Compacted Math for 2025-26

[Anonymous]

With the rumors about ELC potentially going away, I’m curious about the future of compacted math. I know on these forums there have been conversations about them reeling compacted math in as too many kids were getting to algebra without the basics. While I don’t doubt that, I’m really hoping compacted math is available for my kid next year. He took the MAP-M today (3rd grade) and scored a 247. He has been at the 99th for every test. We have him in RSM because he long ago became bored with school math and we want to keep him engaged but he complains about school math being too easy every day when doing homework. We’ve been looking forward to math moving quicker starting next year.

Have the educators on this forum heard anything about compacted math for next year? Anything we should know to advocate for our kid effectively? He has a 504 for anxiety (not related to math) so planning on raising all of this when we meet with the team in a few weeks as well (we do believe giving him more challenge would be beneficial to helping him learn to manage challenge)

[Anonymous]

Advice: don't drop that RSM

[Anonymous]

My kid is also in 3rd grade and scores that range—although this is from my teaching my kid myself—and he is not bored during math. I think it’s because he focuses on just enjoying being in school with his friends.

His teacher has already told him he will be in compacted next year. I don’t think it’s going away.

[Anonymous]

I think its unfair to have kids do RSM or Kumon or Mathnasium and then complain your kid is bored at school. Well, duh? What do you expect?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think its unfair to have kids do RSM or Kumon or Mathnasium and then complain your kid is bored at school. Well, duh? What do you expect?

+1

[Anonymous]

RSM kids or those who get enrichment at home obviously score really high on MAP. The rest of the kids not getting enrichment feel bad about themselves for not scoring as high.. its unfair.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think its unfair to have kids do RSM or Kumon or Mathnasium and then complain your kid is bored at school. Well, duh? What do you expect?

That presumes that RSM caused the boredom. It did not. The boredom came long before we started with RSM. RSM has kept him engaged in math, which was the important piece because he was definitely on the verge of becoming disengaged, even though he just naturally “gets it.” But yea it’s a double edged sword which is why I’m hoping he can do compacted math next year and be in an environment that is quicker paced.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think its unfair to have kids do RSM or Kumon or Mathnasium and then complain your kid is bored at school. Well, duh? What do you expect?

That presumes that RSM caused the boredom. It did not. The boredom came long before we started with RSM. RSM has kept him engaged in math, which was the important piece because he was definitely on the verge of becoming disengaged, even though he just naturally “gets it.” But yea it’s a double edged sword which is why I’m hoping he can do compacted math next year and be in an environment that is quicker paced.

Compacted math is no more difficult or rigorous than typical math classes. They just go at a quicker pace and skip some of the prelim/intro lessons to cut straight to the heart of the material. If he’s bored now, that’s not going to change.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think its unfair to have kids do RSM or Kumon or Mathnasium and then complain your kid is bored at school. Well, duh? What do you expect?

Have you ever been to one of those places? How do you know that is why kids are bored in school math class? There are kids out there that NEED a whole nother level of math that is not met in this system. Maybe yours doesn't need that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RSM kids or those who get enrichment at home obviously score really high on MAP. The rest of the kids not getting enrichment feel bad about themselves for not scoring as high.. its unfair.

The only way around this is to provide meaningful enrichment earlier so kids who need it can go deep. Instead, MCPS offers the harder problems in the Eureka problem set. Sorry, that is not cutting it for a kid who really needs more. -NP

[Anonymous]

Compact math won’t be challenging for a truly advanced math kid. I agree with others, once you send your kid for tutoring you lose the right to complain about being bored.

My kid never went to tutoring but had similar scores. He says his first challenging Math class was Functions in SMCS magnet. Was totally fine though since school was always a fun social time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RSM kids or those who get enrichment at home obviously score really high on MAP. The rest of the kids not getting enrichment feel bad about themselves for not scoring as high.. its unfair.

The only way around this is to provide meaningful enrichment earlier so kids who need it can go deep. Instead, MCPS offers the harder problems in the Eureka problem set. Sorry, that is not cutting it for a kid who really needs more. -NP

These are 8 year olds. I think they can manage to maybe enjoy being a kid. Calculus and and all the things will be there for them in HS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:RSM kids or those who get enrichment at home obviously score really high on MAP. The rest of the kids not getting enrichment feel bad about themselves for not scoring as high.. its unfair.

That is not true. Many students dont do anything outside school and still score high. Often, performance on MAP from early years tends same or similar later on.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:RSM kids or those who get enrichment at home obviously score really high on MAP. The rest of the kids not getting enrichment feel bad about themselves for not scoring as high.. its unfair.

The only way around this is to provide meaningful enrichment earlier so kids who need it can go deep. Instead, MCPS offers the harder problems in the Eureka problem set. Sorry, that is not cutting it for a kid who really needs more. -NP

It’s public education, not customized individual education for every student in every subject.

[Anonymous]

MCPS is technically obligated by state law of meeting the needs of gifted students (see: https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/laws/StatuteText?article=ged§ion=8-201&enactments=False&archived=False). They do this by “identifying” gifted kids (which does nothing) and providing “enrichment” which amounts to a few extra worksheets. They are truly leaving gifted students behind.