Wow, thanks everyone!! I briefly looked at the Math Mammoth. I'll revisit that. I was worried that it wouldn't have enough problem solving (word problems). I'll look at the other ones you mentioned as well. I usually end up spending about $1,000 a year out of pocket, but you're right this is a little more, lol. I don't quite understand why the publishers won't sell to individuals.

Thanks Momling. I've taught for 9 years. Our old math program is not sufficient. And now with new standards and new testing it will be even more out of sync. In the past I used the old program plus supplemented extensively. The district is incredibly bureaucratic...times 100. They also do not like to buy anything (manipulatives, for instance). I can't count on them. This year I'll be at a different school and I'm hoping that the principal there proves me wrong. But based on past experience I'm not hopeful. I keep teaching for this district because I want to make a difference for underprivileged kids.

Hello, I'm a teacher in a public school. We are a huge inner city district. The district is not using a math program to go with the new common core standards... they give you the standards and example problems and then the teacher has to go around collecting everything and writing everything up from scratch!! I'm very angry. It's absolutely ridiculous!! Just when I think they can't get any more stupid.... So I spent *countless* hours researching a math curriculum to buy myself for third grade math (60 students). I finally settled on Go Math. My husband gives me the OK to spend the $1,426 (actually it will probably be double that, because I think I'm going to have to "fast cycle" through the grade 2 Go Math first because the kids are likely severely behind). I called Houghton Mifflin and got the major runaround. They told me that my school has to be the one to call and order it...they won't let *me* order it even though it's going to be sent to the school itself. Well the problem with that is the principal and secretary won't be back into the school until a few weeks before school starts, and I don't want to wait that long and cut it that close to the first day of school!! I am so frustrated with "the powers that be"! This is outrageous! So, is there any way around that? I figured you all would be the ones to ask and maybe I'll actually get somewhere!! I am so frustrated! I feel like "no good deed goes unpunished" every time I try to do what my students need. Thanks for any help you can offer!!

Hmmm...thnx I'll. look into that too!!

I'm looking into the Saxon math also. What are your opinions on it versus the Math in Focus? Thanks Linda

Thnx for the kind words. Made my day...I was beginning to wonder if I was crazy for circumventing our district math dept.

Hello, I teach 3rd grade in public inner city school. I am looking at using the Math in Focus next year. I see that there is a 2009 version and a 2013 version. Does anyone know if there's much of a difference between the two? The words "Common Core" appear on the front of the 2013 one, but I'm wondering if it's pretty much the same as the 2009 one. The reason I ask is that I can find the 2009 texts for much cheaper, and it looks like I might be purchasing this myself for my 30 students. I don't want to pay oodles more for the 2013 version if it's not much different than the 2009. Thanks Linda