VA math changes - ways to speak out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seem like Terry McAuliffe is quiet about these proposed changes.I take his silence as suppressing gifted kids and high achievers.

You should read up on latest so you don’t sound like a low-info rube.

They are proposing to mix up the course content to blend it together, not removing acceleration or advanced classes.

So you’re telling me the elementary and middle school advanced academic and honors classes will still be around? Advanced academics for gifted kids starts in 3rd where they skip a grade level math. Since you read it all, tell me if that’s true. I don’t see any acceleration until possibly 6th grade.

VDOE isn’t changing any of that. That has always been up to the individual school districts.

Latest webinar from last night:
https://youtu.be/1YxDjg2G0Qw

I watched the webinar. It’s unclear if honors classes or an advanced track that parallels the pathway will happen. Their goal is to achieve equity, meaning they do not want students to have different transcripts with advanced track vs non advanced track. This put those with an advanced track at an advantage when it comes to college admissions and SAT scores. Playing field has to be leveled, no head start for anyone! Differential services will be offered to younger students but content will stay within grade level and not advancing to the next level. Sound like the intent of this will replace the gifted program.

Uh. They were pretty clear that they are NOT changing anything related to how districts create advanced or accelerated tracks.

Go rewatch. They are not “replacing the gifted program”. WTH?????

[Anonymous]

What the most recent statements mean is that the discussion about accelerated math is a school board level thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What the most recent statements mean is that the discussion about accelerated math is a school board level thing.

As it always has been.

[Anonymous]

Great example of parents paying attention, reaching out to elected officials and getting answers. I watched earlier webinars. There was definitely reason for concern. The clarity they offered this week is reassuring, but still something to monitor in the coming year or two.

Nice work to everyone who reached out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I took notes from tonight's meeting for those who couldn't attend. TLDR: as others have said, they definitely have walked back the no acceleration thing. They also slipped in there once that *post calc* would be an option. Also, this time they weren't allowing live commenting on the stream.

Notes:
***
-Take the content from current Grade 8 (prealgebra), Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and some select concepts from statistics; and turn it into 3 courses worth of content (Essential concepts 8, 9, and 10)
***

Thank you for the notes. 4 years of material + extra stats concepts = 3 courses?? That's some interesting math right there.

How is this possible, to squeeze what is currently four years of math, plus more, into only three?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Great example of parents paying attention, reaching out to elected officials and getting answers. I watched earlier webinars. There was definitely reason for concern. The clarity they offered this week is reassuring, but still something to monitor in the coming year or two.

Nice work to everyone who reached out.

+1 originally they were very clear that they wanted to get rid of any tracking/acceleration before 11th grade. they have backed away from that due to political pressure. Good job everyone who reached out.

[Anonymous]

Fox has a good chronicle of how the walk-back worked: https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-northam-education-math-equity-framework

Now can we push just as hard for multiplication tables and other basics to be added back in instead of further taken out?

[Anonymous]

I am not a math expert but maybe some of you are. What about keeping the existing track and add those new 1/2 credits courses as electives for HS students. Best of both worlds?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Great example of parents paying attention, reaching out to elected officials and getting answers. I watched earlier webinars. There was definitely reason for concern. The clarity they offered this week is reassuring, but still something to monitor in the coming year or two.

Nice work to everyone who reached out.

+1 originally they were very clear that they wanted to get rid of any tracking/acceleration before 11th grade. they have backed away from that due to political pressure. Good job everyone who reached out.

That's great, election is coming up so no wonder McAuliffe had nothing to say because I am sure he would endorse the stupidity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seem like Terry McAuliffe is quiet about these proposed changes.I take his silence as suppressing gifted kids and high achievers.

You should read up on latest so you don’t sound like a low-info rube.

They are proposing to mix up the course content to blend it together, not removing acceleration or advanced classes.

So you’re telling me the elementary and middle school advanced academic and honors classes will still be around? Advanced academics for gifted kids starts in 3rd where they skip a grade level math. Since you read it all, tell me if that’s true. I don’t see any acceleration until possibly 6th grade.

They have walked it back and said districts are free to do acceleration and honors classes. Their videos say otherwise, and they want to eliminate acceleration, they are just going to do it a little more stealthily, and wait until after the election to walkback their walkback.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Now can we push just as hard for multiplication tables and other basics to be added back in instead of further taken out?

Fox actually went through the source documents.
Could you clarify multiplication tables? My kid in second grade was given tests on addition, subtraction, multiplication
where they had to go 100 for 100 in 5 minutes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a math expert but maybe some of you are. What about keeping the existing track and add those new 1/2 credits courses as electives for HS students. Best of both worlds?

They don't want to keep the existing track, and more importantly they don't want to keep multiple tracks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seem like Terry McAuliffe is quiet about these proposed changes.I take his silence as suppressing gifted kids and high achievers.

You should read up on latest so you don’t sound like a low-info rube.

They are proposing to mix up the course content to blend it together, not removing acceleration or advanced classes.

So you’re telling me the elementary and middle school advanced academic and honors classes will still be around? Advanced academics for gifted kids starts in 3rd where they skip a grade level math. Since you read it all, tell me if that’s true. I don’t see any acceleration until possibly 6th grade.

They have walked it back and said districts are free to do acceleration and honors classes. Their videos say otherwise, and they want to eliminate acceleration, they are just going to do it a little more stealthily, and wait until after the election to walkback their walkback.

Ugh voting R to be safe. The districts may be discouraged to do acceleration. VDOE may not provide them with the resources. The whole thing looks shady.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a math expert but maybe some of you are. What about keeping the existing track and add those new 1/2 credits courses as electives for HS students. Best of both worlds?

They don't want to keep the existing track, and more importantly they don't want to keep multiple tracks.

It’s just electives no new track needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seem like Terry McAuliffe is quiet about these proposed changes.I take his silence as suppressing gifted kids and high achievers.

You should read up on latest so you don’t sound like a low-info rube.

They are proposing to mix up the course content to blend it together, not removing acceleration or advanced classes.

So you’re telling me the elementary and middle school advanced academic and honors classes will still be around? Advanced academics for gifted kids starts in 3rd where they skip a grade level math. Since you read it all, tell me if that’s true. I don’t see any acceleration until possibly 6th grade.

They have walked it back and said districts are free to do acceleration and honors classes. Their videos say otherwise, and they want to eliminate acceleration, they are just going to do it a little more stealthily, and wait until after the election to walkback their walkback.

Ugh voting R to be safe. The districts may be discouraged to do acceleration. VDOE may not provide them with the resources. The whole thing looks shady.

Then you probably are already an R voter. Those of us that were trying to swallow our souls to stomach voting R on this are relieved not to have to do this. I took screen shots of the session and the clear language about not banning advanced classes / acceleration. I frankly doubt McAuliffe wants to court this trouble by reversing the walk back if he’s elected. (Other D candidates might though). I’ll leave my protest vote for the next FCPS SB election...