Math placement for rising 7th graders

[Anonymous]

APS is definitely strictly limiting who can do pre-Alg in 6th. I’d be surprised if it’s more than one class per middle school. That has been their goal for the last few years. They are probably somewhat tightening the ability to do Alg 1 in 8th to the lower performers…. It’s been somewhat automatic previously. But I still think most will do Alg 1 in 8th going forward to get to calculus by 12th.

[Anonymous]

In past years, when does APS send the math placement letters or when do they post them in parentvue?

[Anonymous]

Don't they have Math 7 Honors -> Algebra Honors
and by remaining in "honors" for all math, doesn't that have advantages for AP Chem, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC
?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Don't they have Math 7 Honors -> Algebra Honors
and by remaining in "honors" for all math, doesn't that have advantages for AP Chem, AP Physics C, AP Calc BC
?

Nope. They don’t anymore. It is Math 7, pre-algebra or intensified algebra. Those are the options.

[Anonymous]

Refreshing the knowledge for any posters who don't know, this is the math pathways chart for APS middle and high school. I don't know how to post an image or I would screenshot it:
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MS-Pathways-SY21.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In past years, when does APS send the math placement letters or when do they post them in parentvue?

Rising 7th family. Last year's summer letter came in late June/early July. We've now heard from families at multiple middle schools that their kids' SOL scores and math placement letters are posted in ParentVue. Our school hasn't posted, no idea why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Refreshing the knowledge for any posters who don't know, this is the math pathways chart for APS middle and high school. I don't know how to post an image or I would screenshot it:
https://www.apsva.us/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/MS-Pathways-SY21.pdf

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In past years, when does APS send the math placement letters or when do they post them in parentvue?

Rising 7th family. Last year's summer letter came in late June/early July. We've now heard from families at multiple middle schools that their kids' SOL scores and math placement letters are posted in ParentVue. Our school hasn't posted, no idea why.

Which schools?

[Anonymous]

APE had a great write up about the different math paths in middle school.

https://mailchi.mp/4b1bb2a2c00b/arlingtonparentsforeducation-14149890?e=da63bad24e

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:Why does it matter? If you did pre-algebra in 6th and did well, you’ll be in Int algebra. If you did math 6, you will go to math 7 or pre-Alg for 7th. Either of those puts you in 8th grade Alg and you can do Intensified if you want them to in 8th for parent choice.

This is not true anymore in APS. Of the kids who take the advanced math class in 6th grade, even if they got an A, they may be recommended for pre-algebra or algebra in 7th, based on SOL & MI scores. And you can’t really parent place if you disagree.

The advanced math class in 6th is pre algebra. Although a kid may be recommended to repeat pre algebra in 7th, and should if that’s the recommendation, it wouldn’t be the pathway that most kids take. I doubt there would be many, if any, kids who make an A in 6th grade pre algebra who are then placed in 7th grade pre algebra. That would be strange, and an indication that something was wrong with either the grading or the 7th grade placement.

This just isn’t true any longer. Last year, they greatly increased the MI scores needed to take algebra in 7th grade. So lots of kids who did well in “math 6 extended” (that’s what they called the advanced math option) took pre-algebra in 7th. Almost all of them, in fact. There were not enough 7th graders in algebra to make one class at my kid’s APS middle school. Just a handful who took it with the 8th graders. This is a recent change.

In all fairness, last year was weird because APS was trying to cut back on how many 7th graders would take Algebra but they also had the Covid issue and disrupted learning to factor in as well. I'm one of the PPs who is waiting to see the recommendation

I was also told that APS now realizes that pushing the math so fast early for too many kids ends up blowing up in many of the kids/families faces later on. Meaning, they haven't truly mastered the concepts and were seeing the consequences later on.

Perhaps. Other area counties routinely had 6th graders taking algebra. That seems to be ending, but it doesn’t mean everyone isn’t ready until 8th grade. The thing is, you can always drop back or even repeat a math class. But you can’t really skip ahead later on.

Can you take an extra math class during summer to move ahead?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In past years, when does APS send the math placement letters or when do they post them in parentvue?

Rising 7th family. Last year's summer letter came in late June/early July. We've now heard from families at multiple middle schools that their kids' SOL scores and math placement letters are posted in ParentVue. Our school hasn't posted, no idea why.

Which schools?

Not Swanson. The message to parents had said they'd be posted by the end of June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:APE had a great write up about the different math paths in middle school.

https://mailchi.mp/4b1bb2a2c00b/arlingtonparentsforeducation-14149890?e=da63bad24e

Ha! As if we needed more proof that the APEs constantly troll DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:APE had a great write up about the different math paths in middle school.

https://mailchi.mp/4b1bb2a2c00b/arlingtonparentsforeducation-14149890?e=da63bad24e

Ha! As if we needed more proof that the APEs constantly troll DCUM.

What? I’m not the pp or a member of APE but I also saw this posted on Facebook today and thought it was informative. Not sure what you mean by trolling in this case.

[Anonymous]

SO what percent of kids will be doing Algebra in 7th in APS schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In past years, when does APS send the math placement letters or when do they post them in parentvue?

Rising 7th family. Last year's summer letter came in late June/early July. We've now heard from families at multiple middle schools that their kids' SOL scores and math placement letters are posted in ParentVue. Our school hasn't posted, no idea why.

Rising 6th family – ours just got posted to ParentVue this afternoon.