Deal summer math

[Anonymous]

Our Deal 6th grader was invited to take 7th grade math over the summer through their SMAC 4 week camp. We understand every kid has to score at least an 80 in the course to pass. Does anyone know how the course appears on a child’s transcript if they pass? Is a final letter grade included that figures into their GPA or is it just credited as a passed course that allows them to automatically take math 8 in the fall?

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t. Not in Aspen, not on the transcript. Not the standard DCPS grading policy and not an official DCPS course. Deal requires it (which is why it’s free) but from DCPS’s point of view it’s a summer camp.

[Anonymous]

Where it matters is high school. At Deal, 6th graders take either math 6 or math 7. In 7th grade, math 7 or math 8. In 8th grade, math 8 or pre-algebra.

When they move to Jackson Reed, as a freshman, they will take Algebra 1 if they have already taken pre-algebra. However, if they took math 8, they start in pre-algebra as a freshman. Then as a sophomore, they can move on to geometry or Algebra 1. I think you probably get the idea.

Bottom line, if they only get to math 8 at Deal, it makes it hard to impossible for them to get all the way to trig and pre-calc, physics, etc. in high school. And, that can make them less competitive for college slots, especially if they are interested in STEM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where it matters is high school. At Deal, 6th graders take either math 6 or math 7. In 7th grade, math 7 or math 8. In 8th grade, math 8 or pre-algebra.

When they move to Jackson Reed, as a freshman, they will take Algebra 1 if they have already taken pre-algebra. However, if they took math 8, they start in pre-algebra as a freshman. Then as a sophomore, they can move on to geometry or Algebra 1. I think you probably get the idea.

Bottom line, if they only get to math 8 at Deal, it makes it hard to impossible for them to get all the way to trig and pre-calc, physics, etc. in high school. And, that can make them less competitive for college slots, especially if they are interested in STEM.

This is incorrect. 8th grade math IS pre-algebra. Algebra I follows immediately after 8th grade math, and is the default 9th grade math class at JR and throughout DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn’t. Not in Aspen, not on the transcript. Not the standard DCPS grading policy and not an official DCPS course. Deal requires it (which is why it’s free) but from DCPS’s point of view it’s a summer camp.

Correct.
Deal summer math programs are never on the transcript (or even in Aspen for that matter).

[Anonymous]

So are these Deal math classes even legit?? Just doing stuff under the radar of the district or something?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So are these Deal math classes even legit?? Just doing stuff under the radar of the district or something?

It’s not “under the radar.” There are no prerequisites for Algebra I. Deal could just enroll a bunch of 8th graders in Algebra I, which is what many DCPS schools do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Where it matters is high school. At Deal, 6th graders take either math 6 or math 7. In 7th grade, math 7 or math 8. In 8th grade, math 8 or pre-algebra.

When they move to Jackson Reed, as a freshman, they will take Algebra 1 if they have already taken pre-algebra. However, if they took math 8, they start in pre-algebra as a freshman. Then as a sophomore, they can move on to geometry or Algebra 1. I think you probably get the idea.

Bottom line, if they only get to math 8 at Deal, it makes it hard to impossible for them to get all the way to trig and pre-calc, physics, etc. in high school. And, that can make them less competitive for college slots, especially if they are interested in STEM.

No.

6th graders take math 6 or math 7.

7th graders take math 7, math 8, algebra 1, or algebra 1 + geometry.

8th graders take math 8, algebra 1, geometry, algebra 1 + geometry, or algebra 2.

At J-R, 9th graders are taking anything from algebra 1 to pre-Calc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are these Deal math classes even legit?? Just doing stuff under the radar of the district or something?

It’s not “under the radar.” There are no prerequisites for Algebra I. Deal could just enroll a bunch of 8th graders in Algebra I, which is what many DCPS schools do.

+1

And quite honestly middle school math is pretty repetitive so if a kid is bright and likes math skipping one grade or accelerating over the summer really isn’t a big deal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

6th graders take math 6 or math 7.

7th graders take math 7, math 8, algebra 1, or algebra 1 + geometry.

8th graders take math 8, algebra 1, geometry, algebra 1 + geometry, or algebra 2.

At J-R, 9th graders are taking anything from algebra 1 to pre-Calc.

This correct. My DS was in calc bc as a sophomore. Did the alg 1/geo track in 7th, alg 2 in 8th at Deal and pre calc in 9th. The alg 1, geometry and alg 2 classes that were taken at Deal appear on his J-R HS transcript with grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are these Deal math classes even legit?? Just doing stuff under the radar of the district or something?

It’s not “under the radar.” There are no prerequisites for Algebra I. Deal could just enroll a bunch of 8th graders in Algebra I, which is what many DCPS schools do.

+1

And quite honestly middle school math is pretty repetitive so if a kid is bright and likes math skipping one grade or accelerating over the summer really isn’t a big deal.

Yes. Eureka is built to spiral up and concepts build on each other year over year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So are these Deal math classes even legit?? Just doing stuff under the radar of the district or something?

It’s not “under the radar.” There are no prerequisites for Algebra I. Deal could just enroll a bunch of 8th graders in Algebra I, which is what many DCPS schools do.

+1

And quite honestly middle school math is pretty repetitive so if a kid is bright and likes math skipping one grade or accelerating over the summer really isn’t a big deal.

Yes. Eureka is built to spiral up and concepts build on each other year over year.

Didn't they move to Illustrative Math?

[Anonymous]

What's up with the wildly different impressions of what math is offered at Deal!? As a parent of an elementary schooler who I plan to send to Deal in 4 years, I just went from shock/horror that algebra I isn't offered until 9th grade (which would be far behind what I had as an attendee of a mediocre public school in the early 00s) to shock/awe that a 10th grader could take calc bc (far and above what my mediocre public school offered). I know sometimes people shitpost or just have no idea what they are talking about, but I am disturbed at the total lack of agreement on this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's up with the wildly different impressions of what math is offered at Deal!? As a parent of an elementary schooler who I plan to send to Deal in 4 years, I just went from shock/horror that algebra I isn't offered until 9th grade (which would be far behind what I had as an attendee of a mediocre public school in the early 00s) to shock/awe that a 10th grader could take calc bc (far and above what my mediocre public school offered). I know sometimes people shitpost or just have no idea what they are talking about, but I am disturbed at the total lack of agreement on this!

I don't see any confusion over math at Deal. Kids come in and with a straightforward path to take 6th grade math, 7th grade math, and 8th grade math in their 3 years at Deal. Kids test at the beginning of the year in 6th grade and those that test high are placed into 7th grade math in 6th grade. Those kids on an accelerated track would take 7th, 8th, and algebra 1 in their 3 years at Deal. There are opportunities to do summer math acceleration for kids who test into it in the summers between 6th-7th and 7th-8th. Based on level of advancement, kids can take geometry in 8th grade. If a child is even more advanced, there are opportunities for them to do so - my kids were not among them so I didn't pay much attention to those details. All of this gets explained at the various feeder school chats, open houses, and orientations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What's up with the wildly different impressions of what math is offered at Deal!? As a parent of an elementary schooler who I plan to send to Deal in 4 years, I just went from shock/horror that algebra I isn't offered until 9th grade (which would be far behind what I had as an attendee of a mediocre public school in the early 00s) to shock/awe that a 10th grader could take calc bc (far and above what my mediocre public school offered). I know sometimes people shitpost or just have no idea what they are talking about, but I am disturbed at the total lack of agreement on this!

I don't see any confusion over math at Deal. Kids come in and with a straightforward path to take 6th grade math, 7th grade math, and 8th grade math in their 3 years at Deal. Kids test at the beginning of the year in 6th grade and those that test high are placed into 7th grade math in 6th grade. Those kids on an accelerated track would take 7th, 8th, and algebra 1 in their 3 years at Deal. There are opportunities to do summer math acceleration for kids who test into it in the summers between 6th-7th and 7th-8th. Based on level of advancement, kids can take geometry in 8th grade. If a child is even more advanced, there are opportunities for them to do so - my kids were not among them so I didn't pay much attention to those details. All of this gets explained at the various feeder school chats, open houses, and orientations.

Exactly. The crucial points are (1) the vast majority of 8th graders take either Math 8 or Algebra I, and (2) if you start on the lower track there are multiple opportunities to join the Algebra I track (this is, in fact, the main purpose of SMAC). Further acceleration is totally optional and only undertaken by a minority of kids.