“Equity math” coming to FCPS?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/graduation-requirements-and-course-planning/high-school-course-sequencing/mathematics

Student 1 Math Progression by Grade:
9th Algebra 1 Part 1, 10th Algebra 1, 11th Geometry, 12th Algebra, Functions, and Data Analysis

Student 2 Math Progression by Grade:
7th Algebra 1H, 8th Geometry H, 9th Algebra 2H, 10th Pre-calculus H, 11th AP Calculus BC, 12th Multivariable Calculus & Linear Algebra

What is the Equity concern here? Is it that Student 2 graduates high school having learnt more math than Student 1? Is Equity trying t figure out how to limit Student 2's math learning?

YES. Closing the racial achievement gap - from the top down - is precisely what FCPS is doing:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1066612.page

FCPS is following a trend pioneered on the West Coast:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/california-math-framework-algebra/675509/

It is sad and pathetic how many here are trying to astroturf what is actually happening in our public schools. Do not be mislead: it is happening.

as an idea to achieve equity, why not make math a no-grad subject. That way everyone is equal in math, whether student learns it or not.

One current math trend is to encourage more kids to take more math by offering more interesting/relevant math classes. States may alap increase the # of required HS math classes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/VMPI-for-vdoe-website.pdf

Algebra was gone. “The VMPI initiative imagines math instruction for students that integrates existing
math content into blended courses for students typically in grades 8-10.
● The content from Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2 is not being eliminated by VMPI, but rather the content of these courses will be blended into a seamless progression of connected learning. This encourages students to connect mathematical concepts and develop a much deeper and more relevant understanding of each concept within its context and relevance.


Under VMPI, you would no longer see a class called Algebra (among others).

https://www.vsba.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/VMPI-for-vdoe-website.pdf

The content was blended in and classes were blended together. No choices were offered until late high school.

So if all students were taking the blended class in 8th grade (at the latest), then all students were starting algebra 1 in 8th (at the latest) - which is actually earlier the current baseline path, which is algebra 1 in 9th.

When did VDOE tell parents that "no choices were offered until late HS"? And that was "essentially happening"?

No. The Grade 8-10 courses purportedly blended four years of math (Math 8, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2) into three years. If so, that would generate three high school math credits. But the three blended Grade 8-10 courses only generated two high school math credits, so it was watered down. In all likelihood, VMPI would have effectively been Algebra 1 in 9th and nearly all of Algebra 2 would have been blended with Precalculus like San Francisco did. VMPI needed to blend the courses so it was less obvious how much content they were chopping out and how much of Algebra 2 was going to be delayed until Precalculus.

We don't know because it never got that far. Math 8 has very little new content. And if you aren't skipping a year between A1 and A2 you build on more topics more fluidly with less extra review. And school districts would have been able to define/combine classes as they deemed necessary.

I see the “VMPI Troll” has discovered this thread.

She prolifically fought anyone who questioned VMPI back when our disastrous former governor was going along with it; she was and is quite nasty too. I suspect she was partly responsible for its planned implementation (and it was presented to both educators and parents as a done-deal).

Everyone knows what it was going to do. There is no sense in still telling lies about it now, PP.

I am PP, and

- did I call it? When I said the VMPI troll was nasty, I meant that she constantly lies (like pretending VMPI was only “in the planning stage” lol), then she turns around and accuses others of lying.

Unbelievable! And nasty.

They were in the planning phase which you can see if you looked at their timeline or watched the webinars…

Not sure how saying that is “nasty”. Seems like you’re just trying to silence the truth.

Mostly seems like one poster is attempting to get people riled up over something that they know will never happen.

Whether it is hundred posters or one, focus on the performance and failures of current board members.

The current board has done a great job in my opinion. They helped eliminate the rampant cheating and leveled the playing field to make these elite opportunities accessible to all county residents not just the wealthy.

How is the playing field leveled when all schools do not implement grading the same way?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
https://www.fcps.edu/academics/graduation-requirements-and-course-planning/high-school-course-sequencing/mathematics

Student 1 Math Progression by Grade:
9th Algebra 1 Part 1, 10th Algebra 1, 11th Geometry, 12th Algebra, Functions, and Data Analysis

Student 2 Math Progression by Grade:
7th Algebra 1H, 8th Geometry H, 9th Algebra 2H, 10th Pre-calculus H, 11th AP Calculus BC, 12th Multivariable Calculus & Linear Algebra

What is the Equity concern here? Is it that Student 2 graduates high school having learnt more math than Student 1? Is Equity trying t figure out how to limit Student 2's math learning?

YES. Closing the racial achievement gap - from the top down - is precisely what FCPS is doing:

https://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/1066612.page

FCPS is following a trend pioneered on the West Coast:

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/california-math-framework-algebra/675509/

It is sad and pathetic how many here are trying to astroturf what is actually happening in our public schools. Do not be mislead: it is happening.

as an idea to achieve equity, why not make math a no-grad subject. That way everyone is equal in math, whether student learns it or not.

One current math trend is to encourage more kids to take more math by offering more interesting/relevant math classes. States may alap increase the # of required HS math classes.

Are there droves of parents from other states who claim this was was an overwhelming success?

[Anonymous]

Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The VMPI troll’s next biggest lie is “VMPI never intended to eliminate higher math.”

That lie is laughable and so untrue. But she just won’t let it go.

We can all see that Calculus and IB (and trig) were on the initial infographic so…

Many kids take Calculus in 10th or 11th grade. If it's merely available in 12th grade, that's a pretty significant step down for the top kids.

[Anonymous]

Crazy Republican astroturfers push to lower math standards and do everything to push all students towards gen ed. Their goal is to dumb down the population to expand their base.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

None

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

Untrue, standards are much higher today than when I was at FCPS 25+ years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

Untrue, standards are much higher today than when I was at FCPS 25+ years ago.

Standards are so higher today outside FCPS, but at FCPS more kids are in remedial and gen ed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

Untrue, standards are much higher today than when I was at FCPS 25+ years ago.

Standards are so higher today outside FCPS, but at FCPS more kids are in remedial and gen ed.

That’s everywhere. That’s not a credit to FCPS. This is why college applications are so competitive now and why Harvard used to have a 20% acceptance rate. The improvement of standards is not because of FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

Untrue, standards are much higher today than when I was at FCPS 25+ years ago.

Standards are so higher today outside FCPS, but at FCPS more kids are in remedial and gen ed.

That’s everywhere. That’s not a credit to FCPS. This is why college applications are so competitive now and why Harvard used to have a 20% acceptance rate. The improvement of standards is not because of FCPS.

Harvard has a lower acceptance rate today because so many more students apply, and the number of places hasn't increased much. Too many students chasing only a few elite colleges instead of broadening their search. This doesn't have much to do with the quality of education in FCPS or elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

There is genuine effort to reform the math curriculum to teach more concepts related to data science in earlier grades in this internet-enabled world. It's just too bad the reform got tangled up with politics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

Untrue, standards are much higher today than when I was at FCPS 25+ years ago.

Standards are so higher today outside FCPS, but at FCPS more kids are in remedial and gen ed.

That’s everywhere. That’s not a credit to FCPS. This is why college applications are so competitive now and why Harvard used to have a 20% acceptance rate. The improvement of standards is not because of FCPS.

Harvard has a lower acceptance rate today because so many more students apply, and the number of places hasn't increased much. Too many students chasing only a few elite colleges instead of broadening their search. This doesn't have much to do with the quality of education in FCPS or elsewhere.

This is only a part of the puzzle. Students are now much higher achieving...much. Check out any account that lays out stats and where applicants did and didn't get in. Mind blowing.

[Anonymous]

If by Equity math you mean eliminating opportunities for enrichment and acceleration, then sure, since that's the only way they can close the achievement gap. No amount of time or money will make a difference. The only way is to sabotage the high-achieving kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Crazy democrats on school board have lowered the math standards and did everything to push all students towards gen ed level math. Is there a single effort to offer new advanced math course or increase enrollment in existing ones?

No. More and more kids are being encouraged to sign up for honors math. Open enrollment honors has made honors the default at a lot of schools. I've taught in schools where a passing SOL score (401) meant you were told to take honors.