Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?

[Anonymous]

I honestly think if I was one of the kids who previously was able to go over to the middle school to take Algebra (looking at Haycock) I'd be so mad that my kid no longer has that option. It'll probably be fine in a year or two, but there is no question it will be a mess this year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Messaging has been awful regarding this program on all levels. Are AAP students who are not in algebra still in AAP math?

Yes. They will probably end up in Algebra 1H as 7th graders.

… with 450 of their peers who will need to expunge and repeat in 7th.

Nah, I think the kids can do algebra 1 at the dumbed down level it's bound to be taught at (it'll be teaching to the county assessments which are written at a basic gen ed on grade level, vs honors/accelerated). I think the holes will show up a little in geometry and then largely in algebra 2 honors when kids aren't used to the rigor and lack the foundations. Unfortunately by then it's too late to really backfill.

I'm still going to keep my kid in it because s/he is bored stiff in the regular aap math, but I expect to push farther at home, and I've never "supplemented" or done enrichment or anything like that in the past.

(HS math teacher)

I went to TJ after having a really, really bad Algebra 1 experience in 7th at a tiny private that was totally unprepared to teach Algebra 1. Backfilling in Honors Algebra 2/Trig was incredibly difficult, but...possible I guess. I can't imagine doing it for an entire class though. I assume it will mean watering everything down and being prepared for the AP Calcs will be a lot harder.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our veteran AAP math teacher is not teaching the non-Algebra AAP class because they are only teaching one single Algebra class. Parents are pissed because the replacement is not a good choice.

Yes parents are very upset! I know what school you are talking about (Navy). The replacement teacher for non-Algebra AAP was the teacher for all the AAP students last year in 5th grade. She is not qualified and did a horrible job teaching math. She used hours and hours of S.T. math assignments on the computer (a useless Covid era computer program that looks like it was made in 1991). My son and all his classmates struggled under her incompetence. We ended up teaching him ourselves and we were happy that the original teacher for 6th grade math would be his new teacher. Then out of nowhere they tell us that he will not be the AAP teacher and that the bad teacher we had last year will continue being our son's teacher. Talk about bait and switch!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I honestly think if I was one of the kids who previously was able to go over to the middle school to take Algebra (looking at Haycock) I'd be so mad that my kid no longer has that option. It'll probably be fine in a year or two, but there is no question it will be a mess this year

Those few students who would've qualified under the old standards likely have already learned algebra 1 in depth from outside enrichment programs. They really didn't need to the longfellow Algebra 1H class to teach them content, and will likely be just fine with the watered down class, and sail through with As. It's the hundreds of other kids in this pilot program, who aren't in outside enrichment, who are really going to suffer down the road with this Algebra 1 light course.

[Anonymous]

Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

Why isn’t FCPS and schools transparent about this process? Is it another “holistic” based selection? I’ve also heard of kids with higher scores not being selected. Sounds like a lawsuit brewing if that’s the case.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

I would reach out to the AART on campus. The list of names came from central office, but you can and should ask for the criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

Why isn’t FCPS and schools transparent about this process? Is it another “holistic” based selection? I’ve also heard of kids with higher scores not being selected. Sounds like a lawsuit brewing if that’s the case.

Also don’t forget about kids who are qualified but can’t do it because the school is not doing it. I am so frustrated. I sent an email to superintendent about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

Why isn’t FCPS and schools transparent about this process? Is it another “holistic” based selection? I’ve also heard of kids with higher scores not being selected. Sounds like a lawsuit brewing if that’s the case.

This is a pilot program, so they are experimenting on our kids. They will have all the kinks worked out in about 10 years, so please be patient. Your child will get the proper Algebra education they need by the time they are 22.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our veteran AAP math teacher is not teaching the non-Algebra AAP class because they are only teaching one single Algebra class. Parents are pissed because the replacement is not a good choice.

Yes parents are very upset! I know what school you are talking about (Navy). The replacement teacher for non-Algebra AAP was the teacher for all the AAP students last year in 5th grade. She is not qualified and did a horrible job teaching math. She used hours and hours of S.T. math assignments on the computer (a useless Covid era computer program that looks like it was made in 1991). My son and all his classmates struggled under her incompetence. We ended up teaching him ourselves and we were happy that the original teacher for 6th grade math would be his new teacher. Then out of nowhere they tell us that he will not be the AAP teacher and that the bad teacher we had last year will continue being our son's teacher. Talk about bait and switch!

I'm not surprised by this. Navy elementary has been controversial for the last few years and it looks like they are going to keep it up. Why would they keep on doing this kind of stuff?

[Anonymous]

Does FCPS have a website regarding this program.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does FCPS have a website regarding this program.

Nothing. They dropped this on us at the last possible moment with no warning or explanation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

OP here:
We finally were able to talk to school. They told me DC is good enough to join but now the school has no right to add people in. They need to check with the county if she can join. We have no choice but wait.

I still have no idea why she was not enrolled at the beginning if scores are the only criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

OP here:
We finally were able to talk to school. They told me DC is good enough to join but now the school has no right to add people in. They need to check with the county if she can join. We have no choice but wait.

I still have no idea why she was not enrolled at the beginning if scores are the only criteria.

The school is not being honest with you. Call the county yourself. I smell BS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Any teachers here know that if all the kids qualified were selected to the program? DC got 565 in iReady and 546 in SOL but we didn't get the email. We know one kid with 527/528 in both tests was selected. Same school, same class.

Is there any other criteria that we don't know? Can we still ask to join the program? DC is complaining about boring math class everyday.

OP here:
We finally were able to talk to school. They told me DC is good enough to join but now the school has no right to add people in. They need to check with the county if she can join. We have no choice but wait.

I still have no idea why she was not enrolled at the beginning if scores are the only criteria.

I am OP and the above is not my post. My DC was selected for the pilot and we were notified via email like other parents here.