algebra 1 - which year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

[Anonymous]

I am more concerned that my kid continues to like math and doesn’t rule out STEM careers than when they take algebra.

We chose to have DD (AAP) take algebra in 8th rather than 7th, even though she qualified to do it in 7th. With covid and reduced learning time etc, we just thought it was better. Her confidence has gone up a lot and honestly, it has been better for her not to be in math classes with the super accelerated kids. She always felt not smart in math, even though she did well. Many kids would already know everything being taught.

We do know a number of kids who took algebra in 7th. Some did great! But we also know more than a handful who either dropped to math 7 honors or who ended up with lower grades than they wanted.

I highly doubt colleges, even engineering colleges, are ruling out kids based on a class they were determined eligible to take in 7th grade. Let’s see some data to back that up. And even if schools like MIT are, I’m perfectly good with a level down, who cares.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have no idea whether my rising 7th grader will want to go down a STEM path or where she will want to go to college. I’m worried about her learning what she needs to do well in algebra 1 when she finally takes it. I have heard that Math 7 honors is a better preparation for Algebra 1 so I’m wondering if I should push for that even though my child took regular math in 6th. On the flip side, im worried that she will be overwhelmed in math 7 honors because she only took regular math in 6th…

What did your child’s Teacher recommend? If they recommend 7th Honors, then go that route. If they recommend regular 7th, I would ask why they are recommending that.

Kids in Advanced Math and LIV AAP normally end up in 7th Honors or Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade.

Kids in regular 6th grade math can end up in 7th or 7th honors. I would guess that kids who get a 4, are scoring in the 90th percentile on the math iReady, and Pass Advanced on the 6th grade SOL are the ones who end up in 7th Honors while the rest of the class takes regular 7th grade math. But that is a guess.

I have friends whose kids were in 7th grade math and ended up taking Algebra 1 Honors in 8th grade. I have friends whose kids took 7th and 8th grade math and Algebra in 9th. It depends on the kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

Is there a breakdown by school? I know in some schools half take algebra by 7th grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

Is there a breakdown by school? I know in some schools half take algebra by 7th grade.

I seriously doubt that. Only 20% of the County is in 6th grade AAP LIV. A smaller percentage of the kids take Advanced Math in 6th grade. Even assuming that 50% of the kids in 6th grade take the IAAT, a significant percentage do not meet the threshold for Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade.

A Center MS, like Carson, probably has a higher percentage of kids in Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade but I would be surprised to find it was half the school. Maybe 25% of the school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

It depends on what you child is going to pursue in college and what level of school you wish them to attend. If STEM then 7th, if not STEM then either 8th or 9th is fine, unless seeking a top 30-40 college then the answer is back to 7th.

Algebra 1 H in 8th is fine for STEM and top 30-40 college. Many people think 7th is necessary and then they derail their chances by lower grades. As long as you get to Calc by your senior year you are as advanced as you need to be. Grades in those courses are far more important.

You're compared to students from your own school and there will be a bunch who both have it in 7th and have all As in math. 6th would make you an outlier, but there are some who do it. 7th means that you took advanced math and retained enough to do well on the IAAT and SOL, which should be the expectation from a kid in advanced math

This response and that of the first responder are correct if you are going down the STEM path or looking at highly selective colleges. While you may still major in STEM or get into a highly ranked college by waiting a year or two to take Algebra I you are lowering your odds of doing so.

This path also allows student to take AP statistics.

Evidence?
I don't think selective colleges make that fine-grained of distinctions. As long as your school regards your schedule as "most rigorous" which they will do if you take AP/IB courses in core subjects and take AP Calc. There may be a handful of elite STEM oriented that are looking for higher math (MIT, Caltech, CMU etc.) but if your kid has a shot there they likely would be taking Algebra 1 early because it's their passion--but expanding that range to top 30-40 or STEM in general just doesn't apply. This is what I've observed at my kid's HS which has a large portion of kids taking Algebra in 7th: taking algebra in 7th vs 8th doesn't seem to make any difference if the grades and high school course rigor are there. I do think taking algebra in 9th can be a hindrance in some schools.

Doing more math early opens the door to things like research projects/papers national math/science fairs, national math competitions, tutoring volunteer work, and rec letters that say things like "the most avid math scholar in the class / recent memory / my entire career" .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

It depends on what you child is going to pursue in college and what level of school you wish them to attend. If STEM then 7th, if not STEM then either 8th or 9th is fine, unless seeking a top 30-40 college then the answer is back to 7th.

Disagree that you need to take in 7th to get into a top 30-40 college. That's just ridiculous. I think taking algebra H in 8th a long with high grades will still get you into a top college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

It depends on what you child is going to pursue in college and what level of school you wish them to attend. If STEM then 7th, if not STEM then either 8th or 9th is fine, unless seeking a top 30-40 college then the answer is back to 7th.

Algebra 1 H in 8th is fine for STEM and top 30-40 college. Many people think 7th is necessary and then they derail their chances by lower grades. As long as you get to Calc by your senior year you are as advanced as you need to be. Grades in those courses are far more important.

You're compared to students from your own school and there will be a bunch who both have it in 7th and have all As in math. 6th would make you an outlier, but there are some who do it. 7th means that you took advanced math and retained enough to do well on the IAAT and SOL, which should be the expectation from a kid in advanced math

This response and that of the first responder are correct if you are going down the STEM path or looking at highly selective colleges. While you may still major in STEM or get into a highly ranked college by waiting a year or two to take Algebra I you are lowering your odds of doing so.

This path also allows student to take AP statistics.

Evidence?
I don't think selective colleges make that fine-grained of distinctions. As long as your school regards your schedule as "most rigorous" which they will do if you take AP/IB courses in core subjects and take AP Calc. There may be a handful of elite STEM oriented that are looking for higher math (MIT, Caltech, CMU etc.) but if your kid has a shot there they likely would be taking Algebra 1 early because it's their passion--but expanding that range to top 30-40 or STEM in general just doesn't apply. This is what I've observed at my kid's HS which has a large portion of kids taking Algebra in 7th: taking algebra in 7th vs 8th doesn't seem to make any difference if the grades and high school course rigor are there. I do think taking algebra in 9th can be a hindrance in some schools.

Doing more math early opens the door to things like research projects/papers national math/science fairs, national math competitions, tutoring volunteer work, and rec letters that say things like "the most avid math scholar in the class / recent memory / my entire career" .

This is ... this is nuts. Also wrong. But mostly nuts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

It depends on what you child is going to pursue in college and what level of school you wish them to attend. If STEM then 7th, if not STEM then either 8th or 9th is fine, unless seeking a top 30-40 college then the answer is back to 7th.

This is not true. You can take Algebra 1 in 8th grade and absolutely still major in a STEM field if you wanted to… You could even take Calculus 1 in college if you had to. Calc1 is offered in college. This big push for rapid acceleration is not necessary. Kids are born at all times of the year. So, a kid whose birthday falls at the end of grade and who was not red-listed could still major in a STEM field. This is not a one and done opportunity in middle school. The sky is not falling if your kid took Algebra 1 in 8th grade. In fact, in the 90’s, taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade was considered Advanced. It’s much better for your kid to build a very solid math foundation rather than rushing to a higher course. Your child’s brain is developing far into their 20’s and this isn’t a race. It’s a sequential journey of additional learned concepts and it’s much better to have a clear understanding at each step. I’m flabbergasted at how little math the college students have actually retained. —college professor

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

Is there a breakdown by school? I know in some schools half take algebra by 7th grade.

I got the numbers from the VDOE website: https://www.doe.virginia.gov/data-policy-funding/data-reports/statistics-reports/sol-test-pass-rates-other-results
They do break down by school, but you have to run the query yourself. Make sure you select all classes, or you just get a total number.

That said, you won't get the same information due to the MS/HS transition, I think. You can see how many took it in 7th or 8th at Carson Middle, for instance, but you won't see how many didn't take it by then because those numbers will show up at the HS level. You'd have to correlate it with other information such as attendance numbers for that year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

Is there a breakdown by school? I know in some schools half take algebra by 7th grade.

I seriously doubt that. Only 20% of the County is in 6th grade AAP LIV. A smaller percentage of the kids take Advanced Math in 6th grade. Even assuming that 50% of the kids in 6th grade take the IAAT, a significant percentage do not meet the threshold for Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade.

A Center MS, like Carson, probably has a higher percentage of kids in Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade but I would be surprised to find it was half the school. Maybe 25% of the school.

In 2021-22, Carson had 34% of 7th graders in Algebra 1, based on SOL data.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

Is there a breakdown by school? I know in some schools half take algebra by 7th grade.

The reference point needs to be the high school since not the middle school since the college application process takes place then. A given MS with an AAP program may seem like everyone is taking it in 7th, but at the HS level the average numbers don't have a ton of variation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

It depends on what you child is going to pursue in college and what level of school you wish them to attend. If STEM then 7th, if not STEM then either 8th or 9th is fine, unless seeking a top 30-40 college then the answer is back to 7th.

This is not true. You can take Algebra 1 in 8th grade and absolutely still major in a STEM field if you wanted to… You could even take Calculus 1 in college if you had to. Calc1 is offered in college. This big push for rapid acceleration is not necessary. Kids are born at all times of the year. So, a kid whose birthday falls at the end of grade and who was not red-listed could still major in a STEM field. This is not a one and done opportunity in middle school. The sky is not falling if your kid took Algebra 1 in 8th grade. In fact, in the 90’s, taking Algebra 1 in 8th grade was considered Advanced. It’s much better for your kid to build a very solid math foundation rather than rushing to a higher course. Your child’s brain is developing far into their 20’s and this isn’t a race. It’s a sequential journey of additional learned concepts and it’s much better to have a clear understanding at each step. I’m flabbergasted at how little math the college students have actually retained. —college professor

Agree with this. PP is likely not a college admissions/STEM/top college expert and most likely tiger parent bloviating.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do most FCPS kids take algebra 1 in 8th or 9th? If 8th, do they first have to take honors math in 7th?

You can approximate this information from the numbers of FCPS students who took the SOL in Algebra I (assuming most parents don't opt their children out). In 2021/22, most students would have completed Algebra I by the end of 8th grade, but it's barely above 50%.
The actual numbers are:

6th grade: 0.15%
7th grade: 10.28%
8th grade: 41.37%
9th grade: 38.29%
10th grade: 6.15%
11th grade: 3.15%
12th grade: 0.60%

That means 51.8% completed it before 9th grade, and 90.10% by 9th grade. In 2021/22.
In my personal opinion, this is a healthy distribution that reflects the span of ability and motivation you would expect to find across these age groups.

Is there a breakdown by school? I know in some schools half take algebra by 7th grade.

I seriously doubt that. Only 20% of the County is in 6th grade AAP LIV. A smaller percentage of the kids take Advanced Math in 6th grade. Even assuming that 50% of the kids in 6th grade take the IAAT, a significant percentage do not meet the threshold for Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade.

A Center MS, like Carson, probably has a higher percentage of kids in Algebra 1 Honors in 7th grade but I would be surprised to find it was half the school. Maybe 25% of the school.

In 2021-22, Carson had 34% of 7th graders in Algebra 1, based on SOL data.

What % was Longfellow?

[Anonymous]

This topic comes up in different discussion groups all the time. The correct answer varies from family to family and student to student.

Can you get into a STEM program or a “top college”, however you define that, if you take Algebra 1 in 8th grade or later, yes you can.

If the child has the aptitude and desire to take Algebra 1 in 7th grade and does well, thereby setting up AP Calculus or higher math Senior year will they improve their chances of admission to a STEM program or “top college” then yes they will, but not guarantee admission.

Tens of thousands of kids take AP Calc or higher math, have outstanding AP test scores and SAT/AP scores so you have given yourself a chance to compete with other highly qualified kids for a small amount of available seats.

Do what is best for your child and your piece of mind based on teacher recommendations and child’s interests.