6th grade math placement letters posted

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those with rising 7th graders who were already in accelerated math in 6th grade, I’m curious what kind of SOL scores your child had if they’ve been recommended to continue with advanced placement in 7th (intensified Algebra 1).

Took 8th grade SOL and it’s 438. 1070 on MI

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm I wasn't going to email to ask for placement but seems like my kid needs to take Algebra intensified or geometry to have a shot at TJHSST, which is his dream. No idea if he can even get in given he didn't get placed initially but also don't want to reduce his chances already in 6th. Again I know it's a long shot school, he is just so obsessed with science

Wow. He’s in fifth grade and he’s dreaming of TJ? My kid didn’t even know what that was…

Yeah he wants to go into chemistry and we went to the science fair at TJ and he fell in love with the School. I think he felt like he found his people? None of his friends are interested in science so he gets bummed out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For those with rising 7th graders who were already in accelerated math in 6th grade, I’m curious what kind of SOL scores your child had if they’ve been recommended to continue with advanced placement in 7th (intensified Algebra 1).

My rising 7th grader got 495 on 8th grade SOL and received an A in pre-Algebra each quarter. Recommended for Algebra 1 intensified for fall.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I had though at some point folks said that the score needed to get into Algebra 1 was 1046. And that pre algebra was in the 900s. MAYBE 940 but I may have made that up.

To get into pre Algebra 7 the you need a 475 on the SOL and a 785 on MI. So it seems weird to me that you need a lower score to get into that when it comes 7/8 grade math.

Where did you get the numbers for Algebra 7, they seem low

DP. Its detailed on the letter to rising 7th grade parents. FWIW there is definitely teacher input. My DD scored very low on the MI which was weird b/c she's an A student. The teacher worked with her to see what was wrong and looks like it had to do with something that one of new 5th grade teachers at the elementary school didn't teach last year (she said she had multiple kids with the same issue and same 5th grade teacher). But then DD score very high on the Math SOL. She was put in Pre-Alg 7.

My kid is the opposite. High MI, just missed the cut off for SOL, and recommended for math 7. Kid goofs off in class so that’s probably why. Debating whether we should push it or not…

I wouldn’t put a kid who goofs off in an accelerated class like this. It’s not fair to them or the other kids.

+1 and sounds like mom is already making excuses for him. (He rushed the SOL…)

Excuses? No, I’m explaining why I think the teacher input factored in - because the kid goofs off and doesn’t take it seriously. Even though kid clearly knows the content.

And pre-alg for 7th really is not all that accelerated. I have older kids who’ve taken more accelerated paths. Part of why kid goofed off is that math 6 is boring AF.

Can’t speak to “Math 6 is boring AF”, since, you know, I’m an adult and not actually in the room.

I know many kids who’ve done math 6 & kids who did pre-alg for 6th (math 6/7/8). Consensus is that math 6 is boring AF. Have you seen the syllabus? Very, very little new material after 5th.

I know kids, too. It’s not like a twelve-year-old to say math is boring! Your kid didn’t get in- because he didn't get in. I think you should trust the process and let him solidify his math skills. He’ll be ok.

Parent of a kid who just finished middle school here. No, do not blindly “trust the process” if you think your kid belongs in the higher math class. They have raised the cutoff scores in recent years in an effort to have fewer kids on the advanced track, for whatever reason. We had to push back to get our kid into the advanced class. He just finished geometry, and had no trouble earning all As all 3 years of MS math. Math ended up his favorite subject, too.

Recent education theories argue that pushing kids into an advance track too early causes them to grow too dislike math. Not saying it's right or wrong but there is an anti acceleration movement out there.

https://robertkaplinsky.com/the-case-against-acceleration/

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/how-much-math-too-much

It seems many are pushing back on this now - the data isn't bearing out positive results and in CA making the achievement gap worse. San Fran has been in the news lately on this and Boaler was pulled from the CA Math standards development committee I believe. I think Boaler may be math's Lucy Caulkins. Just found this article and wow. I hope APS isn't being guided by her recommendations. "'Can we please stop talking about so-called learning loss?' Boaler pleads. In her view, learning loss isn't the problem. The problem is that we care about it in the first place. Boaler asks why we are concerned about the drop in test scores when there was no such downturn 'in terms of student problem-solving or thought processes'?

In a particularly sophistic passage, Boaler asks, 'Did students lose learning during the pandemic?' Or did those students replace that learning 'with knowledge and insights about the world, health challenges, global upheaval, exponential growth, technology, and ways to help their families and navigate complex social situations?'

'I think it’s quite clear that they did all of these things,' she neatly concludes."

Was she really pulled? She should have been:
https://edsource.org/2022/californias-math-framework-lacks-research-to-justify-its-progressive-agenda/670470

But I think so far they haven't excluded her, they were just forced to remove her boldest lies about San Francisco's experiment after parent groups exposed them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those with rising 7th graders who were already in accelerated math in 6th grade, I’m curious what kind of SOL scores your child had if they’ve been recommended to continue with advanced placement in 7th (intensified Algebra 1).

My rising 7th grader got 495 on 8th grade SOL and received an A in pre-Algebra each quarter. Recommended for Algebra 1 intensified for fall.

Did you have a math inventory score? Ours is listed as N/A., and I’m wondering if my child either placed out of taking the test (he did great earlier in the year) or managed to miss it.

[Anonymous]

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Anonymous wrote:I had though at some point folks said that the score needed to get into Algebra 1 was 1046. And that pre algebra was in the 900s. MAYBE 940 but I may have made that up.

To get into pre Algebra 7 the you need a 475 on the SOL and a 785 on MI. So it seems weird to me that you need a lower score to get into that when it comes 7/8 grade math.

Where did you get the numbers for Algebra 7, they seem low

DP. Its detailed on the letter to rising 7th grade parents. FWIW there is definitely teacher input. My DD scored very low on the MI which was weird b/c she's an A student. The teacher worked with her to see what was wrong and looks like it had to do with something that one of new 5th grade teachers at the elementary school didn't teach last year (she said she had multiple kids with the same issue and same 5th grade teacher). But then DD score very high on the Math SOL. She was put in Pre-Alg 7.

My kid is the opposite. High MI, just missed the cut off for SOL, and recommended for math 7. Kid goofs off in class so that’s probably why. Debating whether we should push it or not…

I wouldn’t put a kid who goofs off in an accelerated class like this. It’s not fair to them or the other kids.

+1 and sounds like mom is already making excuses for him. (He rushed the SOL…)

Excuses? No, I’m explaining why I think the teacher input factored in - because the kid goofs off and doesn’t take it seriously. Even though kid clearly knows the content.

And pre-alg for 7th really is not all that accelerated. I have older kids who’ve taken more accelerated paths. Part of why kid goofed off is that math 6 is boring AF.

Can’t speak to “Math 6 is boring AF”, since, you know, I’m an adult and not actually in the room.

I know many kids who’ve done math 6 & kids who did pre-alg for 6th (math 6/7/8). Consensus is that math 6 is boring AF. Have you seen the syllabus? Very, very little new material after 5th.

I know kids, too. It’s not like a twelve-year-old to say math is boring! Your kid didn’t get in- because he didn't get in. I think you should trust the process and let him solidify his math skills. He’ll be ok.

Parent of a kid who just finished middle school here. No, do not blindly “trust the process” if you think your kid belongs in the higher math class. They have raised the cutoff scores in recent years in an effort to have fewer kids on the advanced track, for whatever reason. We had to push back to get our kid into the advanced class. He just finished geometry, and had no trouble earning all As all 3 years of MS math. Math ended up his favorite subject, too.

Recent education theories argue that pushing kids into an advance track too early causes them to grow too dislike math. Not saying it's right or wrong but there is an anti acceleration movement out there.

https://robertkaplinsky.com/the-case-against-acceleration/

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/how-much-math-too-much

It seems many are pushing back on this now - the data isn't bearing out positive results and in CA making the achievement gap worse. San Fran has been in the news lately on this and Boaler was pulled from the CA Math standards development committee I believe. I think Boaler may be math's Lucy Caulkins. Just found this article and wow. I hope APS isn't being guided by her recommendations. "'Can we please stop talking about so-called learning loss?' Boaler pleads. In her view, learning loss isn't the problem. The problem is that we care about it in the first place. Boaler asks why we are concerned about the drop in test scores when there was no such downturn 'in terms of student problem-solving or thought processes'?

In a particularly sophistic passage, Boaler asks, 'Did students lose learning during the pandemic?' Or did those students replace that learning 'with knowledge and insights about the world, health challenges, global upheaval, exponential growth, technology, and ways to help their families and navigate complex social situations?'

'I think it’s quite clear that they did all of these things,' she neatly concludes."

Was she really pulled? She should have been:
https://edsource.org/2022/californias-math-framework-lacks-research-to-justify-its-progressive-agenda/670470

But I think so far they haven't excluded her, they were just forced to remove her boldest lies about San Francisco's experiment after parent groups exposed them.

Boaler was a co-author of the first and second versions of the CA Math Framework. After the second draft met with such large public pushback, CA assigned DOE staff to author the third version that was just released. However, DOE staff essentially kept Boaler's product intact with only a few changes, so the draft Framework still reflects her ideas. APS is a big fan of Boaler and her ideas on math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:According to the chart in the letter, 1046 on MI is the highest you can get on Math Inventory but it's the requirement to be placed in pre-algebra? This seems like a way to get rid of the advanced track in Math.

Yes, I wonder if it’s even possible to score higher than 1046 in 5th grade?
My rising 5th DD got 930 in EOY and I’m wondering if that means she answered all the questions correct (she thinks she did). It would be really nice if we could review the questions on those assessments including SOLs.

[Anonymous]

When my son was placed in advanced math in 6th grade, he was a few points shy of at least one of the stated benchmarks. I assume a teacher recommendation was relied on to make a decision for a kid whose scores were a close call.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hmm I wasn't going to email to ask for placement but seems like my kid needs to take Algebra intensified or geometry to have a shot at TJHSST, which is his dream. No idea if he can even get in given he didn't get placed initially but also don't want to reduce his chances already in 6th. Again I know it's a long shot school, he is just so obsessed with science

FWIW, Swanson got 4 TJHSST spots this year, and only 1 of them went to a kid who had done the pre-alg/alg 1 intensified/geometry 1 intensified track. The other 3 spots went to kids who did Math 6/pre-alg/alg 1 intensified. It used to be that you had to take geometry in 8th grade to have a shot at the TJHSST spots, but that isn't true now that TJHSST changed the admissions criteria.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to the chart in the letter, 1046 on MI is the highest you can get on Math Inventory but it's the requirement to be placed in pre-algebra? This seems like a way to get rid of the advanced track in Math.

Yes, I wonder if it’s even possible to score higher than 1046 in 5th grade?
My rising 5th DD got 930 in EOY and I’m wondering if that means she answered all the questions correct (she thinks she did). It would be really nice if we could review the questions on those assessments including SOLs.

No, you can score higher than 930 as a 5th grader. I have had students score 1046 but I am not sure if it’s possible to go higher than that in 5th. New test next year so who knows. This year I had multiple students score above 930 but my highest score was 1020. (5th grade teacher)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For those with rising 7th graders who were already in accelerated math in 6th grade, I’m curious what kind of SOL scores your child had if they’ve been recommended to continue with advanced placement in 7th (intensified Algebra 1).

My rising 7th grader got 495 on 8th grade SOL and received an A in pre-Algebra each quarter. Recommended for Algebra 1 intensified for fall.

Did you have a math inventory score? Ours is listed as N/A., and I’m wondering if my child either placed out of taking the test (he did great earlier in the year) or managed to miss it.

No MI score – didn’t take it at EOY, but had previously done well earlier in the year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm I wasn't going to email to ask for placement but seems like my kid needs to take Algebra intensified or geometry to have a shot at TJHSST, which is his dream. No idea if he can even get in given he didn't get placed initially but also don't want to reduce his chances already in 6th. Again I know it's a long shot school, he is just so obsessed with science

FWIW, Swanson got 4 TJHSST spots this year, and only 1 of them went to a kid who had done the pre-alg/alg 1 intensified/geometry 1 intensified track. The other 3 spots went to kids who did Math 6/pre-alg/alg 1 intensified. It used to be that you had to take geometry in 8th grade to have a shot at the TJHSST spots, but that isn't true now that TJHSST changed the admissions criteria.

Ok that is good to know. Thank you. Again not that I have any idea if he can get in but it would suck to have chances eliminated due to testing in 5th grade! Glad they changed it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I had though at some point folks said that the score needed to get into Algebra 1 was 1046. And that pre algebra was in the 900s. MAYBE 940 but I may have made that up.

To get into pre Algebra 7 the you need a 475 on the SOL and a 785 on MI. So it seems weird to me that you need a lower score to get into that when it comes 7/8 grade math.

Where did you get the numbers for Algebra 7, they seem low

DP. Its detailed on the letter to rising 7th grade parents. FWIW there is definitely teacher input. My DD scored very low on the MI which was weird b/c she's an A student. The teacher worked with her to see what was wrong and looks like it had to do with something that one of new 5th grade teachers at the elementary school didn't teach last year (she said she had multiple kids with the same issue and same 5th grade teacher). But then DD score very high on the Math SOL. She was put in Pre-Alg 7.

My kid is the opposite. High MI, just missed the cut off for SOL, and recommended for math 7. Kid goofs off in class so that’s probably why. Debating whether we should push it or not…

I wouldn’t put a kid who goofs off in an accelerated class like this. It’s not fair to them or the other kids.

+1 and sounds like mom is already making excuses for him. (He rushed the SOL…)

Excuses? No, I’m explaining why I think the teacher input factored in - because the kid goofs off and doesn’t take it seriously. Even though kid clearly knows the content.

And pre-alg for 7th really is not all that accelerated. I have older kids who’ve taken more accelerated paths. Part of why kid goofed off is that math 6 is boring AF.

Can’t speak to “Math 6 is boring AF”, since, you know, I’m an adult and not actually in the room.

I know many kids who’ve done math 6 & kids who did pre-alg for 6th (math 6/7/8). Consensus is that math 6 is boring AF. Have you seen the syllabus? Very, very little new material after 5th.

I know kids, too. It’s not like a twelve-year-old to say math is boring! Your kid didn’t get in- because he didn't get in. I think you should trust the process and let him solidify his math skills. He’ll be ok.

Parent of a kid who just finished middle school here. No, do not blindly “trust the process” if you think your kid belongs in the higher math class. They have raised the cutoff scores in recent years in an effort to have fewer kids on the advanced track, for whatever reason. We had to push back to get our kid into the advanced class. He just finished geometry, and had no trouble earning all As all 3 years of MS math. Math ended up his favorite subject, too.

Recent education theories argue that pushing kids into an advance track too early causes them to grow too dislike math. Not saying it's right or wrong but there is an anti acceleration movement out there.

https://robertkaplinsky.com/the-case-against-acceleration/

https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/new-from-nea/how-much-math-too-much

I think the three years in one with sixth grade pre-algebra is pretty extreme. It should only be reserved for the truly gifted. Unfortunately, every parent in Arlington needs that to be their kid.

It's really not three years of compaction though. Much of Grade 8 Math is giving kids a chance to reinforce prior learning. The 2009 SOLs assumed kids would be prepared for Algebra 1 by 8th grade. However, in 2016, Virginia decided to adopt Common Core's call for kids to take Algebra 1 in 9th grade. Thus, the current Grade 8 standards now have a bit more intro Algebra 1 but that material is generally covered in Algebra 1 anyhow. Thus, the 6th grade Prealgebra course is more like two years and a bit of compacted content. Gifted and non-gifted have succeeded in this accelerated math path.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hmm I wasn't going to email to ask for placement but seems like my kid needs to take Algebra intensified or geometry to have a shot at TJHSST, which is his dream. No idea if he can even get in given he didn't get placed initially but also don't want to reduce his chances already in 6th. Again I know it's a long shot school, he is just so obsessed with science

FWIW, Swanson got 4 TJHSST spots this year, and only 1 of them went to a kid who had done the pre-alg/alg 1 intensified/geometry 1 intensified track. The other 3 spots went to kids who did Math 6/pre-alg/alg 1 intensified. It used to be that you had to take geometry in 8th grade to have a shot at the TJHSST spots, but that isn't true now that TJHSST changed the admissions criteria.

There's a difference between what it takes to get in and what it takes to thrive at TJHSST. Its math courses are rigorous so prior exposure to math concepts is helpful. Also you need certain levels of math to take full advantage of their science offerings and internships so being accelerated in math opens up more opportunities while there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:According to the chart in the letter, 1046 on MI is the highest you can get on Math Inventory but it's the requirement to be placed in pre-algebra? This seems like a way to get rid of the advanced track in Math.

Yes, I wonder if it’s even possible to score higher than 1046 in 5th grade?
My rising 5th DD got 930 in EOY and I’m wondering if that means she answered all the questions correct (she thinks she did). It would be really nice if we could review the questions on those assessments including SOLs.

No, you can score higher than 930 as a 5th grader. I have had students score 1046 but I am not sure if it’s possible to go higher than that in 5th. New test next year so who knows. This year I had multiple students score above 930 but my highest score was 1020. (5th grade teacher)

Pp who was quoted. Sorry it wasn’t clear. 930 was EOY score of my then 4th grader.