Starting AAP Math in 6th Grade

[Anonymous]

My kids school told us he scored well an can move from regular math to AAP next year in 6th grade. I'm a little in the dark because we haven't seen test scores yet.

Prior math SOLs were around 525 and we planned on doing honors in 7th grade so this is sort of just advancing our timeline by a year. Figure it will be the summer of catch up before 6th instead of 7th.

Any chance this is just a new trend to meet the goal? Take kids on the edge of AAP and stick them in AAP so that more are ready for Algebra in 8th Grade? FWIW reading SOL has always been higher but only being offered math AAP not everything.
Who knows maybe this year he tested really well.

[Anonymous]

525 belongs in AAP math.

[Anonymous]

My DD was in gen Ed advanced math. Several kids in her school jumped up from regular 5th grade math to advanced math in 6th. They were well prepared for M7H in 7th

[Anonymous]

They can’t offer full time AAP if you never applied

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can’t offer full time AAP if you never applied

Maybe that's it, we never applied. First kid didn't know we were supposed to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They can’t offer full time AAP if you never applied

Maybe that's it, we never applied. First kid didn't know we were supposed to.

Take the offer - this is called "principal placement". You should apply to AAP next year

[Anonymous]

This all appears confusing to say the least. DC was approved for algebra 1 in 6th grade, and never had to worry about math progression. Follow counselor guidance through out the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They can’t offer full time AAP if you never applied

I don’t think OP said full-time AAP.
This was common in our elementary school. A lot of non-AAP II-IV were offered the opportunity to take AAP math in 6th based on scores. This enabled them to sit for the Iowa and math 7 SOL and maybe take Algebra in 7th. (And if not, they just went on to 7H in MS.) I can’t see any harm in doing this; your real decision point will be what they take in 7th.
(That said, I know classes full of kids taking math 7H who had no aap at all in ES and they all have As. You don’t need to take advanced math in ES to be successful in future math… but you do if you want to accelerate)

[Anonymous]

Algebra prior to 9th grade should not be allowed for any student in public school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Algebra prior to 9th grade should not be allowed for any student in public school.

Funny, and not the topic of the thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Algebra prior to 9th grade should not be allowed for any student in public school.

I don’t get why people keep spouting this line. The advanced kids at my middle/HS had algebra in 8th, and other schools had it in 7th. It had been that way since at least the 80s. Yes, not every kid should take Algebra in 7th or 8th, but some kids should and they do well in it. It’s not like you’re pushing trig or calculus on 8th graders - it’s just algebra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Algebra prior to 9th grade should not be allowed for any student in public school.

I don’t get why people keep spouting this line. The advanced kids at my middle/HS had algebra in 8th, and other schools had it in 7th. It had been that way since at least the 80s. Yes, not every kid should take Algebra in 7th or 8th, but some kids should and they do well in it. It’s not like you’re pushing trig or calculus on 8th graders - it’s just algebra.

This step needs to be taken to further equity goals.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Algebra prior to 9th grade should not be allowed for any student in public school.

I don’t get why people keep spouting this line. The advanced kids at my middle/HS had algebra in 8th, and other schools had it in 7th. It had been that way since at least the 80s. Yes, not every kid should take Algebra in 7th or 8th, but some kids should and they do well in it. It’s not like you’re pushing trig or calculus on 8th graders - it’s just algebra.

Don't engage in debate with the equity troll. Just move on or mock them if you must.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kids school told us he scored well an can move from regular math to AAP next year in 6th grade. I'm a little in the dark because we haven't seen test scores yet.

Prior math SOLs were around 525 and we planned on doing honors in 7th grade so this is sort of just advancing our timeline by a year. Figure it will be the summer of catch up before 6th instead of 7th.

Any chance this is just a new trend to meet the goal? Take kids on the edge of AAP and stick them in AAP so that more are ready for Algebra in 8th Grade? FWIW reading SOL has always been higher but only being offered math AAP not everything.
Who knows maybe this year he tested really well.

Our school started this last year. A bunch of kids join the AAP class for math if they scored over 500. I have heard no complaints and all the kids who joined were able to catch up to the kids who have been in since 3rd (and are now a year ahead). Some kids really have to grind first semester, but are good by 2nd semester. Our principal said this is a new push from Dr. Reid. I guess since it worked at the schools where it was (quietly) being piloted like ours it is being expanded.

As long as your kid is willing to be lost and have to work at first, I recommend it.

[Anonymous]

OP, keep in mind that the math curriculum spirals a lot. Your kid won't be skipping a year of material. He'll just be skipping one spiral. The school's thought is that kids who score above a 500 on the math SOL won't need the extra repetition and the smaller jump in difficulty that they'd see with regular 6th grade math.

If your kid was planning to take Algebra in 8th grade, moving up to 6th grade AAP math is the right call. Your child will be much better prepared with 6th grade AAP math, then M7H, and then Algebra than he would be with regular 6th grade math followed by skipping a year up to M7H in 7th. Also, if he does really well with the skip up, he has some chance to qualify for Algebra in 7th.