No. You are quite wrong. |
OMG. For the millionth time, it's not a systemic barrier, because very few white and Asian parents know about these pathways, either. FCPS doesn't publish them, because they don't want a bunch of people trying to prep and push their unready children into 6th grade Algebra. The overwhelming majority of parents of all colors in FCPS do not understand the accelerated math pathways and how to access them. This is fine, because parents aren't supposed to do anything at all to push their kid onto an accelerated path. Also, I have no idea why you think that publishing the pathway would lead to a bunch of URMs qualifying. FCPS already publishes the criteria for 7th grade Algebra, and very few lower income or disadvantaged students qualify for 7th grade Algebra. Why would parents who aren't taking steps to nurture their kids into 7th grade Algebra make even more Herculean efforts to get their kids into 6th grade Algebra? |
The overwhelming majority of parents of all colors in FCPS do not understand the accelerated math pathways and how to access them. I bet URM parents are the majority that are kept in the dark. You want us to rely on disingenuous and phony equity activists who treat us like perennial victims? why you think that publishing the pathway would lead to a bunch of URMs qualifying Information is power, and by making it public, are you afraid URM students will learn advanced math more than the usual students? Why would parents who aren't taking steps to nurture their kids into 7th grade Generalization? so, not a single URM parent is taking steps to nurture their kids? |
What's a URM? You keep swinging this word like a club. The racism is offensive. |
Instead of spending all day ranting here, go tell a "URM" the secrets you've learned, so they can learn the forbidden knowledge of arithmetic and shapes. |
I don’t think it’s that automatic like 7th grade reading is. |
Any links to this source? Is 145 on CoGat a must? What is the additional testing conducted by gatehouse? |
I agree, the benchmarks for algebra in 6th are arbitrarily high. Where does FCPS say that "if your kid is a regular AAP kid, the LLIV and the center will be more or less the same, but if you have an outlier, your kid should attend the center"? I'm not dumb, but if it wasn't for DCUM I would also believe FCPS, so I'm not calling anyone dumb. |
Even preschoolers can be taught algebra: https://forums.welltrainedmind.com/topic/712525-does-your-child-know-they-are-smart/?do=findComment&comment=9057720 |
You're insane or a troll. I don't know why I'm still bothering. URM parents are not the majority kept in the dark. Basically everyone is kept in the dark by design. It's not like they're sending out a memo to the white and Asian families. Heck, a lot of FCPS teachers and even principals seem to be in the dark. FCPS does not want to facilitate people pushing their under-prepared kids into early Algebra. They don't want early Algebra to even come across as a goal or prize rather than as an accommodation for kids who are already far ahead. You also keep conflating URM parents and disadvantaged parents. I fully believe that URM parents with college degrees are every bit as capable of enriching and advocating for their children as their white and Asian counterparts. They don't need special coddling, and to suggest that they do is offensive. If we're really talking about disadvantaged kids, among disadvantaged FCPS 7th graders in Algebra I, 41 Asian kids, 7 Black, 8 Hispanic, and 9 White kids got pass advanced. Among the 6th grade Algebra I cohort, 4 out of the 31 test takers were disadvantaged, with 2 earning pass advanced and 2 earning pass proficient. While the numbers are too small to determine, the vdoe site has listings for hispanic and two-or-more-races among the 6th grade Algebra cohort. FCPS seems to be doing fine with ensuring that outlier children, even if they are disadvantaged, have access to advanced opportunities. |
You wouldnt understand the struggles of URMs because you all rely in each other to share information about advanced academics. How many URM parents are even aware of advanced math options like their 6th grade student is capable of studying Algebra 1. On the other hand, URM parents and students ears are being filled round the clock through out the year that all that is needed to graduate high school is Algebra 2. There is a lot of messaging on existence of the lowest minimum math needed, but little for advanced URM student to be aware of acceleration possibilities. |
US is the only country where the math curriculum gives student impression that algebra doesnt start until they enroll in Algebra 1, take a break year doing Geometry, and then resume the following year with Algebra 2. Everywhere in Africa, and I believe in Asia too, algebra is blended as a strand all through out K-12. |
Algebra and Geometry are taught in each grade level. Look at any of the tests that kids are given or even report cards and they all use algebra and geometry. Algebra 1 is the first class kids will have that is all one subject, that is the difference. |
We do? This thread serves as evidence that the majority of white and Asian parents also have no clue about the 6th grade Algebra I path. For your second point, it's pretty obvious that you're a white savior at a higher SES school who is just assuming how things look for URM kids and kids at high FARMS schools. My kids attended a Title I school. The bright black and hispanic kids either got into AAP or were placed in advanced math. Many of them also got extra enrichment and encouragement through Young Scholars. None of them were being told that "all they need is Algebra 2." If anything, they were accelerated, enriched, and encouraged much moreso than the comparable white and Asian kids. This is all fine. There isn't some vast FCPS conspiracy to keep URMs down. They really are doing a great job of lifting them up. This entire debate assumes that there's a real demand for 6th grade algebra. There really isn't. The only people out there who want 6th grade Algebra but aren't getting it are the ones who have their kids enrolled in algebra or higher in 6th grade in their outside enrichment programs. The benchmarks for qualifying for 6th grade Algebra are dumb and overly restrictive, but it should remain a fringe outlier thing rather than a typical thing. There isn't a huge upside to 6th grade Algebra for any kids other than the ones who would have been bored out of their minds with another year of pre-algebra. |
Essence of Calculus is an insightful video. |