Craziness of Compacted Math!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Which high-school-credit physics requires concurrent geometry enrollment?

3821/3822 Physics A/B, Honors (PC) in 9th Grade

Thanks. So they could take that course in ninth grade, and take 3621/3622 Biology, Honors A/B (BC) in eighth grade instead?

I'm not understanding why this is a disaster. Or maybe it isn't a disaster, just an annoyance?

It's concurrent Geometry enrolment, so 9th graders can usually choose between Bio or Phys with those stronger in math encouraged to take Phys.

But, PP was referring to the Parkland magnet which offers HS Physics in 8th grade but that would only be open to above grade level math students.

I'm the PP. Yes, thank you for sharing. This is what all rising 6th grade students and their parents were told at the meeting. Like I said, some parents were upset.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't become an issue until 3rd grade when you take the test.

What kind of test is it? I was under the impression that the decision is based on the quantitative section of InView, and that's taken in 2nd grade.
But, I admit, I'm a little confused.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't become an issue until 3rd grade when you take the test.

What kind of test is it? I was under the impression that the decision is based on the quantitative section of InView, and that's taken in 2nd grade.
But, I admit, I'm a little confused.

compacted math is based on the UCARE assessment done throughout the 3rd grade year. MCPS website has more information on ucare assessment. It is a series of assessments, not a standardized test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It doesn't become an issue until 3rd grade when you take the test.

What kind of test is it? I was under the impression that the decision is based on the quantitative section of InView, and that's taken in 2nd grade.
But, I admit, I'm a little confused.

compacted math is based on the UCARE assessment done throughout the 3rd grade year. MCPS website has more information on ucare assessment. It is a series of assessments, not a standardized test.

Thanks for the info, PP!

[Anonymous]

InView helps to determine who takes the UCARE assessments

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:InView helps to determine who takes the UCARE assessments

Yep, if 3rd grade teacher recommends it.
Been there - almost perfect InView results, but no UCARE screening because teacher didn't feel like DC is good candidate for compacted math. True story, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Our school announced at the last PTA meeting that MCPS is "doing away" with compacted next year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school announced at the last PTA meeting that MCPS is "doing away" with compacted next year.

Doing away with it, or doing away with busing to the MS for it? Difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school announced at the last PTA meeting that MCPS is "doing away" with compacted next year.

Doing away with it, or doing away with busing to the MS for it? Difference.

Just curious - what ESs buss to MS? In our ES, compactem math class is full, 30 kids enrolled (out of 120 4thgraders), and I bet there are more who didn't make the cut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school announced at the last PTA meeting that MCPS is "doing away" with compacted next year.

Doing away with it, or doing away with busing to the MS for it? Difference.

Just curious - what ESs buss to MS? In our ES, compactem math class is full, 30 kids enrolled (out of 120 4thgraders), and I bet there are more who didn't make the cut.

There are several. Ritchie Park is one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school announced at the last PTA meeting that MCPS is "doing away" with compacted next year.

No they are not. Compacted Math will still be in existence. The busing is going away--the district is moving toward a model of in-house CM at the schools vs sending the kids elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The trouble with not getting into compacted math is that if your kid is a fast learner, they are stuck in a class that teaches at a v...e...r...y.........s....l.....o......w pace. They get bored and frustrated and feel like they are wasting time. That is the problem for my child.

The v...e...r...y.........s....l.....o......w pace gets you to Algebra I in 8th grade and AP Calculus A/B in 12th grade for grade-level math. How much faster should the pace for grade-level math be? AP Calculus B/C in 12th grade? Multivariable calculus in 12th grade?

I would say the pace for a fast learner should be quicker than it is for on grade level math. If a kid has the ability to do multi variable in 12th grad then that is the path that child should be on, rather than sitting in class frustrated out of boredom at the very slow pace.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our school announced at the last PTA meeting that MCPS is "doing away" with compacted next year.

No they are not. Compacted Math will still be in existence. The busing is going away--the district is moving toward a model of in-house CM at the schools vs sending the kids elsewhere.

I'm the PP here - we have compacted at our ES, so it's not a busing issue. It is entirely possible that our Principal had the information wrong though.

[Anonymous]

Well there is a rumor (un-substantiated) that because they cut the busing that some schools won't be able to offer the class. And if some schools can't offer it, they will have to cancel it to be fair. Schools with low number of students in compacted math won't have budget for an extra teacher and not sure how you can teach 2 math classes at once.

[Anonymous]

I have heard from a friend that in some schools compacted math is taught as a math group within class rather than as a standalone separate class. This method would seem to suit schools with smaller numbers of compacted students.