Math sequence in DCPS

[Anonymous]

My kid is in elementary school and is pretty good at math. There are no pull outs or advanced math in his dcps elementary. She’s in 3rd grade. When do I need to make sure she’s on the right track to take advanced math classes—is it middle school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in elementary school and is pretty good at math. There are no pull outs or advanced math in his dcps elementary. She’s in 3rd grade. When do I need to make sure she’s on the right track to take advanced math classes—is it middle school?

Yes, middle school. In 6th, the kids take a test and then are tracked into either Math 6th or Math 7th (ie, the top kids start with 7th grade math).

Then, the 7th math take Algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th. Some kids are tracked to take Algebra II by 8th (at least at Deal).

All this is for Deal FYI…other schools may not have the teachers to do the above.

[Anonymous]

Depends on bc the school

[Anonymous]

How does the 8th Alg track work? Alg 1 in 6th, or double/summer math later?

[Anonymous]

8th Alg 2 track, that is

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How does the 8th Alg track work? Alg 1 in 6th, or double/summer math later?

Geometry over the summer or both geometry and alg 2 in 8th. I don't think anyone in DCPS takes alg 1 in 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How does the 8th Alg track work? Alg 1 in 6th, or double/summer math later?

Geometry over the summer or both geometry and alg 2 in 8th. I don't think anyone in DCPS takes alg 1 in 6th.

Some kids also double up on Algebra 1 and Geometry in 7th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in elementary school and is pretty good at math. There are no pull outs or advanced math in his dcps elementary. She’s in 3rd grade. When do I need to make sure she’s on the right track to take advanced math classes—is it middle school?

Yes, middle school. In 6th, the kids take a test and then are tracked into either Math 6th or Math 7th (ie, the top kids start with 7th grade math).

Then, the 7th math take Algebra in 7th and geometry in 8th. Some kids are tracked to take Algebra II by 8th (at least at Deal).

All this is for Deal FYI…other schools may not have the teachers to do the above.

Hardy is somewhat similar (or at least used to be).

[Anonymous]

I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

That still allows these students to take Calc BC by 11th and AP Stats or Multivariable by 12th (or AB then BC by 12th).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

This is a good thing. My kid did the 8th grade Algebra 2 sequence at Deal and then went on to a top DC private school and found out that they had learned very little math.
It was a mess and they ended up having to drop down a course after a month of school. A friend had the same experience.

Frankly, the DCPS math teaching in general kind of sucks. Most kids who transfer to private or Catholic schools for 9th are placement tested on arrival and end up repeating courses.

I'm generally a fan of DCPS (and continued to send my younger kids there) but beware of the Deal math acceleration. They will push kids through without actually teaching them anything (while giving them straight HIGH A's).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

This is a good thing. My kid did the 8th grade Algebra 2 sequence at Deal and then went on to a top DC private school and found out that they had learned very little math.
It was a mess and they ended up having to drop down a course after a month of school. A friend had the same experience.

Frankly, the DCPS math teaching in general kind of sucks. Most kids who transfer to private or Catholic schools for 9th are placement tested on arrival and end up repeating courses.

I'm generally a fan of DCPS (and continued to send my younger kids there) but beware of the Deal math acceleration. They will push kids through without actually teaching them anything (while giving them straight HIGH A's).

Above is typical of acceleration that is superficial without depth. Add onto that grade inflation and kids get A in math but no solid foundation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

That still allows these students to take Calc BC by 11th and AP Stats or Multivariable by 12th (or AB then BC by 12th).

This is the path my advanced math kid is on. He could have double-blocked at Deal, but we didn’t see the point. And now that he’s a junior, I’m glad there will be only one year where he has to do DE for math. I’m glad Deal is getting rid of double-blocking; it always felt like it was much more about making a subset of parents happy than about what’s actually best for students in terms of math instruction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

That still allows these students to take Calc BC by 11th and AP Stats or Multivariable by 12th (or AB then BC by 12th).

This is the path my advanced math kid is on. He could have double-blocked at Deal, but we didn’t see the point. And now that he’s a junior, I’m glad there will be only one year where he has to do DE for math. I’m glad Deal is getting rid of double-blocking; it always felt like it was much more about making a subset of parents happy than about what’s actually best for students in terms of math instruction.

Yes! So many of these double-blocked kids (Algebra 2 in 8th) kids at Deal floundered later on when they moved to private (and many did because they were among the brightest kids at Deal with intense parents so they went on to Sidwell, St. Albans, NCS etc.).
I know at least a half dozen who ended up repeating at least one math class at the receiving private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I thought Deal was phasing out double-blocking, so that the highest math will be Geometry in 8th.

This is a good thing. My kid did the 8th grade Algebra 2 sequence at Deal and then went on to a top DC private school and found out that they had learned very little math.
It was a mess and they ended up having to drop down a course after a month of school. A friend had the same experience.

Frankly, the DCPS math teaching in general kind of sucks. Most kids who transfer to private or Catholic schools for 9th are placement tested on arrival and end up repeating courses.

I'm generally a fan of DCPS (and continued to send my younger kids there) but beware of the Deal math acceleration. They will push kids through without actually teaching them anything (while giving them straight HIGH A's).

I don’t hear this happening much at the Catholic schools. My kid didnt double up on Algebra II (finished at geometry), but had no problem placing in to Alg II at SJC.