Algebra 1 - In 6th Grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About 30 kids a year will take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade in FCPS, it is rare. The process for getting onto this track is not publicized but it seems to be something that might happen for kids with very high CoGAT scores in 2nd grade. Kids will be skipped ahead in math in 4th grade and will end up in Pre-Algebra (Math 7 H) in 5th grade and Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. When you run the SOL results on 6th grade Algebra 1 SOL results there were 25 kids at 15 schools that took Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. All of them have fewer then 10 students who took the exam and so there is not a specific number of kids at each of those 15 schools. It is a very rare event.

I do know that most of the kids who take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade either have take the class first thing in the morning at the local MS and then return to their ES for the rest of the day. I believe parents have to provide transportation for the child to the ES.

I know that the other option is to take the class online.

There are 7 kids in my high SES school taking Algebra 1 as a 6th grader. They take the middle school bus in the morning, take Algebra 1 and then a bus drops them off at the elementary school. It works because middle school starts earlier.

Ther are 141 elementary schools in FCPS, I believe the number must be higher than 35. Where did this number come from?

You may believe that but it isn't true. Your ES is an outlier, not normal at all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:About 30 kids a year will take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade in FCPS, it is rare. The process for getting onto this track is not publicized but it seems to be something that might happen for kids with very high CoGAT scores in 2nd grade. Kids will be skipped ahead in math in 4th grade and will end up in Pre-Algebra (Math 7 H) in 5th grade and Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. When you run the SOL results on 6th grade Algebra 1 SOL results there were 25 kids at 15 schools that took Algebra 1 H in 6th grade. All of them have fewer then 10 students who took the exam and so there is not a specific number of kids at each of those 15 schools. It is a very rare event.

I do know that most of the kids who take Algebra 1 H in 6th grade either have take the class first thing in the morning at the local MS and then return to their ES for the rest of the day. I believe parents have to provide transportation for the child to the ES.

I know that the other option is to take the class online.

There are 7 kids in my high SES school taking Algebra 1 as a 6th grader. They take the middle school bus in the morning, take Algebra 1 and then a bus drops them off at the elementary school. It works because middle school starts earlier.

Ther are 141 elementary schools in FCPS, I believe the number must be higher than 35. Where did this number come from?

Run the 6th grade Algebra 1 numbers for the SOLs. It lists 15 schools but no counts for individual schools. When you run it by just the County it includes the total count. Algebra 1 in ES is rare.

[Anonymous]

You're not supposed to do anything to get your kid on this path. It's a path for kids that FCPS has identified as needing more acceleration.

[Anonymous]

Unlike FCPS, MCPS has 6th graders in middle school so it's easy to put them in Algebra.

FCPS kids who want to advance usually double up on Geometry + Algebra 2 in 8th, or self study Geometry and take the class officially in summer for credit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have a graduating senior who is kind of insane in math. 6th grade AAP teacher was giving him extra math work on the side above and beyond the 7th grade math the rest of the class was doing. Scored in the 98th percentile on the Iowa and took Algebra I in 7th grade. Had no problems with the math but had some maturity issues adjusting to middle school so we had him retake Algebra I in 8th grade.

He still ended up in the same place as all of the other AAP kids by senior year taking all of the math classes offered at his HS and scoring a perfect 800 on the math portion of the SAT. And at the end of it all, there was no prize for finishing first.

It's important to look at the big picture when considering these types of offerings. I've seen a number of kids in my son's class whose parents pushed them ahead because it's what they wanted and their very smart and very capable kids struggled more than they needed to.

How? 2nd math class as elective one year?

[Anonymous]

We had around a half dozen kids who did this at my kid's elementary school (Sangster) back when AAP was smaller. This was a class prior to the additional NNAT screening, before the program ballooned to its current size.

Those kids went to LB for 1st period to take Algebra. I think FCPS transported them. It wasn't my kid so I am not 100% certain, but if I am remembering correctly, the kids were dropped off in the morning by parents or took the LB bus if they could, then were bussed back to Sangster as a group by FCPS in a shorter bus. They were a decent sized group for a short bus, so it wasn't just 1 or 2 kids getting chauffeured around. Sangster was a very late start then, and LB had the early start, so the kids missed very little elementary school, perhaps only the first 30 minutes or so of the day.

This was back when AAP was smaller and middle school had class every day, instead of the every other day 90 minute block schedules like they do now. I don't see how this would work today with block scheduling. I imagine the 90 minute format only 2 or 3 times per week would be difficult developmentally for 6th graders, even really smart ones.

Why don't you pose this question on the AAP board? They will be more likely to have current, updated information.

[Anonymous]

Our fairfax county high school offers dual enrollment multi variable calculus and linear algebra for the kids who finish ap calculus bc as juniors.

[Anonymous]

I believe there is a pilot program this year for 6th graders in advanced math to qualify for Algebra 1 and I think they put quite a few kids in it. This year they also lowered the threshold to put many more kids into Math Honors 7 in 7th grade who hadn't been in advanced math. (this is from a friend of mine who is a middle school math teacher)

There is definitely a drive to get kids into Algebra more quickly. I know Reid's stated goal is to have algebra for all in 8th grade. To get there, every kid has to skip a year of content at some point and the more advanced kids are skipping ahead even earlier. Where the advanced math kids used to take Algebra in either 7th or 8th now I think they will take it in either 6th or 7th and average math kids will take algebra in 8th.

I have no idea why this is necessary, but it seems like an FCPS goal and I'm seeing a big difference between even my 2028 kid and my 2031 kid. Seems like a very unnecessary push.

[Anonymous]

Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.

I’d be surprised if it’s principal placement. I can’t even get our principal to return an email.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Are any of your 6th grade classes still adding kids to algebra? It’s been over a month since school started and ours are still placing kids in that class. Not sure how any of this makes sense. I guess it’s principal placement.

No. That’s insane.

[Anonymous]

Probably parents who were upset that their kid wasn't included and protested.

[Anonymous]

https://navyes.fcps.edu/aggregator/sources/1

Navy has a grade 6 algebra pilot this year. Open above link and look for "Recording: Algebra I Honors Parent Information Session"

It's a zoom recording with password, which is supplied in the webpage.

Eligibility: Pass Grade 6 SOL, and 1125 or more in Iready Math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://navyes.fcps.edu/aggregator/sources/1

Navy has a grade 6 algebra pilot this year. Open above link and look for "Recording: Algebra I Honors Parent Information Session"

It's a zoom recording with password, which is supplied in the webpage.

Eligibility: Pass Grade 6 SOL, and 1125 or more in Iready Math.

I heard the parents of the kids who did not make it into the algebra class are pissed because how they have to go to the gen ed teacher for math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://navyes.fcps.edu/aggregator/sources/1

Navy has a grade 6 algebra pilot this year. Open above link and look for "Recording: Algebra I Honors Parent Information Session"

It's a zoom recording with password, which is supplied in the webpage.

Eligibility: Pass Grade 6 SOL, and 1125 or more in Iready Math.

I heard the parents of the kids who did not make it into the algebra class are pissed because how they have to go to the gen ed teacher for math.

No, they have an AAP teacher for non algebra advanced math, the same one as last year. There has been a lot of movement into algebra at Navy after initial selections. I’ve heard of a handful from the beginning of the year being added to DC’s class including some in the last couple weeks.