Why the push for accelerated math?
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Anonymous
Pathway #1 is grade level. “1 = Beginning A1 in 9th grade” They want to accelerate as many kids as possible. |
Anonymous
Who is they? |
Anonymous
Fcps. So what if school system is saying Algebra 1 in 8th grade is the norm? It's still accelerate if not all students can do it. |
Anonymous
No. Nationally, normal pace is Algebra 1 in 9th grade and accelerated is 8th grade. FCPS, normal pace is Algebra 1 by 8th grade and accelerated in 7th grade. Hyper accelerated in 6th grade or taking geometry in the summer between 7th and 8th grade. Google it, FCPS is by definition hyper accelerating kids who are taking Algebra 1 in 7th grade. And I ahve no problem with that. There are kids who can handle it, and those kids should be encouraged to take math that challenges them or, at least, is not easy. I would also point out that Algebra in 8th grade in FCPS can be either H or non-Honors. All of this is fine because the math should meet the ability of the kid. And the majority fo kids in FCPS will either not take a math their senior year or will take some version of statistics or data analysis. About 20% of the kids in FCPS will take calculus of any type. And that is ok. |
Anonymous
Algebra in 9th is the norm... Even if not all students can do it |
Anonymous
| We are at underperforming school and even here FCPS has made Algebra 1 in 8th grade the norm. Ofcourse, advanced is Algebra1 in 6th grade, which is what advanced kids at top schools follow, we we were told. It's all relative based on school. |
Anonymous
It’s still above grade level so yes. |
Anonymous
| Fcps vs Equity freaks. One calls Algebra1 in 7th/8th the norm, the other foolishly calls it accelerated. |
Anonymous
About 30 students a year take algebra 1 in 6th grade, it is a very small group of kids. I do think that there are more kids who can handle Algebra 1 in 6th grade but they are not offered the chance, so I am glad to see that FCPS is piloting putting it into more ES. That said, I would be surprised if the number of kids who qualify grows to over 200 kids a year, I am basing that number on the number of kids who end up in Algebra 2 in 8th grade right now. Most end up in Algebra 2 because they take Geometry in the summer, not because they took Algebra 1 in 6th grade. Maybe the school is watching the number of summer Geometry takers grow and realizing that it is a bad idea and that they should find a way to offer Algebra 1 to those kids in 6th grade. |
Anonymous
Across the country, Algebra 1 in 7th grade is accelerated. Algebra 1 in 8th grade isn't offered at 1/3 of the schools in the US, so yes, Algebra 1 in 8th grade is accelerated. We live in an area that is far more edcated then the norm so Algebra 1 in MS is not a surprise. Taking Foreign langauge at a HS level in MS is not a surprise. But that doesn't mean it is the norm, because it is not. There are pockts of the country where this is "normal" and those are the areas were you find highly educated families that are clustered. |
Anonymous
This will remain an educated area and Algebra1 and Geometry in top middle schools is the norm, followed by IB/AP calculus available in ALL fcps high schools. Here accelerated means going past that and doing post AP courses. |
Anonymous
| This is the stupidest debate I've seen on DCUM in years. Who cares what "accelerated" means? Why does it matter? |
Anonymous
Taking math classes above grade level can be quite common in affluent areas. It's still above grade level though - AKA accelerated. Definition from the National Association for Gifted Children: https://nagc.org/page/glossary Acceleration A strategy of progressing through education at rates faster or ages younger than the norm. This can occur through grade skipping or subject acceleration (e.g., a fifth-grade student taking sixth-grade math). Definition from a red state: https://www.fldoe.org/core/fileparse.php/7690/urlt/0070108-gift_accel.pdf Acceleration refers to the practice of presenting curriculum content earlier or at a faster pace. There are many different ways to accelerate the curriculum. These op- tions offer the flexibility needed to help meet the individual needs of gifted students: • acceleration in one or more subject areas • grade skipping • Advanced Placement programs Definition from FCPS: 
Pg 24 https://www.boarddocs.com/vsba/fairfax/Board.nsf/files/9UGLF242CE53/$file/Math%20Study%20-%20Final%20Report%20v14%20lzh.pdf |
Anonymous
Exactly. Lots of wealthy/educated parents in this area lead to a higher % of kids being accelerated. |
Anonymous
| Top ten FCPS high schools are in top 5% in the nation for a reason. What is normal grade level math here in these schools, is likely considered accelerated elsewhere in another corner of the nation. At these top ten schools, algebra1 or geometry in 8th grade is normal, not accelerated. And FCPS wants to keep it that way. |