Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade

[Anonymous]

How does a child qualify to take Algebra 1 in 6th grade?

Are the kids taking 6th grade math in 5th grade?

[Anonymous]

Why would you want this?
What’s wrong with Algebra 1 in 7th, when most of their friends are taking it?

[Anonymous]

My son did it. But he didn't qualify in 5th or 6th grade, he advanced in math in 3rd.
It has worked out well, except that there will be no math course offered at his school for him as a senior.

[Anonymous]

Yes, there are absolutely kids taking sixth grade math in 5th grade. This would be any child in "Advanced" math, AAP or not, at their local school.

While I have heard of kids (and this is seriously ONE kid between both of my kids) being far enough ahead in Math to be taking Algebra I in 6th grade, I wouldn't think that is the best idea socially - would you want your kid around (mostly) 8th graders as a sixth grader? The one child I know that did this did leave school mid-day to go to the local Middle School, and had to provide their own transportation. My child said "noone knew them" as a result....

[Anonymous]

Are you thinking Pre-Algebra? That's what any advanced math student would take in 7th grade, then Algebra in 8th. This is "one year ahead."

[Anonymous]

Talk to your school principal. The AAP forum also has threads on this. Some schools are apparently more accommodating than others.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are you thinking Pre-Algebra? That's what any advanced math student would take in 7th grade, then Algebra in 8th. This is "one year ahead."

Kids can absolutely take Algebra 1 Honors in 7th. That's what every advanced math 6th grader takes the IAAT (Iowa) to figure out - if they qualify or if they take pre-algebra.

[Anonymous]

About 30 kids a year will take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade in FCPS, it is rare. The process for getting onto this track is not publicized but it seems to be something that might happen for kids with very high CoGAT scores in 2nd grade. Kids will be skipped ahead in math in 4th grade and will end up in Pre-Algebra (Math 7 H) in 5th grade and Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. When you run the SOL results on 6th grade Algebra 1 SOL results there were 25 kids at 15 schools that took Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. All of them have fewer then 10 students who took the exam and so there is not a specific number of kids at each of those 15 schools. It is a very rare event.

I do know that most of the kids who take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade either have take the class first thing in the morning at the local MS and then return to their ES for the rest of the day. I believe parents have to provide transportation for the child to the ES.

I know that the other option is to take the class online.

[Anonymous]

There are already several threads on this in the AAP forum. I'd head there.

[Anonymous]

I have a graduating senior who is kind of insane in math. 6th grade AAP teacher was giving him extra math work on the side above and beyond the 7th grade math the rest of the class was doing. Scored in the 98th percentile on the Iowa and took Algebra I in 7th grade. Had no problems with the math but had some maturity issues adjusting to middle school so we had him retake Algebra I in 8th grade.

He still ended up in the same place as all of the other AAP kids by senior year taking all of the math classes offered at his HS and scoring a perfect 800 on the math portion of the SAT. And at the end of it all, there was no prize for finishing first.

It's important to look at the big picture when considering these types of offerings. I've seen a number of kids in my son's class whose parents pushed them ahead because it's what they wanted and their very smart and very capable kids struggled more than they needed to.

[Anonymous]

A couple of kids in my kids 6th grade class took algebra in 6th.

They had been advanced all of elementary. Going to the older grades math classes (AAP) all along. By 6th, the next step was algebra. They took the appropriate SOLs and Iowa in 5th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My son did it. But he didn't qualify in 5th or 6th grade, he advanced in math in 3rd.
It has worked out well, except that there will be no math course offered at his school for him as a senior.

This happened early with our kid as well. They were doing break out math sessions with the 4th graders in 1st grade I think things would have gotten awkward if COVID didn't come along and take everything online.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You people are insane.

why, why would you say that? Do you not understand that there are actually gifted or maybe just smart students in FCPS that can comfortably move more quickly thru math?

we didn't think we wanted our first kid to do algebra in 7th but his iowa and sols showed that he should be able to handle it. and he did. with nearly a perfect grade. he's a senior now in multi var and has never had less than an A with little to no struggle (ok, multi var is a bit of a struggle and early on he asked for a tutor).

just bc some, or maybe many, of the little larlos or larlas couldn't handle it, doesn't mean that the kids that can are being pushed by "insane" parents. yeesh.

So you are relaying your experience about your kid taking the class in 7th grade and OP is asking about taking same class in 6th and you don't see the distinction?

NO I don't -- my point is if her Larlo/Larla is more advanced and can handle it in the 6th grade, it doesn't mean that she is INSANE. And as this thread has shown, Larlo/Larla will not be alone in taking it. Yeesh.

There is a very real chance that the child is taking it solo if they take the class online. The other option is for parents to provide transportation to and from MS to take the class in person, with 7th and 8th graders. There were 25 sixth graders in Algebra 1 H last year. This is not a large group of kids where they have a class at their ES. This is either solo study at their ES or in person at a MS.

There are kids that this makes sense for because they are far enough ahead but it is not something that most kids really need. I would guess that a kid that is advanced enough to able to handle Algebra 1 H in 6th grade is a kid who needs a totally different learning environment then your typical FCPS ES.

[Anonymous]

My friend's son did this path and ran into some maturity issues. He's in 8th now and wants to drop down a level. He's very bright, the teachers don't think he should drop down because he's still scoring well on tests but it is his most stressful class on top of normal middle school stress (bullying, friend groups changing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:About 30 kids a year will take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade in FCPS, it is rare. The process for getting onto this track is not publicized but it seems to be something that might happen for kids with very high CoGAT scores in 2nd grade. Kids will be skipped ahead in math in 4th grade and will end up in Pre-Algebra (Math 7 H) in 5th grade and Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. When you run the SOL results on 6th grade Algebra 1 SOL results there were 25 kids at 15 schools that took Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. All of them have fewer then 10 students who took the exam and so there is not a specific number of kids at each of those 15 schools. It is a very rare event.

I do know that most of the kids who take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade either have take the class first thing in the morning at the local MS and then return to their ES for the rest of the day. I believe parents have to provide transportation for the child to the ES.

I know that the other option is to take the class online.

There are 7 kids in my high SES school taking Algebra 1 as a 6th grader. They take the middle school bus in the morning, take Algebra 1 and then a bus drops them off at the elementary school. It works because middle school starts earlier.

Ther are 141 elementary schools in FCPS, I believe the number must be higher than 35. Where did this number come from?