A NEW BEGINNING: TRANSITIONING TO THE 4TH EDITION
After years of praying, Accelerated Christian Education® Ministries (ACE®) has given the go signal for the printing of the 4th Edition PACEs in the Philippines. A series of meetings began in September to make sure that the transition to the new edition will benefit the schools using the system. The leadership of School of Tomorrow® Philippines (SOT®P) believes that this is part of “strengthening our hands” in our Christian Education ministry. We have heard the appeal of many schools for a shift to the “colored and updated” material and we have been seeking the Lord about this. In the midst of a global crisis, the Lord opened the door for a new beginning. The 4th Edition Task Force was organized to study and recommend the most cost-efficient and cost-effective transition to the 4th edition.
A Gradual Transition
The transition to the 4th edition will come in two, possibly, three phases beginning with the next school year (2021-2022. The main reason for the gradual rollout is to provide a window for schools to adjust to the new pricing that will come with the release of colored and updated PACEs. While there will definitely be an increase in prices, the rate will be much lower than the selling price of full-color imported PACEs. Be assured that SOT®P is doing its best to provide the best quality at the lowest possible price. The other reason for the gradual shift is to begin with subjects that are fully (already) 4th edition i.e. the elementary levels. Most high school subjects are still in the 3rd edition. As each level is completed, we will continue to transition.
The First Rollout
For the School Year 2021-2022, we will be shifting to 4th edition full-color in three subjects, namely, Word Building (1001-1108), Science (1001-1084), and Social Studies (1001-1072). This means we will stop the production and distribution of these PACEs in black and white 3rd edition. These three subjects do not require Diagnostic Testing to shift from the 3rd to the 4th edition.
Word Building is complete up to and including Etymology. Science is complete up to level 8 and level 9 will be available in 3rd edition colored. Social Studies, PACEs 1001-1072, which are being used in the Philippines, are complete in the new 4th edition.
Subjects in 3rd Edition
English and Literature and Creative Writing (LCW) will continue to be distributed in the 3rd edition black and white format in 2021-2022. English shift to the 4th edition is complete up to 1072 and much of the changes are cosmetic only in nature, meaning, they have the same content but a new layout. The goal is as the higher levels get to 4th edition, SOTP will begin to transition also. Hopefully, this would be possible by 2022. LCW has no new edition since it is a fairly a new subject but the colored version will also be set to the next phases of the transition.
What about Math?
While the demand for the 4th edition Math was understood by the SOT®P leadership, an academic team was formed to look deeper into the merits of transitioning or staying in the 3rd edition. 4th edition Math requires a complete re-diagnosis from the 3rd because of the differences in the Scope and Sequence i.e. 3rd and 4th Editions are NOT interchangeable. New Score Keys would be required. While some feel that the new edition is closer to the Department of Education (DepEd) format, this is only as far as the Scope and Sequence is concerned. We need to also understand that the government curriculum has changed four times in the last twenty years (BEC, RBEC, UbD, K-12), meaning, the form and content has constantly changed. Our students’ mastery in the 3rd edition curriculum is validated with results testing through the Center for Educational Measurement (CEM). Thus, transitioning in Math was put on hold pending validation processes.
The Next Few Months
The transition to the 4th edition was officially announced last February and a series of “Zoom Coffee” meetings will be hosted by the SOT®P leadership in March with this as a major theme. We are hoping to prepare the final price list by April coinciding with the Pastors, Administrators, and Principals’ Conference (PAPCON). Then by July, schools may start placing orders for the new edition subjects.