Can a sixth grader take algebra 1?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no schools in the whole county except for Frost that I know of that "offer" Algebra I in 6th in a pretty open way.

Quite a few other middle schools allow it for individual students on a case by case basis. No, TPMS does not offer it. Neither do any of the other magnets. Because of the nature of the magnet they may have a higher concentration of individual students who were allowed acceleration but there are cases of 1 to 2 students everywhere.

My child is one of them but I wouldn't dare say what school because they may be the only one Many parents don't mention it for the very reason you are seeing on this thread which is a lot of hostility and people putting down other kids and questioning why their own child can't get something too.

Right - I have known occasional cases in Rockville cluster (Wood MS). This is very rare, but the handful of cases, at least about 3-4 years ago (before it became a thing at Frost), were spread out, including in some DCC schools. I believe it is still the case. There was also this thread a few weeks ago started by a DCC parent about math options after algebra 2 in eighth grade. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1076564.page

(Also, because it is usually rare, parents of these kids are not going to give out the school name on a public forum like DCUM.)

One correction: TPMS does offer to some students; but only if the student has done AIM (if they are from MCPS, and until a couple of years ago it was almost noone) or they have done something equivalent if they are from outside MCPS. Almost every year they used to get a small handful of kids from out of MCPS - privates, home schooled or from out of the country - that qualify for Algebra in sixth grade.

Anyone who says schools in affluent areas provide this kind of acceleration is spouting nonsense. There are advanced learners in Whitman/WJ/Churchill clusters who are denied this kind of acceleration. This seems to depend more on the specific principal/teacher/etc.

TPMS emphatically does not "offer" the class for 6th graders in the way Frost does with a significant number of kids taking it and jumping past AIM. TPMS has very small number of kids who were already accelerated mostly due to being homeschooled, in private school or abroad, and they are just proceeding along their normal sequence. They just happen to be 6th graders. It's not like any student who goes there can sign up for Alg. 1 in 6th. In fact, it's actively discouraged no matter what the MAP score due to their 6th grade math already being very in depth and different from other MCPS math. I'm sure someone will find the one exception of the extraordinary math student who did skip AIM at TPMS but it did not happen in the three years my child has been there. I did hear that there was a child from a few years ago who might be at Blair now who did that but that child was apparently light years ahead of any of the other children and that cannot be measured by MAP alone.

The schools offering it are doing it because many smart kids are not offered spots in TPMS, like mine. AIM is basically pre-algebra. Comparing what happens in TPMS to a regular school/6th grade algebra really isn't even comparable. TPMS has a curriculum for acceleration so it makes sense for them not to offer it. Its something parents should consider when deciding to accept the spot or not. No schools offer 6th grade Algebra. The students are put in 7th/8th grade Algebra (though they try to keep them with mostly 7th graders) and then they move on to Geometry and are put with 8th graders. Some MS, if they have enough students and a teacher qualified, offer Algebra 2 and other kids have to go to the high school.

Many of the kids I know doing it (not TPMS) are generally smart kids and/or the parents supplemented at home themselves (what we did), had tutors or did something like Kumon. We worked ahead in ES because the curriculum didn't cover what we thought it should and was lacking in basics such as teaching kids the math facts and traditional ways. Ours hated all the strategy work so we taught them old school math, which is probably why the MAP scores were higher. To get the higher MAP scores, it isn't strictly IQ, but also working ahead either with workbooks or tutor/tutoring programs (or just a really smart kid).

I find it interesting that my child tested higher in MAP than the kids offered the TPMS spots and my child wasn't offered a spot (before the new lottery).

However, there is not a huge advantage to skipping AIM and doing Algebra in 6th vs. 7th. But, there should be consistency and it offered in all the schools but the issue really comes in when it comes to what happens with Algebra 2 and can the MS offer it vs. students going to the HS.

Can 100% confirm TPMS offers it. Got a call this week asking if they could test our kid for Algebra since it was already clear after evals (no idea if it was MAP or otherwise) signaled that AIM would not be a good fit. It wasn’t something we asked for and it isn’t a slam dunk (they’re testing the kid next week) but this is non-magnet TPMS.

What kind of evals could they possibly have done that would give them such overwhelming data this early on that they would decide this? No one has taken the MAP yet. My child’s school has not even started math in math yet. Instruction begins next week. It’s not a high farms school.

Honestly? Absolutely no idea. I just know what the math specialist told us. We didn’t ask for it, and we’ll know more next week when the test happens. I only replied because people were in the thread saying that it didn’t happen. Just wanted to point out it did, and they told us if the kid tested well enough, we’d have the option to consider putting them in algebra. Not sure if we will even if they score well enough.

I believe you and I appreciate your posting. Tbh, I hope your child is placed in the appropriate course for him/her. I hope this for all children. I have commented upthread that my personal issue is that the process is not standardized or transparent. If your child has been identified that is great! What’s not great is that there are obviously hundreds in other schools who are being given inequitable access this very resource without any good reason. Mcps literally yells equity equity equity and then makes the most baffling policies (or tbh lack thereof).

I’m a TPMS parent of an 8th grader and I don’t believe you. Perhaps you were confused and they are trying to decide if he should be in AIM or 6th grade math? They have been very clear over the past two years there that they do not do this. They only place 6th graders in algebra reluctantly if they have completed AIM in 5th.

What, you are upset our kids are not in magnet and taking a more advanced class. TPMS does things differently. Every school does it differently which is why that poster is upset over lack of transparency and standardization within MCPS. My child is in a downcountry school and started Algebra in 6th. Child did not do AIM.

Surprise, some really smart kids don't get chosen or choose to go to TPMS. Even if my child were chosen we would not have choose it.

I don't think I'm confused as I know what math my child is in. In 8th, its Algebra 2.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

It really makes no difference if a child starts it in 6th or 7th. It for us was a way for them to encourage us to stay at our home school. We were offered it on registration. I would not have fought to get my child put in as starting in 7th is still pretty young for most schools, even privates for Algebra. But, MCPS should offer more gifted classes at home schools (and I say that as we have zero interest in a magnet that is far away).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no schools in the whole county except for Frost that I know of that "offer" Algebra I in 6th in a pretty open way.

Quite a few other middle schools allow it for individual students on a case by case basis. No, TPMS does not offer it. Neither do any of the other magnets. Because of the nature of the magnet they may have a higher concentration of individual students who were allowed acceleration but there are cases of 1 to 2 students everywhere.

My child is one of them but I wouldn't dare say what school because they may be the only one Many parents don't mention it for the very reason you are seeing on this thread which is a lot of hostility and people putting down other kids and questioning why their own child can't get something too.

Right - I have known occasional cases in Rockville cluster (Wood MS). This is very rare, but the handful of cases, at least about 3-4 years ago (before it became a thing at Frost), were spread out, including in some DCC schools. I believe it is still the case. There was also this thread a few weeks ago started by a DCC parent about math options after algebra 2 in eighth grade. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1076564.page

(Also, because it is usually rare, parents of these kids are not going to give out the school name on a public forum like DCUM.)

One correction: TPMS does offer to some students; but only if the student has done AIM (if they are from MCPS, and until a couple of years ago it was almost noone) or they have done something equivalent if they are from outside MCPS. Almost every year they used to get a small handful of kids from out of MCPS - privates, home schooled or from out of the country - that qualify for Algebra in sixth grade.

Anyone who says schools in affluent areas provide this kind of acceleration is spouting nonsense. There are advanced learners in Whitman/WJ/Churchill clusters who are denied this kind of acceleration. This seems to depend more on the specific principal/teacher/etc.

TPMS emphatically does not "offer" the class for 6th graders in the way Frost does with a significant number of kids taking it and jumping past AIM. TPMS has very small number of kids who were already accelerated mostly due to being homeschooled, in private school or abroad, and they are just proceeding along their normal sequence. They just happen to be 6th graders. It's not like any student who goes there can sign up for Alg. 1 in 6th. In fact, it's actively discouraged no matter what the MAP score due to their 6th grade math already being very in depth and different from other MCPS math. I'm sure someone will find the one exception of the extraordinary math student who did skip AIM at TPMS but it did not happen in the three years my child has been there. I did hear that there was a child from a few years ago who might be at Blair now who did that but that child was apparently light years ahead of any of the other children and that cannot be measured by MAP alone.

The schools offering it are doing it because many smart kids are not offered spots in TPMS, like mine. AIM is basically pre-algebra. Comparing what happens in TPMS to a regular school/6th grade algebra really isn't even comparable. TPMS has a curriculum for acceleration so it makes sense for them not to offer it. Its something parents should consider when deciding to accept the spot or not. No schools offer 6th grade Algebra. The students are put in 7th/8th grade Algebra (though they try to keep them with mostly 7th graders) and then they move on to Geometry and are put with 8th graders. Some MS, if they have enough students and a teacher qualified, offer Algebra 2 and other kids have to go to the high school.

Many of the kids I know doing it (not TPMS) are generally smart kids and/or the parents supplemented at home themselves (what we did), had tutors or did something like Kumon. We worked ahead in ES because the curriculum didn't cover what we thought it should and was lacking in basics such as teaching kids the math facts and traditional ways. Ours hated all the strategy work so we taught them old school math, which is probably why the MAP scores were higher. To get the higher MAP scores, it isn't strictly IQ, but also working ahead either with workbooks or tutor/tutoring programs (or just a really smart kid).

I find it interesting that my child tested higher in MAP than the kids offered the TPMS spots and my child wasn't offered a spot (before the new lottery).

However, there is not a huge advantage to skipping AIM and doing Algebra in 6th vs. 7th. But, there should be consistency and it offered in all the schools but the issue really comes in when it comes to what happens with Algebra 2 and can the MS offer it vs. students going to the HS.

Can 100% confirm TPMS offers it. Got a call this week asking if they could test our kid for Algebra since it was already clear after evals (no idea if it was MAP or otherwise) signaled that AIM would not be a good fit. It wasn’t something we asked for and it isn’t a slam dunk (they’re testing the kid next week) but this is non-magnet TPMS.

What kind of evals could they possibly have done that would give them such overwhelming data this early on that they would decide this? No one has taken the MAP yet. My child’s school has not even started math in math yet. Instruction begins next week. It’s not a high farms school.

Honestly? Absolutely no idea. I just know what the math specialist told us. We didn’t ask for it, and we’ll know more next week when the test happens. I only replied because people were in the thread saying that it didn’t happen. Just wanted to point out it did, and they told us if the kid tested well enough, we’d have the option to consider putting them in algebra. Not sure if we will even if they score well enough.

I believe you and I appreciate your posting. Tbh, I hope your child is placed in the appropriate course for him/her. I hope this for all children. I have commented upthread that my personal issue is that the process is not standardized or transparent. If your child has been identified that is great! What’s not great is that there are obviously hundreds in other schools who are being given inequitable access this very resource without any good reason. Mcps literally yells equity equity equity and then makes the most baffling policies (or tbh lack thereof).

I’m a TPMS parent of an 8th grader and I don’t believe you. Perhaps you were confused and they are trying to decide if he should be in AIM or 6th grade math? They have been very clear over the past two years there that they do not do this. They only place 6th graders in algebra reluctantly if they have completed AIM in 5th.

What, you are upset our kids are not in magnet and taking a more advanced class. TPMS does things differently. Every school does it differently which is why that poster is upset over lack of transparency and standardization within MCPS. My child is in a downcountry school and started Algebra in 6th. Child did not do AIM.

Surprise, some really smart kids don't get chosen or choose to go to TPMS. Even if my child were chosen we would not have choose it.

I don't think I'm confused as I know what math my child is in. In 8th, its Algebra 2.

I'm sorry your kid didn't make the cut, but no reason to be all sour grapes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no schools in the whole county except for Frost that I know of that "offer" Algebra I in 6th in a pretty open way.

Quite a few other middle schools allow it for individual students on a case by case basis. No, TPMS does not offer it. Neither do any of the other magnets. Because of the nature of the magnet they may have a higher concentration of individual students who were allowed acceleration but there are cases of 1 to 2 students everywhere.

My child is one of them but I wouldn't dare say what school because they may be the only one Many parents don't mention it for the very reason you are seeing on this thread which is a lot of hostility and people putting down other kids and questioning why their own child can't get something too.

Right - I have known occasional cases in Rockville cluster (Wood MS). This is very rare, but the handful of cases, at least about 3-4 years ago (before it became a thing at Frost), were spread out, including in some DCC schools. I believe it is still the case. There was also this thread a few weeks ago started by a DCC parent about math options after algebra 2 in eighth grade. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1076564.page

(Also, because it is usually rare, parents of these kids are not going to give out the school name on a public forum like DCUM.)

One correction: TPMS does offer to some students; but only if the student has done AIM (if they are from MCPS, and until a couple of years ago it was almost noone) or they have done something equivalent if they are from outside MCPS. Almost every year they used to get a small handful of kids from out of MCPS - privates, home schooled or from out of the country - that qualify for Algebra in sixth grade.

Anyone who says schools in affluent areas provide this kind of acceleration is spouting nonsense. There are advanced learners in Whitman/WJ/Churchill clusters who are denied this kind of acceleration. This seems to depend more on the specific principal/teacher/etc.

TPMS emphatically does not "offer" the class for 6th graders in the way Frost does with a significant number of kids taking it and jumping past AIM. TPMS has very small number of kids who were already accelerated mostly due to being homeschooled, in private school or abroad, and they are just proceeding along their normal sequence. They just happen to be 6th graders. It's not like any student who goes there can sign up for Alg. 1 in 6th. In fact, it's actively discouraged no matter what the MAP score due to their 6th grade math already being very in depth and different from other MCPS math. I'm sure someone will find the one exception of the extraordinary math student who did skip AIM at TPMS but it did not happen in the three years my child has been there. I did hear that there was a child from a few years ago who might be at Blair now who did that but that child was apparently light years ahead of any of the other children and that cannot be measured by MAP alone.

The schools offering it are doing it because many smart kids are not offered spots in TPMS, like mine. AIM is basically pre-algebra. Comparing what happens in TPMS to a regular school/6th grade algebra really isn't even comparable. TPMS has a curriculum for acceleration so it makes sense for them not to offer it. Its something parents should consider when deciding to accept the spot or not. No schools offer 6th grade Algebra. The students are put in 7th/8th grade Algebra (though they try to keep them with mostly 7th graders) and then they move on to Geometry and are put with 8th graders. Some MS, if they have enough students and a teacher qualified, offer Algebra 2 and other kids have to go to the high school.

Many of the kids I know doing it (not TPMS) are generally smart kids and/or the parents supplemented at home themselves (what we did), had tutors or did something like Kumon. We worked ahead in ES because the curriculum didn't cover what we thought it should and was lacking in basics such as teaching kids the math facts and traditional ways. Ours hated all the strategy work so we taught them old school math, which is probably why the MAP scores were higher. To get the higher MAP scores, it isn't strictly IQ, but also working ahead either with workbooks or tutor/tutoring programs (or just a really smart kid).

I find it interesting that my child tested higher in MAP than the kids offered the TPMS spots and my child wasn't offered a spot (before the new lottery).

However, there is not a huge advantage to skipping AIM and doing Algebra in 6th vs. 7th. But, there should be consistency and it offered in all the schools but the issue really comes in when it comes to what happens with Algebra 2 and can the MS offer it vs. students going to the HS.

Can 100% confirm TPMS offers it. Got a call this week asking if they could test our kid for Algebra since it was already clear after evals (no idea if it was MAP or otherwise) signaled that AIM would not be a good fit. It wasn’t something we asked for and it isn’t a slam dunk (they’re testing the kid next week) but this is non-magnet TPMS.

What kind of evals could they possibly have done that would give them such overwhelming data this early on that they would decide this? No one has taken the MAP yet. My child’s school has not even started math in math yet. Instruction begins next week. It’s not a high farms school.

Honestly? Absolutely no idea. I just know what the math specialist told us. We didn’t ask for it, and we’ll know more next week when the test happens. I only replied because people were in the thread saying that it didn’t happen. Just wanted to point out it did, and they told us if the kid tested well enough, we’d have the option to consider putting them in algebra. Not sure if we will even if they score well enough.

I believe you and I appreciate your posting. Tbh, I hope your child is placed in the appropriate course for him/her. I hope this for all children. I have commented upthread that my personal issue is that the process is not standardized or transparent. If your child has been identified that is great! What’s not great is that there are obviously hundreds in other schools who are being given inequitable access this very resource without any good reason. Mcps literally yells equity equity equity and then makes the most baffling policies (or tbh lack thereof).

I’m a TPMS parent of an 8th grader and I don’t believe you. Perhaps you were confused and they are trying to decide if he should be in AIM or 6th grade math? They have been very clear over the past two years there that they do not do this. They only place 6th graders in algebra reluctantly if they have completed AIM in 5th.

What, you are upset our kids are not in magnet and taking a more advanced class. TPMS does things differently. Every school does it differently which is why that poster is upset over lack of transparency and standardization within MCPS. My child is in a downcountry school and started Algebra in 6th. Child did not do AIM.

Surprise, some really smart kids don't get chosen or choose to go to TPMS. Even if my child were chosen we would not have choose it.

I don't think I'm confused as I know what math my child is in. In 8th, its Algebra 2.

I'm sorry your kid didn't make the cut, but no reason to be all sour grapes.

My child had no interest in going so its a non-issue and they would have chosen to do Algebra in 6th over a magnet program anyway. The magnets take a few hundred kids. A few thousand in each grade would benefit which is the bigger issue. MCPS could easily provide more acceleration in MS like they do in HS but choose not to. So, some schools offer it to keep families in their home schools vs. us leaving for private or other options. Test scores seem to mean everything in MCPS so accelerating some of these kids is a way to keep up the test scores as lets face it MAP is partly smarts, partly working ahead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

I guess we'll have to take your word for it as we aren't at a wealthy school and its probably one you'd never send your kids to.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

I guess we'll have to take your word for it as we aren't at a wealthy school and its probably one you'd never send your kids to.

because it's imaginary and can't be named...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

It does seem wrong that these classes are only offered at wealthy schools and that imaginary one that nobody can name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

It does seem wrong that these classes are only offered at wealthy schools and that imaginary one that nobody can name.

Why do you need those schools named? Why is it so important to you? Are you going to move and send your kids?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

It does seem wrong that these classes are only offered at wealthy schools and that imaginary one that nobody can name.

Why do you need those schools named? Why is it so important to you? Are you going to move and send your kids?

It's because failing to name them suggests it isn't true and is just a feeble attempt to provide cover for this policy that leads to haves and have nots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello everyone,
Parent of older kid here. I also was annoyed my kid couldn't take Algebra in 6th grade. Especially since I knew this was being allowed in other schools. I am here to tell you 6 years later that it would not have made one bit of difference. Would it have been nice? Yes. Did everything work out and my kid is in challenging math classes now? Also yes.

But how can I brag about Larla at the club?!

Exactly, DC was at TPMS but came from a school that didn't offer AIM. Several of their friends took Algebra in 6th. In 9th half of them were all in Functions together at Blair and the other half of those from Algebra in 6th were in a lower track. My point is it made no difference for us.

We don't plan to push things in high school and slow it down. It really doesn't matter so its a bunch of drama over nothing. However, some kid are just skipping AIM. TPMS doesn't allow it but other schools do.

I guess what I'd like to know is why are wealthy schools in Potomac offerimg enrichment which is unavailable to everyone else.

It does seem wrong that these classes are only offered at wealthy schools and that imaginary one that nobody can name.

I'm sorry you just figured this out now. Segregation may be illegal but our shameful past still haunts us to this day.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:There are no schools in the whole county except for Frost that I know of that "offer" Algebra I in 6th in a pretty open way.

Quite a few other middle schools allow it for individual students on a case by case basis. No, TPMS does not offer it. Neither do any of the other magnets. Because of the nature of the magnet they may have a higher concentration of individual students who were allowed acceleration but there are cases of 1 to 2 students everywhere.

My child is one of them but I wouldn't dare say what school because they may be the only one Many parents don't mention it for the very reason you are seeing on this thread which is a lot of hostility and people putting down other kids and questioning why their own child can't get something too.

Right - I have known occasional cases in Rockville cluster (Wood MS). This is very rare, but the handful of cases, at least about 3-4 years ago (before it became a thing at Frost), were spread out, including in some DCC schools. I believe it is still the case. There was also this thread a few weeks ago started by a DCC parent about math options after algebra 2 in eighth grade. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1076564.page

(Also, because it is usually rare, parents of these kids are not going to give out the school name on a public forum like DCUM.)

One correction: TPMS does offer to some students; but only if the student has done AIM (if they are from MCPS, and until a couple of years ago it was almost noone) or they have done something equivalent if they are from outside MCPS. Almost every year they used to get a small handful of kids from out of MCPS - privates, home schooled or from out of the country - that qualify for Algebra in sixth grade.

Anyone who says schools in affluent areas provide this kind of acceleration is spouting nonsense. There are advanced learners in Whitman/WJ/Churchill clusters who are denied this kind of acceleration. This seems to depend more on the specific principal/teacher/etc.

TPMS emphatically does not "offer" the class for 6th graders in the way Frost does with a significant number of kids taking it and jumping past AIM. TPMS has very small number of kids who were already accelerated mostly due to being homeschooled, in private school or abroad, and they are just proceeding along their normal sequence. They just happen to be 6th graders. It's not like any student who goes there can sign up for Alg. 1 in 6th. In fact, it's actively discouraged no matter what the MAP score due to their 6th grade math already being very in depth and different from other MCPS math. I'm sure someone will find the one exception of the extraordinary math student who did skip AIM at TPMS but it did not happen in the three years my child has been there. I did hear that there was a child from a few years ago who might be at Blair now who did that but that child was apparently light years ahead of any of the other children and that cannot be measured by MAP alone.

The schools offering it are doing it because many smart kids are not offered spots in TPMS, like mine. AIM is basically pre-algebra. Comparing what happens in TPMS to a regular school/6th grade algebra really isn't even comparable. TPMS has a curriculum for acceleration so it makes sense for them not to offer it. Its something parents should consider when deciding to accept the spot or not. No schools offer 6th grade Algebra. The students are put in 7th/8th grade Algebra (though they try to keep them with mostly 7th graders) and then they move on to Geometry and are put with 8th graders. Some MS, if they have enough students and a teacher qualified, offer Algebra 2 and other kids have to go to the high school.

Many of the kids I know doing it (not TPMS) are generally smart kids and/or the parents supplemented at home themselves (what we did), had tutors or did something like Kumon. We worked ahead in ES because the curriculum didn't cover what we thought it should and was lacking in basics such as teaching kids the math facts and traditional ways. Ours hated all the strategy work so we taught them old school math, which is probably why the MAP scores were higher. To get the higher MAP scores, it isn't strictly IQ, but also working ahead either with workbooks or tutor/tutoring programs (or just a really smart kid).

I find it interesting that my child tested higher in MAP than the kids offered the TPMS spots and my child wasn't offered a spot (before the new lottery).

However, there is not a huge advantage to skipping AIM and doing Algebra in 6th vs. 7th. But, there should be consistency and it offered in all the schools but the issue really comes in when it comes to what happens with Algebra 2 and can the MS offer it vs. students going to the HS.

Can 100% confirm TPMS offers it. Got a call this week asking if they could test our kid for Algebra since it was already clear after evals (no idea if it was MAP or otherwise) signaled that AIM would not be a good fit. It wasn’t something we asked for and it isn’t a slam dunk (they’re testing the kid next week) but this is non-magnet TPMS.

What kind of evals could they possibly have done that would give them such overwhelming data this early on that they would decide this? No one has taken the MAP yet. My child’s school has not even started math in math yet. Instruction begins next week. It’s not a high farms school.

Honestly? Absolutely no idea. I just know what the math specialist told us. We didn’t ask for it, and we’ll know more next week when the test happens. I only replied because people were in the thread saying that it didn’t happen. Just wanted to point out it did, and they told us if the kid tested well enough, we’d have the option to consider putting them in algebra. Not sure if we will even if they score well enough.

I believe you and I appreciate your posting. Tbh, I hope your child is placed in the appropriate course for him/her. I hope this for all children. I have commented upthread that my personal issue is that the process is not standardized or transparent. If your child has been identified that is great! What’s not great is that there are obviously hundreds in other schools who are being given inequitable access this very resource without any good reason. Mcps literally yells equity equity equity and then makes the most baffling policies (or tbh lack thereof).

I’m a TPMS parent of an 8th grader and I don’t believe you. Perhaps you were confused and they are trying to decide if he should be in AIM or 6th grade math? They have been very clear over the past two years there that they do not do this. They only place 6th graders in algebra reluctantly if they have completed AIM in 5th.

What, you are upset our kids are not in magnet and taking a more advanced class. TPMS does things differently. Every school does it differently which is why that poster is upset over lack of transparency and standardization within MCPS. My child is in a downcountry school and started Algebra in 6th. Child did not do AIM.

Surprise, some really smart kids don't get chosen or choose to go to TPMS. Even if my child were chosen we would not have choose it.

I don't think I'm confused as I know what math my child is in. In 8th, its Algebra 2.

My child is at TPMS. He’s also in the magnet program. He would have gone to TPMS regardless of whether he got in. I am very familiar with the school. They have been very open about the fact that the ONLY kids who get to do algebra in 6th are the ones that already took AIM elsewhere, that they don’t encourage it and they only reluctantly allow them into algebra in sixth. They do not accelerate anyone else. So no, I’m not “upset” that my kid is placed in the magnet program, but I am calling out your claims as being inconsistent with how the school works,

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There are no schools in the whole county except for Frost that I know of that "offer" Algebra I in 6th in a pretty open way.

Quite a few other middle schools allow it for individual students on a case by case basis. No, TPMS does not offer it. Neither do any of the other magnets. Because of the nature of the magnet they may have a higher concentration of individual students who were allowed acceleration but there are cases of 1 to 2 students everywhere.

My child is one of them but I wouldn't dare say what school because they may be the only one Many parents don't mention it for the very reason you are seeing on this thread which is a lot of hostility and people putting down other kids and questioning why their own child can't get something too.

Right - I have known occasional cases in Rockville cluster (Wood MS). This is very rare, but the handful of cases, at least about 3-4 years ago (before it became a thing at Frost), were spread out, including in some DCC schools. I believe it is still the case. There was also this thread a few weeks ago started by a DCC parent about math options after algebra 2 in eighth grade. https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1076564.page

(Also, because it is usually rare, parents of these kids are not going to give out the school name on a public forum like DCUM.)

One correction: TPMS does offer to some students; but only if the student has done AIM (if they are from MCPS, and until a couple of years ago it was almost noone) or they have done something equivalent if they are from outside MCPS. Almost every year they used to get a small handful of kids from out of MCPS - privates, home schooled or from out of the country - that qualify for Algebra in sixth grade.

Anyone who says schools in affluent areas provide this kind of acceleration is spouting nonsense. There are advanced learners in Whitman/WJ/Churchill clusters who are denied this kind of acceleration. This seems to depend more on the specific principal/teacher/etc.

TPMS emphatically does not "offer" the class for 6th graders in the way Frost does with a significant number of kids taking it and jumping past AIM. TPMS has very small number of kids who were already accelerated mostly due to being homeschooled, in private school or abroad, and they are just proceeding along their normal sequence. They just happen to be 6th graders. It's not like any student who goes there can sign up for Alg. 1 in 6th. In fact, it's actively discouraged no matter what the MAP score due to their 6th grade math already being very in depth and different from other MCPS math. I'm sure someone will find the one exception of the extraordinary math student who did skip AIM at TPMS but it did not happen in the three years my child has been there. I did hear that there was a child from a few years ago who might be at Blair now who did that but that child was apparently light years ahead of any of the other children and that cannot be measured by MAP alone.

The schools offering it are doing it because many smart kids are not offered spots in TPMS, like mine. AIM is basically pre-algebra. Comparing what happens in TPMS to a regular school/6th grade algebra really isn't even comparable. TPMS has a curriculum for acceleration so it makes sense for them not to offer it. Its something parents should consider when deciding to accept the spot or not. No schools offer 6th grade Algebra. The students are put in 7th/8th grade Algebra (though they try to keep them with mostly 7th graders) and then they move on to Geometry and are put with 8th graders. Some MS, if they have enough students and a teacher qualified, offer Algebra 2 and other kids have to go to the high school.

Many of the kids I know doing it (not TPMS) are generally smart kids and/or the parents supplemented at home themselves (what we did), had tutors or did something like Kumon. We worked ahead in ES because the curriculum didn't cover what we thought it should and was lacking in basics such as teaching kids the math facts and traditional ways. Ours hated all the strategy work so we taught them old school math, which is probably why the MAP scores were higher. To get the higher MAP scores, it isn't strictly IQ, but also working ahead either with workbooks or tutor/tutoring programs (or just a really smart kid).

I find it interesting that my child tested higher in MAP than the kids offered the TPMS spots and my child wasn't offered a spot (before the new lottery).

However, there is not a huge advantage to skipping AIM and doing Algebra in 6th vs. 7th. But, there should be consistency and it offered in all the schools but the issue really comes in when it comes to what happens with Algebra 2 and can the MS offer it vs. students going to the HS.

Can 100% confirm TPMS offers it. Got a call this week asking if they could test our kid for Algebra since it was already clear after evals (no idea if it was MAP or otherwise) signaled that AIM would not be a good fit. It wasn’t something we asked for and it isn’t a slam dunk (they’re testing the kid next week) but this is non-magnet TPMS.

What kind of evals could they possibly have done that would give them such overwhelming data this early on that they would decide this? No one has taken the MAP yet. My child’s school has not even started math in math yet. Instruction begins next week. It’s not a high farms school.

Honestly? Absolutely no idea. I just know what the math specialist told us. We didn’t ask for it, and we’ll know more next week when the test happens. I only replied because people were in the thread saying that it didn’t happen. Just wanted to point out it did, and they told us if the kid tested well enough, we’d have the option to consider putting them in algebra. Not sure if we will even if they score well enough.

I believe you and I appreciate your posting. Tbh, I hope your child is placed in the appropriate course for him/her. I hope this for all children. I have commented upthread that my personal issue is that the process is not standardized or transparent. If your child has been identified that is great! What’s not great is that there are obviously hundreds in other schools who are being given inequitable access this very resource without any good reason. Mcps literally yells equity equity equity and then makes the most baffling policies (or tbh lack thereof).

I’m a TPMS parent of an 8th grader and I don’t believe you. Perhaps you were confused and they are trying to decide if he should be in AIM or 6th grade math? They have been very clear over the past two years there that they do not do this. They only place 6th graders in algebra reluctantly if they have completed AIM in 5th.

What, you are upset our kids are not in magnet and taking a more advanced class. TPMS does things differently. Every school does it differently which is why that poster is upset over lack of transparency and standardization within MCPS. My child is in a downcountry school and started Algebra in 6th. Child did not do AIM.

Surprise, some really smart kids don't get chosen or choose to go to TPMS. Even if my child were chosen we would not have choose it.

I don't think I'm confused as I know what math my child is in. In 8th, its Algebra 2.

You must be confused because the person I was suggesting might be confused said they had a sixth grader at TPMS who had been invited to test in to algebra in 6th without completing AIM in advance. Either you are someone else entirely or you can’t work out whether you have a sixth grader being invited to skip or eighth grader who took AIM in 5th.