Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it is a good idea to take Algebra in 7. However, I'm pretty sure the reason so many parents demand it is so that their kid will get into TJ.

+1

Everything related to AAP -- including prepping Kindergarten students for the NNAT -- is based on getting kids into TJ.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
I don't think it is a good idea to take Algebra in 7. However, I'm pretty sure the reason so many parents demand it is so that their kid will get into TJ.

+1

Everything related to AAP -- including prepping Kindergarten students for the NNAT -- is based on getting kids into TJ.

One of the saddest posts I've read--and true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don't think it is a good idea to take Algebra in 7. However, I'm pretty sure the reason so many parents demand it is so that their kid will get into TJ.

+1

Everything related to AAP -- including prepping Kindergarten students for the NNAT -- is based on getting kids into TJ.

One of the saddest posts I've read--and true.

True, just remember "the clock is ticking and we're keeping score."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't think it is a good idea to take Algebra in 7. However, I'm pretty sure the reason so many parents demand it is so that their kid will get into TJ.

+1

Everything related to AAP -- including prepping Kindergarten students for the NNAT -- is based on getting kids into TJ.

Not true. Some of us just want our gifted kids to learn something in school. We have no TJ plans.

[Anonymous]

Well, since the IAAT is a percentile score, it means only 9% of all FCPS kids will be eligible based on IAAT. Now, taking those 9%, not everyone will score a pass advanced on the SOL. This means less than 9% of all FCPS students will qualify for Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade (strictly on scores).
Looking at the class sizes for algebra 1 in 7th grade, it appears to be more than 10% of FCPS kids who actually end up taking it. So it looks like the schools don't strictly follow the criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Well, since the IAAT is a percentile score, it means only 9% of all FCPS kids will be eligible based on IAAT. Now, taking those 9%, not everyone will score a pass advanced on the SOL. This means less than 9% of all FCPS students will qualify for Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade (strictly on scores).
Looking at the class sizes for algebra 1 in 7th grade, it appears to be more than 10% of FCPS kids who actually end up taking it. So it looks like the schools don't strictly follow the criteria.

THe IAAT is a percentile based on the national average, not Fairfax's average. Historically, historically students in Fairfax County do better than the national average, so more than 9% qualify.

[Anonymous]

PP: and remember, this is the top 15%-20% of FCPS taking the test, so one would expect higher scores.

With that said, the test is designed to test readiness for algebra, and is typically given to 7th or 8th graders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, since the IAAT is a percentile score, it means only 9% of all FCPS kids will be eligible based on IAAT. Now, taking those 9%, not everyone will score a pass advanced on the SOL. This means less than 9% of all FCPS students will qualify for Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade (strictly on scores).
Looking at the class sizes for algebra 1 in 7th grade, it appears to be more than 10% of FCPS kids who actually end up taking it. So it looks like the schools don't strictly follow the criteria.

THe IAAT is a percentile based on the national average, not Fairfax's average. Historically, historically students in Fairfax County do better than the national average, so more than 9% qualify.

Well, from what you're saying, if it's a percentile based on National average, then it should be 9% of the entire nation that become eligible based on the IAAT. This means the 9% is spread across many school districts in the nation and FCPS should have an even smaller piece of the 9% pie (not more).

[Anonymous]

Learn Statistics. 9% is of all people taking the test score above 91%. Fairfax county children seem to be smarter than average....but they are taking the test at younger age.

The number taking Algebra in the 7th grade is probably around 15-18%: 2000-2500 kids out of 13000. Not all of these kids are in AAP, though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Learn Statistics. 9% is of all people taking the test score above 91%. Fairfax county children seem to be smarter than average....but they are taking the test at younger age.

The number taking Algebra in the 7th grade is probably around 15-18%: 2000-2500 kids out of 13000. Not all of these kids are in AAP, though.

Umm, percentile rank is not the same as percentage. If a student scores above 91%, it doesn't necessarily mean they are in the 91 percentile rank Just to simplify things, if 100 total students took the test and the first nine students had scores like "100%, 99.7%, 98.4%, 98.2%, 97.6%, 97.3%, 96.5%, 96.1% and 95.9%" only those students will be at or above 91 percentile. A student who scores 95% will not make it in the 91 percentile or above rank, even though thee score is great. Got it? Most people confuse percentile with percentage.

[Anonymous]

Any way to find out what the actual top scores were for the kids that scored in the 91%tile?

[Anonymous]

I meant...for the 96%tile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I meant...for the 96%tile?

Why does it matter?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, since the IAAT is a percentile score, it means only 9% of all FCPS kids will be eligible based on IAAT. Now, taking those 9%, not everyone will score a pass advanced on the SOL. This means less than 9% of all FCPS students will qualify for Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade (strictly on scores).
Looking at the class sizes for algebra 1 in 7th grade, it appears to be more than 10% of FCPS kids who actually end up taking it. So it looks like the schools don't strictly follow the criteria.

[/b]THe IAAT is a percentile based on the national average, not Fairfax's average. Historically, historically students in Fairfax County do better than the national average, so more than 9% qualify.

Well, from what you're saying, if it's a percentile based on National average, then it should be 9% of the entire nation that become eligible based on the IAAT. This means the 9% is spread across many school districts in the nation and FCPS should have an even smaller piece of the 9% pie (not more).

What?!?

I am the PP to whom you are replying.

I will give the stat for the CogAt, when my children took them. In the past, FCPS tried to set the CogAt cutoff at 10% of the FAIRFAX population. The years my children took them, the cut off was a 131 and a 133. NATIONALLY, the 131 and 133 in those years, was at the 98th percentile. So, [b]10% of FAIRFAX students scored in the top [/b]2% in the NATION.

If we extrapolate from that, it is not difficult to believe that 15-20% of FAIRFAX students would score in the top 9%[b] in the NATION for Algebra readiness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Well, since the IAAT is a percentile score, it means only 9% of all FCPS kids will be eligible based on IAAT. Now, taking those 9%, not everyone will score a pass advanced on the SOL. This means less than 9% of all FCPS students will qualify for Algebra 1 honors in 7th grade (strictly on scores).
Looking at the class sizes for algebra 1 in 7th grade, it appears to be more than 10% of FCPS kids who actually end up taking it. So it looks like the schools don't strictly follow the criteria.

[/b]THe IAAT is a percentile based on the national average, not Fairfax's average. Historically, historically students in Fairfax County do better than the national average, so more than 9% qualify.

Well, from what you're saying, if it's a percentile based on National average, then it should be 9% of the entire nation that become eligible based on the IAAT. This means the 9% is spread across many school districts in the nation and FCPS should have an even smaller piece of the 9% pie (not more).

What?!?

I am the PP to whom you are replying.

I will give the stat for the CogAt, when my children took them. In the past, FCPS tried to set the CogAt cutoff at 10% of the FAIRFAX population. The years my children took them, the cut off was a 131 and a 133. NATIONALLY, the 131 and 133 in those years, was at the 98th percentile. So, [b]10% of FAIRFAX students scored in the top [/b]2% in the NATION.

If we extrapolate from that, it is not difficult to believe that 15-20% of FAIRFAX students would score in the top 9%[b] in the NATION for Algebra readiness.

I must have misses a bold icon. Sorry, my typing skills stink.