Your child's teacher is a moron. Think about it: Only the kids in AAP and Advanced math are even allowed to take the IAAT. That's maybe 30% of the FCPS 6th grade population. If you need to be in the 91st percentile of that group, that's equivalent to being in the top 2.7% of the entire FCPS 6th grade cohort. Or, to put it another way, assuming 14,000 6th graders in FCPS, only 378 would be allowed to take Algebra in 7th. This is very obviously not the case. |
It's an algebra readiness test for 8th graders taking pre-algebra. Algebra in 7th grade is ahead, anywhere and everywhere. |
They also stretch the rules at some schools. Every middle school that lets 7th graders take algebra 1 needs enough 7th graders taking it to be able to offer geometry in 8th. Obviously this is irrelevant for middle schools that will have more than enough qualify, but it does come into play with some school. |
DD goes to one of those middle schools that should have "more than enough qualify", but plenty of kids from her class that did not qualify either got in anyway, or did on appeal. |
DD really wants to take algebra next year, but is a slow test taker. She's had perfect SOLs in math every year she's taken them. We've already told her that if she's too slow on the IAATs but gets her normal SOL score that we'll fight to get her in. |
When does FCPS notify parents of the results? |
Within two months: https://www.fcps.edu/student-assessment/grade-level-tests/grade-6 |
Why would you do that? Don't set her on a path to calculus in 11th grade if she's a "slow test taker". |
She's a slow test taker who scores perfect or nearly perfect on every math test she has ever taken. I took algebra in 7th and thought it was of the easier math classes that I ever took |
I spoke to a teacher who teaches Algebra i in middle school and she said only consider Algebra I in 7th IF your kid is interested in Math AND scores in the 95th percentile or higher on the IAAT. She said in her opinion 91th percentile is too low of a threshold. The class uses high school level books, moves fast, lots of homework, and will count on the high school transcript. Kids who are not ready will also struggle in Algebra II because the won't have the foundation. |
MoCo was the same way when I was there, but they opened algebra to far more students. It's insane how much FCPS builds up algebra as a difficult class when it really isn't |
The bigger issue is if you sit in algebra for a year in 7th grade and are over your head, you have no way to recover. You can't go back down. It's a big leap for a borderline kid. Suppose you take algebra in 7th but really struggle. You expunge the grade to save your high school transcript. Then what? Retake the course and still struggle because you're missing foundations? Move down to prealgebra (going from 2 years advanced to on level?) Suppose you take algebra again in 8th. You muddle through and get a B, then move on. You will never be taught how to solve an equation with variables on both sides. This is covered for weeks in math 7 honors, covered for a day in algebra 1 as review, and then utilized for the rest of your high school career. It's not a hard class at all for a kid with solid foundations. It moves exceedingly quickly though compared to all prior math classes, so a kid who struggles needing time to process will struggle without solid foundations or outside help. I've taught 8th grade algebra for years and years at one of those schools that lets in kids with below a 91. They almost all, with the exception of 1 really unique kid, have struggled immensely that first quarter. I think they would have been fine in gen ed algebra, but the honors course throws in quite a few extensions from algebra 2 if taught fully, and it's just too much for a kid who is lacking math fluency and quick applications. |
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The test is administered in 6th grade for those taking 7th grade level math. One of the factors is scoring in the “91st percentile”; I was simply asking if that percentile was coiunty, state or national. I know taking algebra in 7th is “ahead”, which is why I asked for clarification on how that placement is assessed. |
The I stands for Iowa, so I assume this is a national percentile. |