MIDLAND, Texas (KOSA) - MISD students start the 2024-2025 school year on Tuesday, August 13, but the way they learn math and reading this year will look different.

MISD K-5 schools are implementing STEMScopes for math and Structured Literacy for reading.

“We went through a whole process and a committee and we chose to have STEMScopes be the new math resource that we’re using in K-5 math classrooms this year,” said Alaina Boaz, a K-5 Math Coordinator for Midland Independent School District.

This may be the first year for STEMScopes at MISD, but other Texas school districts have been using it because it is aligned with Texas Essential kKnowledge and Skills or TEKS.

The entire math curriculum is research based and teaches kids in the ways they currently learn best.

“Using their hands and then it is when students are also talking to each other. There is a lot of research about student discourse and how important it is for students to explain their thinking and to justify their thinking and explain their why,” Boaz said.

The district says these new processes will allow children to build a better foundation that will help them in the long run.

Last year, MISD started this learning overhaul by introducing a new reading curriculum.

“So, structured literacy gives us the tools to provide our students with what they need to learn how to read,” said Araelia Betler, a K-5 RLA Coordinator, for Midland Independent School District.

Structured Literacy, like STEMScopes, also heavily focus on building strong foundation skills from the start.

“The Structured Literacy world has given us some ideas of what to teach and in what order to teach it and then we make sure that we teach it explicitly but how students practice is still fun and engaging and hands on,” Betler said.

After implementing the Structured Literacy curriculum students showed an increase in their State of Texas Assessment and Academic Readiness or STAR scores.

The district hopes the new math curriculum will lead to the same outcome.

“Just the overall growth that I’m going to see because of the changes the district has made makes me super excited,” said Amanda De la Rosa, A Kindergarten Teacher at Santa Rita Elementary.