NY Times article on Middle School Algebra

[Anonymous]

Sounds like these equity programs goal is to drag everyone down to the lowest common denominator.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Equity math means hold back advanced students, using all means possible.

DP.

Agree completely. What the VMPI-supporters do not want you to know is they desperately want to:

- close the racial achievement gap from the top down.

It is that simple: the want to eliminate advanced and accelerated learning.

Examples include NYC eliminating the entire G&T program, Seattle following NYC, and the state of California banning Algebra prior to 9th grade. VMPI was based on the same principles, with an emphasis on eliminating any tracking in math.

It is just really sad to see someone here who simply cannot bring herself to be honest, and just say the truth about what she was trying to do to MATH education in VA.

It's just the latest educational fad.Ten years from now they'll realize how wrong this is only after having damaged a generation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Algebra Problem: How Middle School Math Became a National Flashpoint - reports that in San Francisco, "The city is now back to where it began: Middle school algebra — for some, not necessarily for all — will return in August."

Congratulations to San Francisco!

Closer to home, in a VA middle school, I'm happy to report that our local 8th grade Geometry teacher (whose class our accelerated 7th grader attended this year) can now look back at 19 years of having 100% of her MS students pass the Geometry SOL at their first attempt. Congratulations to her for "lifting them toward society’s most high-status and lucrative professions" (a quote from the NYT article I linked), and to all hardworking students who love math!

Starts with a lie about not "offering a chance to study it"

The real problem is that ES kids aren't offered intensive math intervention (+2 hrs of school each day) to compensate for lack of education at home.
When families don't prioritize education at home, students need an alternative.

Slow freaking clap to this. If FCPS *really* cared about closing racial/socioeconomic performance gaps, THIS is the way to do it.

School can’t parent your kid. Sorry. Expecting schools to make up for all the parenting inequalities just won’t/can’t happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:December 2020:

43:42 "we're not taking away deep, rich STEM courses like AP Calc, IB, etc."
48:15 "schools would have a lot of flexibility to design courses"
58:15 "we have a lot of things to think about, give us your feedback, important to have people look at this from different directions, we know this will morph and change as we talk to more stakeholders"

In later meetings they more clearly spelled out options for acceleration.

Hmm, this is an unlisted video on Youtube now. Makes you wonder how PP found it...

I'll download it before they remove it altogether. It is an important document that shows the bile and hatred these people displayed to students wanting to learn and excel at math, and the chutzpah with which they did it. This is the arrogance you display if you believe your own political polling and if can't fathom that a majority could possibly disagree with you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Equity math means hold back advanced students, using all means possible.

DP.

Agree completely. What the VMPI-supporters do not want you to know is they desperately want to:

- close the racial achievement gap from the top down.

It is that simple: the want to eliminate advanced and accelerated learning.

Examples include NYC eliminating the entire G&T program, Seattle following NYC, and the state of California banning Algebra prior to 9th grade. VMPI was based on the same principles, with an emphasis on eliminating any tracking in math.

It is just really sad to see someone here who simply cannot bring herself to be honest, and just say the truth about what she was trying to do to MATH education in VA.

It's just the latest educational fad.Ten years from now they'll realize how wrong this is only after having damaged a generation.

The elimination of gifted and talented programs, advanced math classes, etc. in the name of equitable access is one of the most wildly counterproductive public policy positions I can think of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Algebra Problem: How Middle School Math Became a National Flashpoint - reports that in San Francisco, "The city is now back to where it began: Middle school algebra — for some, not necessarily for all — will return in August."

Congratulations to San Francisco!

Closer to home, in a VA middle school, I'm happy to report that our local 8th grade Geometry teacher (whose class our accelerated 7th grader attended this year) can now look back at 19 years of having 100% of her MS students pass the Geometry SOL at their first attempt. Congratulations to her for "lifting them toward society’s most high-status and lucrative professions" (a quote from the NYT article I linked), and to all hardworking students who love math!

I honestly wish that all kids were able to do basic math better. Forget Algebra and Geometry ask the regular students if they can add, subtract, multiply and divide with fluency.

https://www.nationalreview.com/news/american-students-lag-behind-comparable-developed-countries-in-math-after-pandemic/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:December 2020:

43:42 "we're not taking away deep, rich STEM courses like AP Calc, IB, etc."
48:15 "schools would have a lot of flexibility to design courses"
58:15 "we have a lot of things to think about, give us your feedback, important to have people look at this from different directions, we know this will morph and change as we talk to more stakeholders"

In later meetings they more clearly spelled out options for acceleration.

Hmm, this is an unlisted video on Youtube now. Makes you wonder how PP found it...

I'll download it before they remove it altogether. It is an important document that shows the bile and hatred these people displayed to students wanting to learn and excel at math, and the chutzpah with which they did it. This is the arrogance you display if you believe your own political polling and if can't fathom that a majority could possibly disagree with you.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like these equity programs goal is to drag everyone down to the lowest common denominator.

No, they are trying to get MORE kids into advanced math classes.

It's even in FCPS's strategic plan.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Equity math means hold back advanced students, using all means possible.

DP.

Agree completely. What the VMPI-supporters do not want you to know is they desperately want to:

- close the racial achievement gap from the top down.

It is that simple: the want to eliminate advanced and accelerated learning.

Examples include NYC eliminating the entire G&T program, Seattle following NYC, and the state of California banning Algebra prior to 9th grade. VMPI was based on the same principles, with an emphasis on eliminating any tracking in math.

It is just really sad to see someone here who simply cannot bring herself to be honest, and just say the truth about what she was trying to do to MATH education in VA.

It's just the latest educational fad.Ten years from now they'll realize how wrong this is only after having damaged a generation.

The elimination of gifted and talented programs, advanced math classes, etc. in the name of equitable access is one of the most wildly counterproductive public policy positions I can think of.

Good thing that was never happening in FCPS/VA.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:December 2020:

43:42 "we're not taking away deep, rich STEM courses like AP Calc, IB, etc."
48:15 "schools would have a lot of flexibility to design courses"
58:15 "we have a lot of things to think about, give us your feedback, important to have people look at this from different directions, we know this will morph and change as we talk to more stakeholders"

In later meetings they more clearly spelled out options for acceleration.

Hmm, this is an unlisted video on Youtube now. Makes you wonder how PP found it...

I'll download it before they remove it altogether. It is an important document that shows the bile and hatred these people displayed to students wanting to learn and excel at math, and the chutzpah with which they did it. This is the arrogance you display if you believe your own political polling and if can't fathom that a majority could possibly disagree with you.

I've shared many videos and screenshots on DCUM over the years, including this one.

They're helpful to debunk Republican lies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Equity math means hold back advanced students, using all means possible.

DP.

Agree completely. What the VMPI-supporters do not want you to know is they desperately want to:

- close the racial achievement gap from the top down.

It is that simple: the want to eliminate advanced and accelerated learning.

Examples include NYC eliminating the entire G&T program, Seattle following NYC, and the state of California banning Algebra prior to 9th grade. VMPI was based on the same principles, with an emphasis on eliminating any tracking in math.

It is just really sad to see someone here who simply cannot bring herself to be honest, and just say the truth about what she was trying to do to MATH education in VA.

No. Equity programs are trying to get MORE kids into accelerated classes.

Look at Texas, pushing opt-out acceleration classes and 4 years of HS math.

It's on FCPS's strategic plan (increase # of kids in A1 in 8th) and they have multiple programs to help get kids there - AVID program, Young Scholars, GMU Early Identification Program, NVCC's pathway to the baccalaureate, etc

Even the VMPI concepts would have accelerated the baseline pathway - everyone at least taking Algebra 1 content in 8th. They discussed but never actually proposed detracking.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:December 2020:

43:42 "we're not taking away deep, rich STEM courses like AP Calc, IB, etc."
48:15 "schools would have a lot of flexibility to design courses"
58:15 "we have a lot of things to think about, give us your feedback, important to have people look at this from different directions, we know this will morph and change as we talk to more stakeholders"

In later meetings they more clearly spelled out options for acceleration.

Did you listen to the video you posted?
10:48
16:22
19:34
20:22
21:09
21:47
21:59
22:41
23:58
26:01
38:04
(I stopped hunting after that but I did listen to the full thing when it originally aired - I sat through it live).

The MAIN thrust of this effort was to uproot advanced classes and ability grouping for K-10. Yes they let you take different math in 11 and 12 but it is clear what they were shooting for is that all kids were in the exact same math classes for K-10. They were very much against letting kids advance if they learn math at a quicker pace.

Yes, they did discuss detracking. It's one of many topics discussed. But they never actually proposed it. It didn't even make the infographic.

43:42 "we're not taking away deep, rich STEM courses like AP Calc, IB, etc."
48:15 "schools would have a lot of flexibility to design courses"
58:15 "we have a lot of things to think about, give us your feedback, important to have people look at this from different directions, we know this will morph and change as we talk to more stakeholders"

Again, even from the start they said they were keeping accelerated classes and school districts would continue have "a lot of flexibility to design courses", just as they do today. VDOE doesn't define how school districts accelerate kids - not before VMPI and that wasn't something they were proposing then.

These are all just lies that Republicans like to recycle in election years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like these equity programs goal is to drag everyone down to the lowest common denominator.

No, they are trying to get MORE kids into advanced math classes.

It's even in FCPS's strategic plan.

The goal is laudable but the method of implementation is the issue. There is movement nationally to delay the jumping off point for acceleration so that late bloomers are not shut out. But, this means that students who are ready earlier have to tread water while waiting for others to catch up. Why can't FCPS's emphasis be on developing all young elementary students so that they are ready for the current acceleration path rather than holding off on dedicated advanced math classes until the late bloomers are ready?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:jfc people we just had all the same posts, with the same comments, pictures, and video, in last week.

Republicans like to recycle the same lies every election year.

They're easy to debunk with facts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sounds like these equity programs goal is to drag everyone down to the lowest common denominator.

No, they are trying to get MORE kids into advanced math classes.

It's even in FCPS's strategic plan.

The goal is laudable but the method of implementation is the issue. There is movement nationally to delay the jumping off point for acceleration so that late bloomers are not shut out. But, this means that students who are ready earlier have to tread water while waiting for others to catch up. Why can't FCPS's emphasis be on developing all young elementary students so that they are ready for the current acceleration path rather than holding off on dedicated advanced math classes until the late bloomers are ready?

In ES, flexible groupings/clusters - for math and ELA - make more sense than tracking.