Middle School/High School Math Question

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

Completely wrong. Some wealthy clusters actively discourage it, because they are worried about overly-competitive parents forcing their kids into upper math levels, and some lower-income schools encourage it, because they want to see their brightest students pushing themselves. It's at the discretion of each school cluster.

+1 While it is true that only one school does an entire CLASS of AIM in 5th grade, and that school is in the affluent part of the county, the option for individual kids to be bussed to the MS for AIM is basically down to individual school culture. I know kids in "W feeders" who were denied, and kids in Blair feeders who were allowed.

My kid skipped aim. No big deal.

[Anonymous]

Eastern buses some 8th graders to Blair for math as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

This is incorrect. Blair and Einstein feeders do this too. It’s not just W’s.

+1. I know of occasional cases in Rockville cluster and BCC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

This is incorrect. Blair and Einstein feeders do this too. It’s not just W’s.

+1. I know of occasional cases in Rockville cluster and BCC.

Sorry - meant to write DCC.

- PP

[Anonymous]

FYI the kids going through all these complications to take AIM in 5th and Alg 2 in 9th all end up in the same math class at Blair and Poolesville with the other advanced students not afforded the same opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:FYI the kids going through all these complications to take AIM in 5th and Alg 2 in 9th all end up in the same math class at Blair and Poolesville with the other advanced students not afforded the same opportunity.

It seems unfair that advanced classes are only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools. It has nothing to do with merit since children with even higher scores at less well to do schools do not get these opportunities.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

This is incorrect. Blair and Einstein feeders do this too. It’s not just W’s.

No they don't.

Huh? TPMS absolutely does this. My kid has several friends who bus to Blair for math!

Yes, TPMS reluctantly does this for a few kids who came from the wealthy schools that allowed them to take AIM in 5th grade or earlier.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

It seems unfair that advanced classes are only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools. It has nothing to do with merit since children with even higher scores at less well to do schools do not get these opportunities.

Yup, it is unfortunate that it is "only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools" such as those in Rockville, RM, and Einstein clusters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It seems unfair that advanced classes are only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools. It has nothing to do with merit since children with even higher scores at less well to do schools do not get these opportunities.

Yup, it is unfortunate that it is "only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools" such as those in Rockville, RM, and Einstein clusters.

is

Algebra 1 in 6th is not easily available in the RM cluster. Those who are going to HS for Alg 2 in 8th have come from private elementary schools, moved to the RM cluster from another cluster, or had parents who've strongly advocated.

Just asking doesn't do anything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

It seems unfair that advanced classes are only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools. It has nothing to do with merit since children with even higher scores at less well to do schools do not get these opportunities.

Yup, it is unfortunate that it is "only available to those who attend a few wealthy schools" such as those in Rockville, RM, and Einstein clusters.

I wish PP would move away from this talking point because it elides the real issue. Access to AIM in elementary school is school-by-school. One school offers it to a whole class. Other schools allow kids to bus to a nearby MS, and some school do not allow any students to take it for any reason.

That creates massive inequities, particularly now that MCPS is relying on MAP for MS magnet admissions. MAP tests exposure, and some kids are getting far more exposure than others in the current "principal choice" system.

This is something I hope eventually gets taken up by the MCCPTA GT folks, because it's a glaring problem made worse by the fact that people are trafficking in rumors rather than facts.

[Anonymous]

The solution should be not to offer this at any schools. There is enough acceleration offered already.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

This is incorrect. Blair and Einstein feeders do this too. It’s not just W’s.

No they don't.

Huh? TPMS absolutely does this. My kid has several friends who bus to Blair for math!

Yes, TPMS reluctantly does this for a few kids who came from the wealthy schools that allowed them to take AIM in 5th grade or earlier.

Wha??

Any kid that comes from an MCPS elementary school and has finished IM in fifth grade will be placed by MCPS in Algebra in sixth grade. It does not matter what middle school the kid goes to. There is no question of placing someone "reluctantly" since it is not up to the middle school. On the other hand, if a kid comes from outside MCPS - private school or homeschooled, etc. - my understanding is that it is MCPS policy to evaluate the kid and place them appropriately. (But once placed, it is almost impossible to get any acceleration later.) I have heard of kids new to MCPS getting placed in precalc in ninth grade because they came from an advanced program and had finished Algebra 2 before they joined MCPS.

W.r.t. TPMS, until recently - a year or two ago - kids that were placed in algebra (or higher) in sixth grade were mostly kids that came from outside MCPS - private schools or homeschooled. These were the kids TPMS had to evaluate and make a decision on their placement. I knew of a few kids that went private (or homeschooled) for elementary instead of their W schools and then joined TPMS. MCPS did not give them any acceleration in elementary grades.

Contrary to all the crap being spread in this group, it didn't matter which elementary school your kid went to - MCPS stopped accelerating or made it almost impossible ever since curriculum 2.0. They went from one extreme, where kids were being placed one or two grade levels above in math willy nilly to shutting it down completely. Then they started again, but it was still extremely rare - and the small handful of cases were not limited to W schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

This is incorrect. Blair and Einstein feeders do this too. It’s not just W’s.

+1. I know of occasional cases in Rockville cluster and BCC.

Sorry - meant to write DCC.

- PP

When DC scored 280 in 4th grade on their MAP-M I inquired about AIM in 5th. The principal at our DCC school said they don't do this. In 6th grade, I asked if DC could take Algebra in 6th given their score was even higher a year later but was told only kids who had taken AIM in 5th were allowed. I think it's just a handful of schools that feed into Frost that do this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

This is incorrect. Blair and Einstein feeders do this too. It’s not just W’s.

No they don't.

Huh? TPMS absolutely does this. My kid has several friends who bus to Blair for math!

Yes, TPMS reluctantly does this for a few kids who came from the wealthy schools that allowed them to take AIM in 5th grade or earlier.

Wha??

Any kid that comes from an MCPS elementary school and has finished IM in fifth grade will be placed by MCPS in Algebra in sixth grade. It does not matter what middle school the kid goes to. There is no question of placing someone "reluctantly" since it is not up to the middle school. On the other hand, if a kid comes from outside MCPS - private school or homeschooled, etc. - my understanding is that it is MCPS policy to evaluate the kid and place them appropriately. (But once placed, it is almost impossible to get any acceleration later.) I have heard of kids new to MCPS getting placed in precalc in ninth grade because they came from an advanced program and had finished Algebra 2 before they joined MCPS.

W.r.t. TPMS, until recently - a year or two ago - kids that were placed in algebra (or higher) in sixth grade were mostly kids that came from outside MCPS - private schools or homeschooled. These were the kids TPMS had to evaluate and make a decision on their placement. I knew of a few kids that went private (or homeschooled) for elementary instead of their W schools and then joined TPMS. MCPS did not give them any acceleration in elementary grades.

Contrary to all the crap being spread in this group, it didn't matter which elementary school your kid went to - MCPS stopped accelerating or made it almost impossible ever since curriculum 2.0. They went from one extreme, where kids were being placed one or two grade levels above in math willy nilly to shutting it down completely. Then they started again, but it was still extremely rare - and the small handful of cases were not limited to W schools.

Unforutnatley no DCC schools offer IM in 5th just a few rich schools in western moco.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some kids start Algebra 1 in 6th, in which case they are bused to the high school in 8th grade for first period math, then return to their school for the rest, with the understanding that they'll need to fill in math classes with dual enrollment at the community college or take whatever optional math classes are available at their high school.

You're only eligible for that acceleration if you're at one of the W feeders.

Completely wrong. Some wealthy clusters actively discourage it, because they are worried about overly-competitive parents forcing their kids into upper math levels, and some lower-income schools encourage it, because they want to see their brightest students pushing themselves. It's at the discretion of each school cluster.

+1 While it is true that only one school does an entire CLASS of AIM in 5th grade, and that school is in the affluent part of the county, the option for individual kids to be bussed to the MS for AIM is basically down to individual school culture. I know kids in "W feeders" who were denied, and kids in Blair feeders who were allowed.

My kid skipped aim. No big deal.

So this is only an option at low FARMS high HHI schools?