Math pathway in dcps

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's also worth considering that while many middle schools offer Algebra I or Geometry, only some of those schools have a sizeable number or percent of students who test proficient. There are also big differences across schools with respect to placement of students (i.e., only a select few are offered vs the entire class takes it) and in the size of the student population prepared for Algebra I or Geometry. CAPE scores can be a helpful first pass for assessing school placement philosophy and student readiness.

Some relevant stats from the SY23-24 CAPE from a previous thread:

Middle schools with 10 or more students passing the Geometry CAPE:

Latin - 35
DCI - 18
Deal - data suppressed, >95%
Hardy - data suppressed, >95%

Middle schools with 10 or more students passing the Algebra 1 CAPE:

Deal - 247
Hardy - 85
MacFarland - 33
Oyster-Adams - 32
Latin - 32
Stuart-Hobson - 30
Eliot-Hine - 27
DC Prep Edgewood - 23
ITDS - 23
DC Prep Benning - 18
Two Rivers - 18
Wells - 12
Jefferson - 12
CHEC - 12
Francis-Stevens - 11

Not very helpful since schools and grades vary widely in size.

I think cohort size is valuable information. It’s not everything, of course. But if 10 or more children at a school are passing advanced math, my opinion and experience is that my child will be among them, no matter how many other children attend the school.

Of course it's helpful. It's even more helpful when compared to total enrollment. But if OP is wanting to identify schools offering Algebra I, as a minimum standard for her lottery list, it's great information.

[Anonymous]

https://jacksonreedhs.org/academics/departments/math/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's also worth considering that while many middle schools offer Algebra I or Geometry, only some of those schools have a sizeable number or percent of students who test proficient. There are also big differences across schools with respect to placement of students (i.e., only a select few are offered vs the entire class takes it) and in the size of the student population prepared for Algebra I or Geometry. CAPE scores can be a helpful first pass for assessing school placement philosophy and student readiness.

Some relevant stats from the SY23-24 CAPE from a previous thread:

Middle schools with 10 or more students passing the Geometry CAPE:

Latin - 35
DCI - 18
Deal - data suppressed, >95%
Hardy - data suppressed, >95%

Middle schools with 10 or more students passing the Algebra 1 CAPE:

Deal - 247
Hardy - 85
MacFarland - 33
Oyster-Adams - 32
Latin - 32
Stuart-Hobson - 30
Eliot-Hine - 27
DC Prep Edgewood - 23
ITDS - 23
DC Prep Benning - 18
Two Rivers - 18
Wells - 12
Jefferson - 12
CHEC - 12
Francis-Stevens - 11

Not very helpful since schools and grades vary widely in size.

Anyone can look at the CAPE data themselves to get a better sense of the number of students in a grade, the number of students taking advanced math, and the number of students scoring proficient in advanced math. How much you care about each of these things and these things in relation to one another (i.e., what they say about student population, school placement philosophy, student readiness) depends on what you think matters for your child's success.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep reading posts about when to take algebra ana I’m wonder what the typical path is for a kid who is good at math but not a genius in dcps. My 4th grader tests high in math and it comes easily to her. What do I need to think about in 5th grade and middle school so that she’s set up for calculus and high level math in high school?

Basically you want her at a middle school that offers Algebra I for 7th and/or 8th graders. Ideally, Geometry in 8th grade as well. If that's not offered, she can still catch up to the higher pathway by taking two math classes at the same time in high school.

This. It's a very clarifying question (will my kid get to Geometry in 8th grade). Some DCPS schools offer it (Deal, Hardy, Stuart Hobson) and BASIS and Latin. Maybe others do as well. I really wish there was a clear place to see who does and doesn't!

DCI offers algebra 1 for 7th graders (7th grade math for 6th graders) and really high achievers can test into integrated math (9th grade math- algebra 2).

So Algebra 1 in 7th which is the most advanced track in the higher performing schools leads to Calculus in 12th.

Are you saying DCI has an even more advance math track with Algebra 2 in 7th?

It's not as simple as this track or that track. Kids can take a class over the summer, through the school (Latin) or privately. They can take two math classes in one year sometimes. Some schools do a course that's two math classes combined. If you ask about "tracks", you'll irritate the school and get a confusing answer, because they're trying to move away from the idea of kids being in one track or another with little flexibility.

There's a difference between what's offered to 7th and 8th graders vs. what's are the most advanced math classes a school offers. Taking things as young as possible isn't what's important, what's important is where you end up. Obviously those things are related, but they aren't the same thing. And it's not necessarily in your kid's best interest to be in Algebra 2 in 8th if they were pushed so fast that they didn't fully grasp Algebra I and Geometry. Slow and steady wins the race sometimes.

Exactly. What does Calc BC in 10th get you, exactly, except bragging rights? If your kid is interested in pursuing math in college, then you spend two years dealing with dual enrollment to keep them in advanced math. If your kid isn’t interested in math long-term, then calc in 11th or 12th is more than sufficient to demonstrate rigor for college admissions.

One of my kids qualified for the calc BC in 10th path at Deal, but we didn’t see the point. He’s taking calc BC in 11th and will do dual enrollment next year because he wants to major in math in college. He has a friend at an Ivy majoring in math who took BC in 12th. There’s really no reason to rush this.

If the kid is both interested and capable, that's enough of a reason. If they're not both of those, you wait. It's not just about college admissions, it's about what they enjoy and how they want to be challenged now.

I think it’s hard to truly judge interest and capability in 7th grade. There are 10th graders who really struggle in BC because they were accelerated so much in middle school. But high school has a lot more demands on their time (other APs, more classes, etc.) than middle school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I keep reading posts about when to take algebra ana I’m wonder what the typical path is for a kid who is good at math but not a genius in dcps. My 4th grader tests high in math and it comes easily to her. What do I need to think about in 5th grade and middle school so that she’s set up for calculus and high level math in high school?

Basically you want her at a middle school that offers Algebra I for 7th and/or 8th graders. Ideally, Geometry in 8th grade as well. If that's not offered, she can still catch up to the higher pathway by taking two math classes at the same time in high school.

This. It's a very clarifying question (will my kid get to Geometry in 8th grade). Some DCPS schools offer it (Deal, Hardy, Stuart Hobson) and BASIS and Latin. Maybe others do as well. I really wish there was a clear place to see who does and doesn't!

DCI offers algebra 1 for 7th graders (7th grade math for 6th graders) and really high achievers can test into integrated math (9th grade math- algebra 2).

So Algebra 1 in 7th which is the most advanced track in the higher performing schools leads to Calculus in 12th.

Are you saying DCI has an even more advance math track with Algebra 2 in 7th?

It's not as simple as this track or that track. Kids can take a class over the summer, through the school (Latin) or privately. They can take two math classes in one year sometimes. Some schools do a course that's two math classes combined. If you ask about "tracks", you'll irritate the school and get a confusing answer, because they're trying to move away from the idea of kids being in one track or another with little flexibility.

There's a difference between what's offered to 7th and 8th graders vs. what's are the most advanced math classes a school offers. Taking things as young as possible isn't what's important, what's important is where you end up. Obviously those things are related, but they aren't the same thing. And it's not necessarily in your kid's best interest to be in Algebra 2 in 8th if they were pushed so fast that they didn't fully grasp Algebra I and Geometry. Slow and steady wins the race sometimes.

Exactly. What does Calc BC in 10th get you, exactly, except bragging rights? If your kid is interested in pursuing math in college, then you spend two years dealing with dual enrollment to keep them in advanced math. If your kid isn’t interested in math long-term, then calc in 11th or 12th is more than sufficient to demonstrate rigor for college admissions.

One of my kids qualified for the calc BC in 10th path at Deal, but we didn’t see the point. He’s taking calc BC in 11th and will do dual enrollment next year because he wants to major in math in college. He has a friend at an Ivy majoring in math who took BC in 12th. There’s really no reason to rush this.

If the kid is both interested and capable, that's enough of a reason. If they're not both of those, you wait. It's not just about college admissions, it's about what they enjoy and how they want to be challenged now.

I think it’s hard to truly judge interest and capability in 7th grade. There are 10th graders who really struggle in BC because they were accelerated so much in middle school. But high school has a lot more demands on their time (other APs, more classes, etc.) than middle school.

Agree with this. And I think there are a lot of kids interested in being “one of the smart ones” in 8th grade who will not be particularly interested in commuting to a dual enrollment course in high school, especially one that conflicts with sports or other ECs. And fully online DE courses have their own drawbacks. As a parent you should look ahead and think about what the whole 6-12 path might look like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here is the normal math pathway at BASIS DC:

7th: Algebra and Geometry I
8th: Algebra and Geometry II
9th: AP Precalc
10th: AP Calc AB
11th: AP Calc BC
12th: Multivar Calc

Nice!

[Anonymous]

I’d also be careful in that your kid may be good at math but may not want to focus on math. My 8th grader is currently on track to take Calculus BC her 11th grade year (at a private), but we doubt she will take multivariate in 12th. She likes the challenge of math, but she is a humanities kid at heart. We are waiting to see but will let her choose her own path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's also worth considering that while many middle schools offer Algebra I or Geometry, only some of those schools have a sizeable number or percent of students who test proficient. There are also big differences across schools with respect to placement of students (i.e., only a select few are offered vs the entire class takes it) and in the size of the student population prepared for Algebra I or Geometry. CAPE scores can be a helpful first pass for assessing school placement philosophy and student readiness.

Some relevant stats from the SY23-24 CAPE from a previous thread:

Middle schools with 10 or more students passing the Geometry CAPE:

Latin - 35
DCI - 18
Deal - data suppressed, >95%
Hardy - data suppressed, >95%

Middle schools with 10 or more students passing the Algebra 1 CAPE:

Deal - 247
Hardy - 85
MacFarland - 33
Oyster-Adams - 32
Latin - 32
Stuart-Hobson - 30
Eliot-Hine - 27
DC Prep Edgewood - 23
ITDS - 23
DC Prep Benning - 18
Two Rivers - 18
Wells - 12
Jefferson - 12
CHEC - 12
Francis-Stevens - 11

Can I just say that my kiddo’s math teacher at MacFarland was great?