Algebra 1 Honors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We just got an email about meeting criteria for Alg 1H that included math SOL score. We were amongst the dead very last of people to get IAAT scores so this was a pleasant surprise! Email appears to be from our MS, not FCPS central.

Which middle school, if you don't mind my asking?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got an email about meeting criteria for Alg 1H that included math SOL score. We were amongst the dead very last of people to get IAAT scores so this was a pleasant surprise! Email appears to be from our MS, not FCPS central.

Which middle school, if you don't mind my asking?

I'm the other poster who got the results from their MS. If it's the same, it's Rocky Run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We just got an email about meeting criteria for Alg 1H that included math SOL score. We were amongst the dead very last of people to get IAAT scores so this was a pleasant surprise! Email appears to be from our MS, not FCPS central.

Which middle school, if you don't mind my asking?

I'm the other poster who got the results from their MS. If it's the same, it's Rocky Run.

Cool, we are Carson and haven't gotten anything. My kid was 96th percentile for IOWA and expects to have done well on SOL. We might not know until the scores are in SIS, though.

[Anonymous]

Anyone from Kilmer?

[Anonymous]

Anyone hear from Frost?

[Anonymous]

Received a letter as well. Halley Elementary

[Anonymous]

It seems like this is the time to get the info out to parents in FCPS. Not Algebra 1 Honors but the Advanced Math and Level III info are going out to the rising fifth graders at my ES. That is the first year that they divide the classes by Advanced Math or not.

[Anonymous]

We received an email as well from Rocky Run.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FWIW, according to the IARA Interpretation Guide (2006) the raw to percentile rank conversions (tables A1 + A2) are this:

99% - 57 to 60
98% - 55
97% - 54
96% - 53
95% - 52
93% - 51
91% - 50

I am curious though whether the test has been revised or updated since. The calibration appears to date back to as far as 1991.

At our RoVA district, I have 2 data points: our 5th grader scored 60/60 and 600 on (5th grade!) SOL; was accepted into Algebra in 6th grade; so was another student with a 58/60 raw and a 552 on the 5th grade SOL. Not sure where they set the cutoff (and due to our child's score, was fortunate enough to not having discuss it with public school personnel...). Overall, they offered to 11 out of an incoming class of maybe 300+ kids, or about 3-4%. The test booklets they used for the IAAT were completely worn out. Not following instructions, somebody had written the answers into the book our child used - they were erased so the book could be reused - child told us that most answers so marked and erased were wrong. Nerves like steel (and what a ridiculous thing to have to contend with. Maybe we'll donate to the PTA next year so that they can buy new test booklets...)

Overall, using a single test to test Algebra readiness and combining it with a useless test like the 5th grade SOL is of course questionable, although they also used teacher recommendations and 4th grade NWEA MAP scores. At our district, it's basically a proxy for IQ - and it's not unreasonable that the top 2-3% of rising 6th graders are smart enough to do well in Algebra, even if they haven't completed a full Prealgebra curriculum. I should also point out that our school system doesn't have AAP and that the GT program is a joke - for instance, in 5th grade, they taught "algebra" in GT pullout using Borenson Math - not realizing that this a remedial math program (our child asked why she couldn't use a normal minus sign and had to use Borenson's weird non-standard notation for equations). Fortunately, the GT teachers are kept out of making math placement decisions...

That said, if I were a parent who couldn't assess their child's ability as well as I can because I'm in the area, I'd find it hard to make any sense of the numbers provided, too.

In FCPS- they do it via Iowa and a 500+ score in 7th grade Math SOLs.

Because in FCPS for AAP they test a grade above for math at the end of the year.

OP- your kid should take algebra 1 honors. It’s better for them to adjust to the work load now than later.

[Anonymous]

What math options are there by 11th and 12th grade for students who take Algebra 1 in 7th?

I have a kid who has good executive function skills and loves math (550+ SOL and 99 percentile Iowa). I just want to make sure in letting him do Alg 1 that we are not setting him up for problems with choices at the end of HS. TIA!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What math options are there by 11th and 12th grade for students who take Algebra 1 in 7th?

I have a kid who has good executive function skills and loves math (550+ SOL and 99 percentile Iowa). I just want to make sure in letting him do Alg 1 that we are not setting him up for problems with choices at the end of HS. TIA!

11th grade: AP Calc. Could be AB or BC
12th grade: kids who love math or plan to major in engineering, physics, or math could take the dual enrollment multivariable Calc or linear algebra. Kids who are less interested in math can take AP Statistics without having to spend an elective slot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What math options are there by 11th and 12th grade for students who take Algebra 1 in 7th?

I have a kid who has good executive function skills and loves math (550+ SOL and 99 percentile Iowa). I just want to make sure in letting him do Alg 1 that we are not setting him up for problems with choices at the end of HS. TIA!

It depends on the school your child attends and how many kids end up in that position. Some HS have a series of options and some are limited. You can go to your child's HS website and look at the offerings in the math department to see what is available for your child.

[Anonymous]

Here is a good read from SCMS

https://southcountyms.fcps.edu/department/mathematics

[Anonymous]

This thread started off well for once and then it went off the rails of course

Let's bring it back to sanity

Go all the way to college. Almost every college highly recommends not skipping more than one sequential college level math course this is especially true for a STEM major.

One course of Calculus in high school is plenty there is 0 reason to accelerate further.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This thread started off well for once and then it went off the rails of course

Let's bring it back to sanity

Go all the way to college. Almost every college highly recommends not skipping more than one sequential college level math course this is especially true for a STEM major.

One course of Calculus in high school is plenty there is 0 reason to accelerate further.

OK but I would counter that there is zero reason to hold back a kid who is truly ready for algebra since it is an option, and isn’t really “skipping” math content.