Is FCPS ending advance math for students who are not in AAP?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Never understood why they don't have advanced language arts for those students who are advanced in that area.

+1000

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a drama llama.

I work in a E3 school. The kids who need it will get advanced math in 5th and take the 6th grade SOL like normal.

If anything, according to our Math Coach, we are on track for MORE kids to take advanced math based on last year's SOL performance and i-ready performance.

I teach 5th grade (and also teach advanced math).

If E3 is not compacted, where do the kids get the acceleration? Our E3 school does not have separate classes and the 4th graders were not taught much of the advanced math rubric to prepare them to “skip” ahead.

[Anonymous]

DS is in 6th grade Advanced Math but his 3 and 4th grade sound like what was described as E3 math, except there was no E3 math when he was in 3 and 4 grade and his school is not testing E3 math right now.

3 and 4 grade had all the kids in one math class. Kids who had been tagged for Advanced Math received differentiate instruction but it was no9t done in a group. All the kids heard the material and were allowed to attempt the curriculum. DS and the Advanced Math kids were expected to understand and be able to do that work, the other kids not so much. In 5th grade there was an Advanced Math class that skipped 5th grade math and took 6th grade math.

The 4th grade Teacher explained how it all worked to us and why they did it. It allowed all the kids to be exposed to the material and identified more kids who were ready for Advanced Math in 5th grade. About half of the 6th grade class is in Advanced Math. They took the 6th grade SOL last year and are preparing for the IAAT at the end of February.

I wonder how the kids who are being presented concepts that they don’t understand feel even if they are not graded on those concepts. I was the slow kid in math in school and I know I would have felt like I was stupid because I did not understand what was being presented. I am aware that some kids are fine with not understanding things and letting it go but I am also aware that there are kids like me who will see it as failing even if they are not graded on that material.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a drama llama.

I work in a E3 school. The kids who need it will get advanced math in 5th and take the 6th grade SOL like normal.

If anything, according to our Math Coach, we are on track for MORE kids to take advanced math based on last year's SOL performance and i-ready performance.

I teach 5th grade (and also teach advanced math).

If E3 is not compacted, where do the kids get the acceleration? Our E3 school does not have separate classes and the 4th graders were not taught much of the advanced math rubric to prepare them to “skip” ahead.

E3 is actually compacted. It is designed to cover compacted math for the entire class. They all get it but what happens is that kids who need to spiral do not take the 6th grade sol in 5th.

What I am asked to do is differentiate so kids who are struggling get more support and spiral back while I move forward. It’s challenging but that’s the design.

In my school (a well off one) all of the kids in 3rd completed part of 4th grade math and that cohort is tracking to complete half of 5th grade this year. We are projected to have one section (about 30 kids) who are going to need on grade math. The other roughly 90 will be accelerated.

-teacher

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DS is in 6th grade Advanced Math but his 3 and 4th grade sound like what was described as E3 math, except there was no E3 math when he was in 3 and 4 grade and his school is not testing E3 math right now.

3 and 4 grade had all the kids in one math class. Kids who had been tagged for Advanced Math received differentiate instruction but it was no9t done in a group. All the kids heard the material and were allowed to attempt the curriculum. DS and the Advanced Math kids were expected to understand and be able to do that work, the other kids not so much. In 5th grade there was an Advanced Math class that skipped 5th grade math and took 6th grade math.

The 4th grade Teacher explained how it all worked to us and why they did it. It allowed all the kids to be exposed to the material and identified more kids who were ready for Advanced Math in 5th grade. About half of the 6th grade class is in Advanced Math. They took the 6th grade SOL last year and are preparing for the IAAT at the end of February.

I wonder how the kids who are being presented concepts that they don’t understand feel even if they are not graded on those concepts. I was the slow kid in math in school and I know I would have felt like I was stupid because I did not understand what was being presented. I am aware that some kids are fine with not understanding things and letting it go but I am also aware that there are kids like me who will see it as failing even if they are not graded on that material.

Yeah we don’t have a separate 5th grade math class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a drama llama.

I work in a E3 school. The kids who need it will get advanced math in 5th and take the 6th grade SOL like normal.

If anything, according to our Math Coach, we are on track for MORE kids to take advanced math based on last year's SOL performance and i-ready performance.

I teach 5th grade (and also teach advanced math).

I feel like this is the type of response we are going to get from the inside:
Step 1: Nothing to see here/that’s not what’s happening
Step 2: Well okay yes it’s sort of happening, but the way those who don’t like it characterize it sounds bad so no, it’s not like THAT!
Step 3: Yes it’s happening and here’s why it’s a good thing!
Step 4: What do you mean “Advanced math?” We’ve never had anything like that here…what kind of elitist are you?

Memory hole complete.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DC told me that their teacher informed them there will be no Advanced math from 2024 onwards. Any FCPS staff here, is it correct?

OP's daughter is always the first to know.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a drama llama.

I work in a E3 school. The kids who need it will get advanced math in 5th and take the 6th grade SOL like normal.

If anything, according to our Math Coach, we are on track for MORE kids to take advanced math based on last year's SOL performance and i-ready performance.

I teach 5th grade (and also teach advanced math).

If E3 is not compacted, where do the kids get the acceleration? Our E3 school does not have separate classes and the 4th graders were not taught much of the advanced math rubric to prepare them to “skip” ahead.

E3 is actually compacted. It is designed to cover compacted math for the entire class. They all get it but what happens is that kids who need to spiral do not take the 6th grade sol in 5th.

What I am asked to do is differentiate so kids who are struggling get more support and spiral back while I move forward. It’s challenging but that’s the design.

In my school (a well off one) all of the kids in 3rd completed part of 4th grade math and that cohort is tracking to complete half of 5th grade this year. We are projected to have one section (about 30 kids) who are going to need on grade math. The other roughly 90 will be accelerated.

-teacher

The approach you describe would be challenging to implement in practice, as you note. If they are going to do this, they should provide additional sessions outside of class to support struggling kids.

However, it's not clear that the model in your high SES school is being replicated in all FCPS E3 classrooms. PPs with kids in other E3 schools are not seeing the type of accelerated content coverage you describe as base classroom instruction. In high SES schools, a large share of students likely have help at home and/or do outside math programs so they are not relying solely on school to learn math content and can keep to a faster pace irrespective of class/content structure. That is not the case in lower SES schools. It seems unlikely, in practice, that E3 teachers in low SES schools will be able to maintain an accelerated pace in heterogeneous classes when the majority are not advanced students. The more likely outcome in that situation is that teachers teach regular curriculum and provide content extensions for advanced students, but that is a sub-optimal way to prepare for 5th grade advanced math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is a drama llama.

I work in a E3 school. The kids who need it will get advanced math in 5th and take the 6th grade SOL like normal.

If anything, according to our Math Coach, we are on track for MORE kids to take advanced math based on last year's SOL performance and i-ready performance.

I teach 5th grade (and also teach advanced math).

Except they will miss it in 3rd and 4th and then will have more ground to make up in 5th and 6th.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is a drama llama.

I work in a E3 school. The kids who need it will get advanced math in 5th and take the 6th grade SOL like normal.

If anything, according to our Math Coach, we are on track for MORE kids to take advanced math based on last year's SOL performance and i-ready performance.

I teach 5th grade (and also teach advanced math).

If E3 is not compacted, where do the kids get the acceleration? Our E3 school does not have separate classes and the 4th graders were not taught much of the advanced math rubric to prepare them to “skip” ahead.

E3 is actually compacted. It is designed to cover compacted math for the entire class. They all get it but what happens is that kids who need to spiral do not take the 6th grade sol in 5th.

What I am asked to do is differentiate so kids who are struggling get more support and spiral back while I move forward. It’s challenging but that’s the design.

In my school (a well off one) all of the kids in 3rd completed part of 4th grade math and that cohort is tracking to complete half of 5th grade this year. We are projected to have one section (about 30 kids) who are going to need on grade math. The other roughly 90 will be accelerated.

-teacher

That sounds great for your well off school. What about schools on the other side of the county that have one advanced math class and four regular (that tend to actually be behind grade). Do you really think that those kids will be prepared to take the 7th grade SOL in 6th or that the teacher will be able to devote any time to IAAT prep? I guess if there is one thing that FCPS loves, it's widening the gap between the haves and have nots

[Anonymous]

At some point, the 5th graders on track for 6th grade SOL, need a separate Math class. Our E3 school is not doing this. And no, not everyone is advanced.

Its frustrating how little information there is on this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At some point, the 5th graders on track for 6th grade SOL, need a separate Math class. Our E3 school is not doing this. And no, not everyone is advanced.

Its frustrating how little information there is on this.

Maybe they are concerned that people will misconstrue any potential changes and spread misinformation?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:At some point, the 5th graders on track for 6th grade SOL, need a separate Math class. Our E3 school is not doing this. And no, not everyone is advanced.

Its frustrating how little information there is on this.

Maybe they are concerned that people will misconstrue any potential changes and spread misinformation?

You know what encourages inferences and the spread of misinformation? A lack of trust in an institution paired with a lack of communication

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. What’s E3

https://www.fcps.edu/node/44416
"Partner with the Advanced Academic Office expand the E3 Network from 10 to 20 schools. Improve intensity of support for network schools as they implement Engaging, Enhanced, and Extended Mathematics or E3. The purpose of E3 is to broaden the access for third and fourth graders to a more rigorous curriculum in elementary mathematics by raising the rigor for all students through an enhanced program of studies that layers more opportunities for depth and complexity through flexible delivery of Advanced Academic extensions."

E3 schools use heterogenous math classes for grades 3 & 4 that combine regular and advanced math students; instead of having a separate advanced math class, teachers are expected to provide differentiation/extensions to advanced students within a mixed ability class. The extensions go deeper into grade-level content as opposed to the accelerated content usually taught in advanced math classes.

Twenty elementary schools used E3 last year. Unclear how many are using it this year.

Is there a list of schools anywhere?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is OP. What’s E3

https://www.fcps.edu/node/44416
"Partner with the Advanced Academic Office expand the E3 Network from 10 to 20 schools. Improve intensity of support for network schools as they implement Engaging, Enhanced, and Extended Mathematics or E3. The purpose of E3 is to broaden the access for third and fourth graders to a more rigorous curriculum in elementary mathematics by raising the rigor for all students through an enhanced program of studies that layers more opportunities for depth and complexity through flexible delivery of Advanced Academic extensions."

E3 schools use heterogenous math classes for grades 3 & 4 that combine regular and advanced math students; instead of having a separate advanced math class, teachers are expected to provide differentiation/extensions to advanced students within a mixed ability class. The extensions go deeper into grade-level content as opposed to the accelerated content usually taught in advanced math classes.

Twenty elementary schools used E3 last year. Unclear how many are using it this year.

Is there a list of schools anywhere?

Don't think so. Although last year some time there was a thread where people said which of their schools were doing it. All seem to not have AAP local level IV or a center. Who knows at this point though because thats a short list.