Cost of Investigations to rise more than 40% in 2012-13

One big attraction to “Investigations” to some school districts was its low cost—replacing workbooks and non-reusable materials for a class of 24 first graders cost as little as $823 in 2010-11. Other grades might cost a little less or a little more. At the least, using “Investigations” cost no more than adopting most other programs and cost much less than using hardback book-based programs.

Not anymore.

The price of materials for that class of 24 kids is going up more than 40 percent for the 2012-13 school year, to between $1,082 to $1,184 (the latter adds whiteboard activities and games). Grand total for 1,300 students: up to $64,133, compared with $44,579 in 2010-11 for the same materials, according to the Pearson Education website.

That’s a 43.9 percent increase! Since prices went up across the board, every way the materials are sliced, diced and packaged, even if Pelham’s actual costs are lower, they’re still going to be up by more than 40 percent. The workbooks aren’t available for purchase yet, and according to the publisher’s website, they might not be for several more months. The district will likely be committing to the purchase sight unseen.

And that doesn’t include teachers manuals for the new units that the publisher says it will add to bring the program up to the Common Core standards. The teachers’ books had cost $309 for all units and will now run $449 to replace. The cost to get just individual units—say those the publisher is changing the most for Common Core—are nearly doubling to $50 each (there are nine units total). If the district must replace even one unit’s teacher book for about 200 teachers in K-5, that’s $10,000—all this to simply bring “Investigations” up to standards.

Considering that the district is looking to cut about $1.5 million for the 2012-13 budget year, spending so much more on a curriculum that needs extensive back-filling is absurd.

Wondering what it costs nearby districts to use other curricula?

Singapore’s Primary Mathematics was adopted in Scarsdale in 2008 and in Dobbs Ferry last year. COST: $475 for a class of 24 for textbooks and workbooks. Total: $25,660 for 1,300 students, according to the Primary Mathematics website. Teachers’ guides are $22 each, one or two per grade ($8,800 max, starting from scratch for a district). Even with training for teachers, which Scarsdale spent about $25,000 on in 2008, the grand total is $59,460—still less than replenishing “Investigations.”

Math In Focus was adopted in Edgemont last year, in Rye Neck this year. Cost is $20,400 for 1,300 students including all materials.  Teachers’ materials are pricier for first-time purchase, about $45,000 for 200 teachers. In some cases, materials can be shared, trimming the cost.

If you want the highest quality math for the children of Pelham, click here to see and sign the petition to replace “Investigations.” For copy-and-paste fans, here’s the url:

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/pelhammath/

This story also appears on Pelham Math website.