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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Stuart Hobson and John Francis should probably add Geometry.  That would bring the number of DCPS middle schools with at least some students taking Geometry up from 7 to 9.  SH previously had Geometry but then decided that the added acceleration was not necessarily helping its students.  They were learning algebra better with another year of pre-algebra.  There are lots of areas where DCPS might warrant criticism but math is tracked at every middle school.[/quote]

Well then it sounds like to me that having Geometry was not the issue.  The issue was that students were being put in the class who should not have been in it at all.  They did not master Algebra and so likely struggled and couldn’t hack it.

What you need to do is gatekeep entrance to advance math.  You can’t just let anybody in.  That helps no one because not only will the kids struggle but you drag the whole class down and slows it way down.  You also can’t go deep if the kids can’t grasp basic concepts.

DCI does a good job of gatekeeping all their levels of advance math, because one of the criteria’s that they use is standardized test scores in addition to grades and teachers rec. 
Basis uses comps as a way of advancing or not.
[b]
The issue is that DCPS won’t use objective data like standardized tests or any entrance testing due to “equity”.[/b]  I mean look at the fiasco with Wall admissions now.

[/quote]

Not true -- your example, Francis, uses standardized math scores to let kids onto the Algebra track. The math class is the one thing that is actually pretty good. [/quote]

What test do they use and what is the criteria for entrance?  Why don’t they offer Geometry?[/quote]

DCPS schools use iReady. They have a percentile cutoff of math classes. [/quote]

What is the percentile cut off and is this iready score based on kids across the country taking it or only DC kids?

Is above the only criteria to be in the class?  Is there fluidity and kids are moved down after school starts who can’t handle it?

Why don’t they offer any advance math like geometry?

If you are a parent there, you should have transparency about above and answers to above.

[/quote]

This feels very aggressive.

Yes, iReady is a really common standardized test that is used across the country, including in Fairfax County, to determine math placement.

We are not a parent at Francis because my kid got a spot at a high quality charter middle school, but we looked very closely at the school bc it's our feeder.

The math was not the problem there, the math teachers are excellent and they are tracked using teat scores. The other classes were actually more worrying bc the school can't create tracks so all the rest of them are gen ed.

[/quote]

To your standards, math might not have been the problem but to mine it is also a problem.

I would argue having only Algebra in middle school is gen ed.  Anything below that is remedial.

My kid consistently scores in the top 5% in math on standardized tests.  Above would be a non-starter.

It’s all relative isn’t it what each family’s views is if a school can provide an adequate education for their child.

Not only in math but in everything else most DCPS schools are just not for many kids in this city.

[/quote]

:roll:

OK. if you read carefully, you'll see that my child was lucky to get a spot at a good charter where they are learning a lot.

However, if we hadn't gotten the spot, we would have gone to Francis and it would have been fine. My kids are CTY qualified because they have 99th percentile scores, so I could have them take Geometry the summer after 8th grade and be lined up with their peers for high school. They would have had a very good shot at one of the application schools.

They could read 1000 books at home and learn about history and science and english.

There are plenty of bright kids at Francis. Francis is getting more popular with the Ross community every year, and half of the Ross kids get 5s on CAPE ELA and 25% 5s on CAPE Math. 84% get 4/5 on CAPE ELA, and 82% get 4/5 on Math. These are smart kids.

Would Francis have required more parenting from me through middle school? Yes. and the high school piece would have been stressful until it was resolved. But we would have done it. [/quote]

PP here. Cramming math into one summer is not ideal and will not cover things extensively or deeply.

Also, not really because the higher performing kids are taking Algebra 11 in 8th grade in some charters and Deal, not Geometry.

Sorry but you are naive to think that you can supplement all subjects in middle and think you can cover all the deficits.  You just can’t.

You also can’t rely on other families, like those from Ross, going to their IB middle.

Then there is high school with no guarantee.

Glad your kid ended up at a better school and hopefully can offer much more advance math.

IMO, no Francis would not have served  your kid well at all.  [/quote]

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