In an effort to ease growing parent frustrations with Common Core-aligned homework, the Calcasieu Parish School Board on Thursday launched a homework help website. The site offers resources for grades K-12 in various subjects.

Kirby Smith, district spokeswoman, said the site features worksheets, problem sets, video lessons, test preparation help and learning guides. Smith said the site, which was developed by curriculum and technology staff, along with teacher input, is a work in progress. Additional materials will be added throughout the year as students progress, she said.

Smith said the site has a heavy concentration on Eureka Math curriculum support materials for elementary and middle school students because the district knows that’s where the most struggles are currently.

“We are listening to parent and teacher concerns,” she said. “They are having difficulties helping students with homework. We wanted to provide another layer of support for them.”

Smith said the district is aware that some parents and teachers aren’t pleased with the new math curriculum. She said that as the district moves forward to spring, it will thoroughly re-evaluate whether Eureka Math works well for Calcasieu students and teachers.

“I think the public has told us it doesn’t,” Smith said. “However, adopting a new curriculum takes somewhere between four to five months. In the middle of the school year, that isn’t something that would be beneficial to our teachers and students.”

Smith stressed that the homework help website is in no way an indication that Eureka Math will stay long term in parish schools. She said it’s simply another means of support. If a new curriculum is adopted in the spring, there would be public input and a review period, Smith said.

“We are at a critical time here in our district, just as others are across the state and nation, and we know a number of our parents aren’t happy with where we are,” she said. “We are grateful for those parents and teachers who are communicating their struggles to us and letting us know what changes they feel need to be made.”

Smith encouraged parents to review the new site over the weekend and then attend the School Board meeting at 4:45 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7, when the board and curriculum leaders will discuss Eureka Math and realistic options for change.

Karl Bruchhaus, school superintendent, said officials are listening to the concerns of parents, teachers and students about Common Core-aligned curriculum.

“Each day, we are searching for opportunities to provide additional solutions while keeping in mind that our students still have to take the state-mandated PARCC exam, aligned to the CCSS, in the spring,” Bruchhaus said.

l

Online: www.cpsb.org/homeworkhelp.(www.cpsb.org/homeworkhelp)