A systemic program for students who are experiencing difficulty with mathematics as they transition from elementary to high school in Australia

"Counting On" is a systemic mathematics program that targets low achieving students in the final year of government elementary and the first year of government secondary schools through the professional development of their teachers. During 2000, "Counting On" was implemented in 40 secondary schools, involving more than 600 students, 120 school teachers, and 40 district mathematics consultants. In 2001, the implementation was extended to approximately 80 secondary schools and 80 final year elementary classes which "feed" these secondary schools, involving some 1,400 students, 320 teachers, and the 40 district mathematics consultants. This paper reports on evaluations of the program in 2000 and 2001, with particular reference to students' movement across the levels of conceptual development in place value contained in the numeracy framework which underpins the program.