A large percentage of Nassau County high school seniors begin their college experience at Nassau Community College. We believe that high school students who are involved in such a program will take their high school mathematics course more seriously and will ease their transition from high school to college. Furthermore, local mathematics faculty and students will have immediate and direct knowledge of what to expect in a college level mathematics course. We also believe that teaching such a course revitalizes all faculty and fosters a collegial relationship between the high school and College community.

In designing the Partnership Program, we have been guided by the following principles:

1. The most important component for student success in this program is a highly motivated, well trained high school mathematics teacher.
2. The components of a precalculus curriculum should be tied together by clearly defined themes. The core syllabus of precalculus should include only those topics that are essential to the study of calculus. Algebra should be developed as needed, but should not serve as a central theme. Functions as models of change is our central theme. This theme should be continued in a calculus course.
3. Fewer topics should be introduced than in the past, but each topic should be treated in greater depth.
4. Precalculus and calculus should be taught using The Rule of Four: Each function is represented symbolically, numerically, graphically, and verbally.
5. Students learn best using The Way of Archimedes: Formal definitions and procedures evolve from the investigation of practical problems.
6. The responsibility for learning should be gently shifted from teacher centered to student centered.
7. Technology has a place in modern mathematics. Materials for statistics, finite mathematics, precalculus and calculus should take full advantage of technology when appropriate. Students should know how and when to use technology, as well as its limitations. However, no specific technology should be emphasized.
8. Faculty should construct quizzes and tests that reflect the change in the curriculum.
9. Faculty must continually encourage students to adapt to ever changing challenges in their academic lives, and their techniques for learning to meet these various challenges may have to change.
10. Materials for statistics, finite mathematics, precalculus and calculus should allow for a broad range of teaching styles. They should be flexible enough to use in large lecture halls, small classes, or in group or lab settings.
11. The finite mathematics, precalculus and calculus syllabus and materials should reflect the spirit of the standards established by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) and the American Mathematical Association of Two-Year Colleges (AMATYC), and meet the recommendations of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA).
12. Courese quality and standards should meet the recommendations published by The National Alliance of Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships, and endorsed by the Chancellor of SUNY.

1. Administrations at local high schools approve, in writing, such a cooperative effort.
2. Students and parents are advised, in writing by the local Principal or other appropriate administrator, of the parameters of the program, its cost , benefits (transferability, minimal cost), refund policies, and especially, its rigor.
3. The Director of the Partnership Program at Nassau Community College (NCC), the local mathematics chair and the participating local instructor(s) meet jointly with parents and students prior to the distribution of NCC applications for admission.
4. Each participating high school should have a minimum of thirty (30) students in at most two periods. If only one period can be attained, the Partnership Program may be able to administratively combine two districts into one Partnership class.
5. All students who wish to be enrolled in statistics or finite mathematics are required to pass the NCC mathematics placement test.
6. All students who wish to be enrolled in precalculus are required to have passed the NYS Math B Regent's Examination with a grade of 80 or higher.
7. All students who wish to be enrolled in calculus are required to have passed a precalculus course with a grade of 80 or higher.
8. All participating local teachers are required to attend a one week workshop at NCC during the summer prior to the commencement of the program at their school. (See http://www.matcmp.sunynassau.edu/~cheifp/announce.htm).
9. During the first two years of participation, all participating local teachers are required to attend a users group that meets approximately four times per year at NCC.
10. For a four credit course, if there are two classes (of a least 15 students each, reasonably scheduled) at a high school, the NCC mathematics faculty member will meet thirty-six mutually agreed upon classes per year. Four of these class visits will be as a proctor for the final examination at NCC. For a three-credit course, the NCC mathematics faculty member will meet twenty-four mutually agreed upon classes per year. In no case shall a single NCC faculty member be responsible for more than sixty students.
11. NCC and local mathematics faculty who are involved in the project meet and outline the topics to be covered in partnership courses.
12. The NCC mathematics faculty member in part (8) above will construct and grade three quarterly examinations, and a final examination. The weight for each quarterly examination shall be 10% of the final grade, the final examination shall be 35% of the final grade and 35% of the final grade shall be based on class work, quizzes, homework, projects etc. The NCC mathematics faculty member who taught the classes and constructed and graded the quarterly and final examinations at the local school shall assign the course grade for credit at NCC. The NCC professor shall have no input in the computation of the high school grade. The local teacher only shall assign a grade for the local high school.

• Consult bi-weekly with partner teacher to monitor pace, appropriate homework assignment, exams, etc.
• Attend all Partnership meetings.
• Move from a "plug and chug" mentality to a "fewer but deeper" one.
• Gently shift the responsibility for learning from teacher centered to student centered.
• Construct quizzes and tests that reflect the change in the curriculum.
• Explain the difference between high school and college courses:
  • student centered vs. teacher centered
  • multiple representations
  • superficial vs. deep understanding
  • drill vs. interpretation
  • weeks of review for standardized exams vs. little review
• Explain the grading scheme:
  • the NCC professor will construct the quarterly exams and a cumulative final exam.
  • the NCC professor will go over each exam and hand out the solutions.
  • each of three quarterly exam count 10%.
  • the final exam (at NCC) counts 35%.
  • thirty-five percent of the grade shall be based on class work, quizzes, homework, projects etc.
  • there are no make up exams.
  • for each quarterly exam missed, the final exam will count 10% more.
  • less than 60% = F, means failing.
  • 60-69% = D, means poor.
  • 70%-79% = C, mean average.
  • 80%-89% = B, means good.
  • 90% or greater = A, means outstanding.
  • remind them that their high school and college grade for the course may differ.
• Encourage students that they can learn the material, but their techniques for learning may change.
• Explain the difference between the high school and college cultures.

• High school students who are involved in such a program must take their high school mathematics course very seriously. Hopefully this experience will ease their transition from high school to college.
• Fewer topics will be introduced than in the past, but each topic will be treated in greater depth.
• Courses are taught using The Rule of Four: Each function is represented symbolically, numerically, graphically, and verbally.
• Faculty from the College will construct and grade quarterly tests and a final examination that reflect the curriculum.
• Faculty will continually encourage students to adapt to ever changing challenges in their academic lives. Furthermore, the techniques you employ for learning to meet these various challenges may have to change.

• teacher centered vs. student centered responsibility ∼ a single way to think of an idea vs. multiple representations
• superficial coverage vs. deeper understanding ∼ drill vs. interpretation and multiple step reasoning
• weeks of review for standardized exams vs. little review
• computational questions on exams vs. computational and conceptual questions on exams ∼ one step exam questions vs. multi-step exam questions
• significant partial credit on examinations vs. a stricter rubric for grading
• The college culture is different from the high school culture.
• There is no parental or administrative involvement in the college classroom with respect to College curriculum and NCC grades.
• In college, it is not assumed that all students are created equal with respect to the effort they expend, nor that all students do the necessary work to do well in a course. Students can earn As and Bs as well as Cs, Ds and Fs.
• Digressions and additions to the syllabus are common in college.
• Classroom etiquette is usually different from that of a high school classroom.
• In Partnership mathematics courses, it is expected that for every hour spent in class, two hours are to be spent at home in preparation for the next class.
• You will receive a high school grade for the course, assigned by only your high school teacher, as well as a separate college grade, assigned by the NCC professor. These grades may be different. The College professor has no input into your high school grade.
• It is your responsibility to request a transcript from the NCC Registrar when transfer credit is desired.
• If you have paid for a Partnership course but decide to withdraw from the course, the College refund policy applies. If withdrawal occurs before the beginning of the semester, the refund is 100%. During the first two weeks, it becomes 75%, during the second two weeks, it becomes 50%, and during the third two weeks, it becomes 25%. No refund is given after the sixth week. You may still withdraw after the sixth week as described in your professor's policy statement that you will receive on your professor's first visit. Please note that withdrawing or transferring out of the high school class does not withdraw you from the College course. Such withdrawal must be done officially on a College withdrawal slip that can be obtained from the College professor.