For the 2023-2024 school year, CCSD implemented a new learning tool for high school students. This learning tool is called “Edmentum – Coursework & Exact Path” more commonly known as “Exact Path.” Since its implementation, Exact Path has been a source of controversy.
Exact Path is similar to a math program called ALEKS. Daniel Fitzgerald, an Algebra II and geometry teacher, explains that both intend to work to fill gaps in a student’s education.
“With ALEKS, students did a pre-test and then after taking the pre-test it would assign them a section of the MAP to do,” said Fitzgerald.
An important part of learning and being educated is to find strengths and weaknesses. Exact Path works to cater to the needs of students. Fitzgerald said, “It meets you where you are, which is a pro. It indicates things you need to work on and you work on those specifically.”
While being able to cater to students’ needs academically, the program is not perfect. Fitzgerald said, “The cons are that it is time consuming. It takes what you are currently doing in class so while you’re trying to catch up you’re also falling a little bit behind in your regular class.”
As a teacher, Fitzgerald spends a lot of time implementing the courses and learning tools required by the district into his classes. Fitzgerald said, “The school district could do a better job of making time for us to use it within the class without us falling behind. I also think that the program could just be more grade level specific.”
Educators have limited amounts of learning times in their classrooms. Only being restricted to around an hour and 25 minutes every other day, Fitzgerald said, “The time component is really difficult—trying to teach lessons and incorporate that into class when students are already busy with their program areas or their major areas and they’re busy with their work anyway so, trying to fit that in, it just seems like the time is not working.”
Being able to provide students with learning tools that help them in their education is very important to their academic success. Exact Path was created to cater to each students’ best interest, allowing them to build themselves up as they increase into more challenging sections. However, teachers are noticing students fall behind in the topics they’re teaching while trying to to attend to the, now required, time-spent on Exact Path each week.
View Aerith Hamper’s video interview with Mr. Fitzgerald here.
