle in jokes and dance moves as they explain polynomial expressions. Launched in 2013, the free online-learning platform is now used by every school district in Florida, as well as schools in Alabama, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, and South Carolina.

The program is meant to supplement, not replace, regular classroom teaching. Participating schools receive paper workbooks and online quizzes for students and classroom activities and training for teachers. Researchers at the University of Florida run the program along with a company called Study Edge. They say it’s helped generate big gains in the numbers of students passing the state’s end-of-year math exam.

This year, more than 242,000 students have logged in to Algebra Nation. Boursiquot’s videos have been viewed more than 1 million times this school year alone. He is one of the most popular of Algebra Nation’s five instructors.

The 26-year old immigrant said he’s always had big dreams for himself. But he never imagined this is where his path would lead.

“I still get weirded out by the whole celebrity thing,” said Boursiquot, still smiling after the day’s final selfie.“But it’s phenomenal that these kids are getting this excited about math.”

High Expectations

Part of Boursiquot’s appeal—and his apparent effectiveness helping students learn algebra—is his ability to make failure seem like no big deal.

Born in Haiti, he grew up speaking Haitian Creole and French. As a boy, he dreamed of playing professional soccer.

Along with his two younger brothers, Boursiquot spent his elementary and middle school years at a prestigious Roman Catholic high school in the nation’s capital, Port-au-Prince.

Education has always been a family priority, he said. His dad, who has a degree in accounting, would drill him on multiplication tables. His grandmother, a teacher, would see a 95 on his exams, then ask why he hadn’t scored 100.

By the time he was a teenager, Boursiquot had relocated to Palm Beach County, Fla. He spent his first summer in the United States learning a new language and preparing to attend an American high school. His cram sessions consisted of watching Nickelodeon sitcoms and writing English-language book reports assigned by his aunt.

The adjustment took time. Real schools, Boursiquot discovered, weren’t quite as friendly as those on the popular TV show “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide.”

Fortunately, he said, one part of the transition was easy.

“The math I learned in 7th and 8th grade in Haiti essentially carried me through high school,” he said.

Tutoring Career Begins

As a student, Boursiquot said, he was a procrastinator, confident he could succeed without much studying.

Then he met Sue Devick, who taught biology and anatomy at Spanish River High in Palm Beach County.

“She’s the kind of person who wanted you to learn for the sake of learning, not for passing a test,” he said.

Inspired, Boursiquot entered the pre-med program at the University of Florida in Gainesville.

But by his sophomore year, his passion was waning. He switched fields from sports medicine to sports management.

Boursiquot landed an internship with the Orlando Magic. He quickly realized that becoming a front-office executive in the NBA was going to be an even longer, more uncertain grind than the one he’d just left.

By the time he graduated, Boursiquot wasn’t sure what he wanted to do.

Still, he remained upbeat.

He landed a summer job at Algebra Nation.

He found he had a surprising ability to reach young people.

When the summer started, one middle school student said he didn’t bother trying at math because he wasn’t any good at it. But as September neared, the young man told Boursiquot he couldn’t wait for geometry to start.

“He said, ‘I realized I’m not actually bad at math,’ ” Boursiquot recalled. “I thought that was the most amazing thing.”

‘He Just Makes Me Happy’

Five years later, Boursiquot is given a hero’s welcome each time Algebra Nation arranges a visit to classrooms like Jamie Ehlers’ 5th period Algebra 1 class at Polo Park Middle School in Palm Beach County.

All through the school year, Ehlers—popular and much-beloved—was the students’ primary math teacher.

Sometimes, she would ask her students to watch an Algebra Nation video before class, to become familiar with a concept. After school, students frequently turned to their phones and laptops, where they could watch and rewatch the step-by-step explanations of how to solve problems.

Most of the videos are simple. An overhead shot shows a math problem and the instructor’s hands. In the bottom-right corner of the screen, there’s a straight-ahead shot of the instructor, who narrates their problem-solving process.

For each topic, students can choose which one of five Algebra Nation “study experts” they want to watch. The tutors, who make between $45,000 and $80,000 per year, take different approaches. Some make quicker videos, some go more in-depth. Some are funny, some more serious.

As Boursiquot worked the other side of Ehlers’ room, a group of 7th and 8th grade girls huddled at their desks. They said their preference was clear.

They all loved Darnell.

“I’m fan-girling over here,” 8th grader Shayna Thomas confided. “He’s like a math celebrity.”

The students said there’s no real secret to Boursiquot’s draw. He explains things patiently. He encourages them to keep trying, without making them feel bad. He’s funny. He’s relatable.

He even has a signature dance move, “dabbing” each time he tells viewers to pause the video and solve a problem on their own.

“He just makes me happy,” said Kenna Wioncek, also in 8th grade.

Reaching Almost 250,000 Students

Diana Snider, the director of secondary math for the Palm Beach County district, takes pains to point out the videos are an “ancillary” part of math instruction in her schools. She generally doesn’t want teachers playing the videos in class and she certainly doesn’t see them as a replacement for live teachers or hands-on math activities.

Boursiquot agreed, describing his primary role as making regular classroom teachers’ lives easier.

He just happens to have a platform that allows him to reach almost 250,000 students, instead of 25.

And his gift just happens to be convincing teenagers that learning algebra is no different from learning anything else.

Getting better takes practice. Sometimes, you have to go out and find other resources that will help. Failure is part of the process.

“Think about the very first time you started doing something you love,” Boursiquot said. “You were not as good then as you are now, but you made a decision to keep doing it.”