DS struggling in 8th grade Algebra 1 Honors

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was pushing his math? Most math teachers will tell you acceleration is NOT the best path for most. It’s the non-math school officials that often are ones pushing and THEY DONT KNOW YOUR KID!

I was not a fan of Lucy Culkins “why teach them vocabulary or to spell” when that was being pushed by FCPS but maybe that is better than the make all kids take algebra before ready when absolutely no reason for all kids to take in MS.

The County is pushing hard. All of this was reported in posts on this board last year.

Last year FCPS dropped the IAAT as a measure for taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, kids were allowed to enroll with a pass advanced on the 7th grade SOL. Kids in advanced math and 6th grade APP who had selected Math 7H were placed in A1H without checking with parents, parents had to opt out even when they had already selected Math 7H.

Kids in Math 7 who had selected Math 8 were enrolled in A1H as 8th graders, parents had to opt out and move the kid to A1 or back to Math 8.

Two weeks before school started, 20 ES were notified that they were going to be part of a pilot program for A1H in 6th grade. Two weeks before school parents were notified that their kid had been placed in A1H as a 6th grader and that they had 2 weeks to opt their kid out of A1H as a 6th grader. Teachers and schools had two weeks to prepare a HS level math class that they had not been expecting to offer.

Ried has said that she wants every child to have Algebra 1 in 8th grade so that they have an opportunity to take Calculus, which is a strange goal because not every kid needs Calculus and close to 75% of the kids in the county have taken Algebra 1 by 9th grade already. I have no idea why this goal seems to have lead to additional acceleration in math beyond FCPS already accelerated program.

I don't have a problem with 6th graders taking A1H, I don't think that there are thousands of kids who are ready or need Algebra in 6th grade; the pilot has 700 kids in it at 20 schools. I don't have a problem with A1H offered to 7th graders, I suspect that there were already kids struggling with the class and that the net was too large before they dropped the IAAT requirement.

OP, let your kid drop to regular Algebra 1. There is no problem with that. He will still be able to take AP Precalc and AP Calculus. He is not failing out of HS taking a regular level math class.

Adding to your list, absolutely no thought has been given to what happens to the 6th grade algebra takers when they finish all the math available at their HS. If don’t go to TJ, not sure any HS has-or if they do, very few have- math classes past multivariate calculus. Kids may be having to take online or go to NOVA community. And don’t even begin to talk about how doesn’t work for IB- right now just taking algebra in 7th is a mess because kids finish their IB math as a junior but if want full diploma (the highest), cannot take test for that until 12th. The 6th grade algebra takers will have 2 years between finishing the math they have to take a test on and when they can take test. It’s just NOT thought out and experimenting on kids.

Our school is playing with the idea of having those kids either take math applications (2 years) and not test followed by math analysis (2 years) and test on that, or having them delay testing. Likely we will offer both. Kids regularly delay testing by 1 year already and almost unanimously do fine on it--they are intelligent kids who are using a large portion of the analysis concepts in further math classes. Another option is to offer a full year dual enrollment junior year and a 1 semester dual enrollment class senior year, then second semester hold an "analysis review" seminar if the numbers are that high anyway. Schools are working towards making it work as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do one quarter first. Then. Choose.

You can switch classes after an entire quarter?

You have until the end of first quarter to drop with no penalty. For some reason I can only find it on Edison's page, but the policy is the same for the whole county

A student must have guidance and/or administrative authorization and written parental permission in order to drop a class. Requests to drop IB classes will not be considered until the end of 1st Quarter. If a student is allowed to drop a class from his/her schedule, the following is the result:

--During the first quarter – nothing is recorded on the transcript.
--After first quarter report cards have been distributed until the end of third quarter – Withdraw Passing (WP) or Withdraw Failing (WF) is recorded on the transcript.
--Fourth quarter – requires Principal permission and a WP or F is recorded on the transcript.

https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/student-services/dropwithdraw-procedure

Until the end of the quarter it will look like your child was enrolled in the other class the whole time. After the end of first quarter, it will show both classes (honors with a withdrawn/passing and regular with a class grade). My school has done course changes as late as February.

Middles school students can expunge and retake any high school class that they take in MS. OP's child could take the class and expunge the grade at the end of the year. Some people do this, the kid earns a C, they expunge the grade and retake the class with a better result. Some kids understand that they didn't do great the first time through because they were doing more advanced work and are ok repeating. Some kids take a huge hit to their confidence when they have to drop down or retake a class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Do one quarter first. Then. Choose.

You can switch classes after an entire quarter?

You have until the end of first quarter to drop with no penalty. For some reason I can only find it on Edison's page, but the policy is the same for the whole county

A student must have guidance and/or administrative authorization and written parental permission in order to drop a class. Requests to drop IB classes will not be considered until the end of 1st Quarter. If a student is allowed to drop a class from his/her schedule, the following is the result:

--During the first quarter – nothing is recorded on the transcript.
--After first quarter report cards have been distributed until the end of third quarter – Withdraw Passing (WP) or Withdraw Failing (WF) is recorded on the transcript.
--Fourth quarter – requires Principal permission and a WP or F is recorded on the transcript.

https://edisonhs.fcps.edu/student-services/dropwithdraw-procedure

Until the end of the quarter it will look like your child was enrolled in the other class the whole time. After the end of first quarter, it will show both classes (honors with a withdrawn/passing and regular with a class grade). My school has done course changes as late as February.

Middles school students can expunge and retake any high school class that they take in MS. OP's child could take the class and expunge the grade at the end of the year. Some people do this, the kid earns a C, they expunge the grade and retake the class with a better result. Some kids understand that they didn't do great the first time through because they were doing more advanced work and are ok repeating. Some kids take a huge hit to their confidence when they have to drop down or retake a class.

Correct. But if they drop the honors, move to regular in november, and don't expunge the algebra 1 credit completely, both will show up. As far as I am aware, you cannot expunge a partial credit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was pushing his math? Most math teachers will tell you acceleration is NOT the best path for most. It’s the non-math school officials that often are ones pushing and THEY DONT KNOW YOUR KID!

I was not a fan of Lucy Culkins “why teach them vocabulary or to spell” when that was being pushed by FCPS but maybe that is better than the make all kids take algebra before ready when absolutely no reason for all kids to take in MS.

The County is pushing hard. All of this was reported in posts on this board last year.

Last year FCPS dropped the IAAT as a measure for taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, kids were allowed to enroll with a pass advanced on the 7th grade SOL. Kids in advanced math and 6th grade APP who had selected Math 7H were placed in A1H without checking with parents, parents had to opt out even when they had already selected Math 7H.

Kids in Math 7 who had selected Math 8 were enrolled in A1H as 8th graders, parents had to opt out and move the kid to A1 or back to Math 8.

Two weeks before school started, 20 ES were notified that they were going to be part of a pilot program for A1H in 6th grade. Two weeks before school parents were notified that their kid had been placed in A1H as a 6th grader and that they had 2 weeks to opt their kid out of A1H as a 6th grader. Teachers and schools had two weeks to prepare a HS level math class that they had not been expecting to offer.

Ried has said that she wants every child to have Algebra 1 in 8th grade so that they have an opportunity to take Calculus, which is a strange goal because not every kid needs Calculus and close to 75% of the kids in the county have taken Algebra 1 by 9th grade already. I have no idea why this goal seems to have lead to additional acceleration in math beyond FCPS already accelerated program.

I don't have a problem with 6th graders taking A1H, I don't think that there are thousands of kids who are ready or need Algebra in 6th grade; the pilot has 700 kids in it at 20 schools. I don't have a problem with A1H offered to 7th graders, I suspect that there were already kids struggling with the class and that the net was too large before they dropped the IAAT requirement.

OP, let your kid drop to regular Algebra 1. There is no problem with that. He will still be able to take AP Precalc and AP Calculus. He is not failing out of HS taking a regular level math class.

Adding to your list, absolutely no thought has been given to what happens to the 6th grade algebra takers when they finish all the math available at their HS. If don’t go to TJ, not sure any HS has-or if they do, very few have- math classes past multivariate calculus. Kids may be having to take online or go to NOVA community. And don’t even begin to talk about how doesn’t work for IB- right now just taking algebra in 7th is a mess because kids finish their IB math as a junior but if want full diploma (the highest), cannot take test for that until 12th. The 6th grade algebra takers will have 2 years between finishing the math they have to take a test on and when they can take test. It’s just NOT thought out and experimenting on kids.

Our school is playing with the idea of having those kids either take math applications (2 years) and not test followed by math analysis (2 years) and test on that, or having them delay testing. Likely we will offer both. Kids regularly delay testing by 1 year already and almost unanimously do fine on it--they are intelligent kids who are using a large portion of the analysis concepts in further math classes. Another option is to offer a full year dual enrollment junior year and a 1 semester dual enrollment class senior year, then second semester hold an "analysis review" seminar if the numbers are that high anyway. Schools are working towards making it work as much as possible.

So it’s not in place now? Just ideas?

[Anonymous]

Drop down. The foundation is so important, and math is something to enjoy if possible. One of mine is in college and so many of his friends who advanced in one way or another and weren't ready didn't even make it to Calculus in highschool. Some side-tracked away from even Pre-calculus. It's a marathon,not a race.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was pushing his math? Most math teachers will tell you acceleration is NOT the best path for most. It’s the non-math school officials that often are ones pushing and THEY DONT KNOW YOUR KID!

I was not a fan of Lucy Culkins “why teach them vocabulary or to spell” when that was being pushed by FCPS but maybe that is better than the make all kids take algebra before ready when absolutely no reason for all kids to take in MS.

The County is pushing hard. All of this was reported in posts on this board last year.

Last year FCPS dropped the IAAT as a measure for taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, kids were allowed to enroll with a pass advanced on the 7th grade SOL. Kids in advanced math and 6th grade APP who had selected Math 7H were placed in A1H without checking with parents, parents had to opt out even when they had already selected Math 7H.

Kids in Math 7 who had selected Math 8 were enrolled in A1H as 8th graders, parents had to opt out and move the kid to A1 or back to Math 8.

Two weeks before school started, 20 ES were notified that they were going to be part of a pilot program for A1H in 6th grade. Two weeks before school parents were notified that their kid had been placed in A1H as a 6th grader and that they had 2 weeks to opt their kid out of A1H as a 6th grader. Teachers and schools had two weeks to prepare a HS level math class that they had not been expecting to offer.

Ried has said that she wants every child to have Algebra 1 in 8th grade so that they have an opportunity to take Calculus, which is a strange goal because not every kid needs Calculus and close to 75% of the kids in the county have taken Algebra 1 by 9th grade already. I have no idea why this goal seems to have lead to additional acceleration in math beyond FCPS already accelerated program.

I don't have a problem with 6th graders taking A1H, I don't think that there are thousands of kids who are ready or need Algebra in 6th grade; the pilot has 700 kids in it at 20 schools. I don't have a problem with A1H offered to 7th graders, I suspect that there were already kids struggling with the class and that the net was too large before they dropped the IAAT requirement.

OP, let your kid drop to regular Algebra 1. There is no problem with that. He will still be able to take AP Precalc and AP Calculus. He is not failing out of HS taking a regular level math class.

Adding to your list, absolutely no thought has been given to what happens to the 6th grade algebra takers when they finish all the math available at their HS. If don’t go to TJ, not sure any HS has-or if they do, very few have- math classes past multivariate calculus. Kids may be having to take online or go to NOVA community. And don’t even begin to talk about how doesn’t work for IB- right now just taking algebra in 7th is a mess because kids finish their IB math as a junior but if want full diploma (the highest), cannot take test for that until 12th. The 6th grade algebra takers will have 2 years between finishing the math they have to take a test on and when they can take test. It’s just NOT thought out and experimenting on kids.

Our school is playing with the idea of having those kids either take math applications (2 years) and not test followed by math analysis (2 years) and test on that, or having them delay testing. Likely we will offer both. Kids regularly delay testing by 1 year already and almost unanimously do fine on it--they are intelligent kids who are using a large portion of the analysis concepts in further math classes. Another option is to offer a full year dual enrollment junior year and a 1 semester dual enrollment class senior year, then second semester hold an "analysis review" seminar if the numbers are that high anyway. Schools are working towards making it work as much as possible.

So it’s not in place now? Just ideas?

Does it need to be in place today or something? That will be a concern 4-5 years from now?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was pushing his math? Most math teachers will tell you acceleration is NOT the best path for most. It’s the non-math school officials that often are ones pushing and THEY DONT KNOW YOUR KID!

I was not a fan of Lucy Culkins “why teach them vocabulary or to spell” when that was being pushed by FCPS but maybe that is better than the make all kids take algebra before ready when absolutely no reason for all kids to take in MS.

The County is pushing hard. All of this was reported in posts on this board last year.

Last year FCPS dropped the IAAT as a measure for taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, kids were allowed to enroll with a pass advanced on the 7th grade SOL. Kids in advanced math and 6th grade APP who had selected Math 7H were placed in A1H without checking with parents, parents had to opt out even when they had already selected Math 7H.

Kids in Math 7 who had selected Math 8 were enrolled in A1H as 8th graders, parents had to opt out and move the kid to A1 or back to Math 8.

Two weeks before school started, 20 ES were notified that they were going to be part of a pilot program for A1H in 6th grade. Two weeks before school parents were notified that their kid had been placed in A1H as a 6th grader and that they had 2 weeks to opt their kid out of A1H as a 6th grader. Teachers and schools had two weeks to prepare a HS level math class that they had not been expecting to offer.

Ried has said that she wants every child to have Algebra 1 in 8th grade so that they have an opportunity to take Calculus, which is a strange goal because not every kid needs Calculus and close to 75% of the kids in the county have taken Algebra 1 by 9th grade already. I have no idea why this goal seems to have lead to additional acceleration in math beyond FCPS already accelerated program.

I don't have a problem with 6th graders taking A1H, I don't think that there are thousands of kids who are ready or need Algebra in 6th grade; the pilot has 700 kids in it at 20 schools. I don't have a problem with A1H offered to 7th graders, I suspect that there were already kids struggling with the class and that the net was too large before they dropped the IAAT requirement.

OP, let your kid drop to regular Algebra 1. There is no problem with that. He will still be able to take AP Precalc and AP Calculus. He is not failing out of HS taking a regular level math class.

Adding to your list, absolutely no thought has been given to what happens to the 6th grade algebra takers when they finish all the math available at their HS. If don’t go to TJ, not sure any HS has-or if they do, very few have- math classes past multivariate calculus. Kids may be having to take online or go to NOVA community. And don’t even begin to talk about how doesn’t work for IB- right now just taking algebra in 7th is a mess because kids finish their IB math as a junior but if want full diploma (the highest), cannot take test for that until 12th. The 6th grade algebra takers will have 2 years between finishing the math they have to take a test on and when they can take test. It’s just NOT thought out and experimenting on kids.

Our school is playing with the idea of having those kids either take math applications (2 years) and not test followed by math analysis (2 years) and test on that, or having them delay testing. Likely we will offer both. Kids regularly delay testing by 1 year already and almost unanimously do fine on it--they are intelligent kids who are using a large portion of the analysis concepts in further math classes. Another option is to offer a full year dual enrollment junior year and a 1 semester dual enrollment class senior year, then second semester hold an "analysis review" seminar if the numbers are that high anyway. Schools are working towards making it work as much as possible.

So it’s not in place now? Just ideas?

Right now it is only an issue for 1 child in the whole school. Why would we make a new class for 1 child?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How did he get here? What math was he in last year?

These are the two best question in the thread.

What math was taken last year, what grades did the kid get, and how prepared did you feel your student was heading into 8th grade Algebra 1 Honors?


My not great at math kid took and passed Algebra 1 Honors in 8th grade, and that came after a pretty bad 7th grade honors math year (he spent 70% of 7th grade watching YouTube).

I'd ask for additional help, not just after school with the teacher, if that's feasible.

But I would take a look at the LightSpeed data on what your child is doing during the day, specifically during math. Are they legitimately paying attention? If they did well in prior math classes, and you're seeing a drop in retention and knowledge then I have a feeling it is the kid's focus level.

Or it could be not a match for teaching style and when younger the kids have harder time countering that on their own (or teaching themselves if that is what have to do to learn it). The answer is not getting a tutor when no reason to be taking in MS anyway. Let them drop and then build foundation and be better position next year to confidently do the class.

Up to the parent to decide and determine, but most people are blaming external factors without even a word about the student’s role. Outsiders with no clue of the foundation is there or not immediately saying drop.

Adapt to the teacher. Often times trying harder is the answer, but especially trying smarter.

Talk to the teacher! This should be the first step.

[Anonymous]

Drop him down now, he clearly can't handle it.

[Anonymous]

OP here... I've emailed the counselor and teacher and will see what they say. I really appreciate all your responses and encouragement to drop down. It has definitely been a learning experience (he's our oldest) because I received no information about the options when classes were being chosen/assigned last year. Clearly my fault for not looking into it. Now it's making me think why they recommended him for it? He had a B in his Math 7 Honors class last year and got a 450 on the 8th grade math LOL. So clearly just average. I could see them recommending someone who had an A and advanced on the test. Anyway... just venting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here... I've emailed the counselor and teacher and will see what they say. I really appreciate all your responses and encouragement to drop down. It has definitely been a learning experience (he's our oldest) because I received no information about the options when classes were being chosen/assigned last year. Clearly my fault for not looking into it. Now it's making me think why they recommended him for it? He had a B in his Math 7 Honors class last year and got a 450 on the 8th grade math LOL. So clearly just average. I could see them recommending someone who had an A and advanced on the test. Anyway... just venting.

Sometimes they need to fill a seat to fill a class and they go to the next kids down the list.

[Anonymous]

OP, my kid and a ton of his friends are really struggling this year in Algebra 1 Honors. As far as I know, tons of Cs and below and a lot of retakes on the Unit 1 test, which had lower scores than the original.

We have heard things around the Curriculum in Math 7 Honors not being as robust as in the past and therefore the kids not being as ready as possible for Algebra 1 Honors.

Hang in there. We're in a bad spot, too. Tough to see your kid struggling, but I agree with the PPs to start with the teacher and the counselor to determine their POV.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was pushing his math? Most math teachers will tell you acceleration is NOT the best path for most. It’s the non-math school officials that often are ones pushing and THEY DONT KNOW YOUR KID!

I was not a fan of Lucy Culkins “why teach them vocabulary or to spell” when that was being pushed by FCPS but maybe that is better than the make all kids take algebra before ready when absolutely no reason for all kids to take in MS.

The County is pushing hard. All of this was reported in posts on this board last year.

Last year FCPS dropped the IAAT as a measure for taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, kids were allowed to enroll with a pass advanced on the 7th grade SOL. Kids in advanced math and 6th grade APP who had selected Math 7H were placed in A1H without checking with parents, parents had to opt out even when they had already selected Math 7H.

Kids in Math 7 who had selected Math 8 were enrolled in A1H as 8th graders, parents had to opt out and move the kid to A1 or back to Math 8.

Two weeks before school started, 20 ES were notified that they were going to be part of a pilot program for A1H in 6th grade. Two weeks before school parents were notified that their kid had been placed in A1H as a 6th grader and that they had 2 weeks to opt their kid out of A1H as a 6th grader. Teachers and schools had two weeks to prepare a HS level math class that they had not been expecting to offer.

Ried has said that she wants every child to have Algebra 1 in 8th grade so that they have an opportunity to take Calculus, which is a strange goal because not every kid needs Calculus and close to 75% of the kids in the county have taken Algebra 1 by 9th grade already. I have no idea why this goal seems to have lead to additional acceleration in math beyond FCPS already accelerated program.

I don't have a problem with 6th graders taking A1H, I don't think that there are thousands of kids who are ready or need Algebra in 6th grade; the pilot has 700 kids in it at 20 schools. I don't have a problem with A1H offered to 7th graders, I suspect that there were already kids struggling with the class and that the net was too large before they dropped the IAAT requirement.

OP, let your kid drop to regular Algebra 1. There is no problem with that. He will still be able to take AP Precalc and AP Calculus. He is not failing out of HS taking a regular level math class.

Adding to your list, absolutely no thought has been given to what happens to the 6th grade algebra takers when they finish all the math available at their HS. If don’t go to TJ, not sure any HS has-or if they do, very few have- math classes past multivariate calculus. Kids may be having to take online or go to NOVA community. And don’t even begin to talk about how doesn’t work for IB- right now just taking algebra in 7th is a mess because kids finish their IB math as a junior but if want full diploma (the highest), cannot take test for that until 12th. The 6th grade algebra takers will have 2 years between finishing the math they have to take a test on and when they can take test. It’s just NOT thought out and experimenting on kids.

Our school is playing with the idea of having those kids either take math applications (2 years) and not test followed by math analysis (2 years) and test on that, or having them delay testing. Likely we will offer both. Kids regularly delay testing by 1 year already and almost unanimously do fine on it--they are intelligent kids who are using a large portion of the analysis concepts in further math classes. Another option is to offer a full year dual enrollment junior year and a 1 semester dual enrollment class senior year, then second semester hold an "analysis review" seminar if the numbers are that high anyway. Schools are working towards making it work as much as possible.

Neighbor had said analysis was just harder version of applications- so like calc bc covers same as calc ab but bc goes more in depth. Is that not case and it’s not repeating material? For those of us clueless to IB, what is difference in what learning? Does analysis go thru calculus and applications stops at statistics?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Who was pushing his math? Most math teachers will tell you acceleration is NOT the best path for most. It’s the non-math school officials that often are ones pushing and THEY DONT KNOW YOUR KID!

I was not a fan of Lucy Culkins “why teach them vocabulary or to spell” when that was being pushed by FCPS but maybe that is better than the make all kids take algebra before ready when absolutely no reason for all kids to take in MS.

The County is pushing hard. All of this was reported in posts on this board last year.

Last year FCPS dropped the IAAT as a measure for taking Algebra 1H in 7th grade, kids were allowed to enroll with a pass advanced on the 7th grade SOL. Kids in advanced math and 6th grade APP who had selected Math 7H were placed in A1H without checking with parents, parents had to opt out even when they had already selected Math 7H.

Kids in Math 7 who had selected Math 8 were enrolled in A1H as 8th graders, parents had to opt out and move the kid to A1 or back to Math 8.

Two weeks before school started, 20 ES were notified that they were going to be part of a pilot program for A1H in 6th grade. Two weeks before school parents were notified that their kid had been placed in A1H as a 6th grader and that they had 2 weeks to opt their kid out of A1H as a 6th grader. Teachers and schools had two weeks to prepare a HS level math class that they had not been expecting to offer.

Ried has said that she wants every child to have Algebra 1 in 8th grade so that they have an opportunity to take Calculus, which is a strange goal because not every kid needs Calculus and close to 75% of the kids in the county have taken Algebra 1 by 9th grade already. I have no idea why this goal seems to have lead to additional acceleration in math beyond FCPS already accelerated program.

I don't have a problem with 6th graders taking A1H, I don't think that there are thousands of kids who are ready or need Algebra in 6th grade; the pilot has 700 kids in it at 20 schools. I don't have a problem with A1H offered to 7th graders, I suspect that there were already kids struggling with the class and that the net was too large before they dropped the IAAT requirement.

OP, let your kid drop to regular Algebra 1. There is no problem with that. He will still be able to take AP Precalc and AP Calculus. He is not failing out of HS taking a regular level math class.

Adding to your list, absolutely no thought has been given to what happens to the 6th grade algebra takers when they finish all the math available at their HS. If don’t go to TJ, not sure any HS has-or if they do, very few have- math classes past multivariate calculus. Kids may be having to take online or go to NOVA community. And don’t even begin to talk about how doesn’t work for IB- right now just taking algebra in 7th is a mess because kids finish their IB math as a junior but if want full diploma (the highest), cannot take test for that until 12th. The 6th grade algebra takers will have 2 years between finishing the math they have to take a test on and when they can take test. It’s just NOT thought out and experimenting on kids.

Our school is playing with the idea of having those kids either take math applications (2 years) and not test followed by math analysis (2 years) and test on that, or having them delay testing. Likely we will offer both. Kids regularly delay testing by 1 year already and almost unanimously do fine on it--they are intelligent kids who are using a large portion of the analysis concepts in further math classes. Another option is to offer a full year dual enrollment junior year and a 1 semester dual enrollment class senior year, then second semester hold an "analysis review" seminar if the numbers are that high anyway. Schools are working towards making it work as much as possible.

Neighbor had said analysis was just harder version of applications- so like calc bc covers same as calc ab but bc goes more in depth. Is that not case and it’s not repeating material? For those of us clueless to IB, what is difference in what learning? Does analysis go thru calculus and applications stops at statistics?

The math standards recently changed in Virginia, the change over years are always challenging - when a student receives old standards one year and then the new standards after. Gaps are bound to exist.

[Anonymous]

You shouldn't be worried about the grades, you should be worried that he isn't getting the foundation for math that he needs.

Also, this will take a toll on his self esteem and mental health. He is not meant to be in this class. He should drop down stat.