Reply to LCPS Math placement for 5th graders, rising 6th graders

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Why have both prealgebra and Foundations of Algebra? If a kid can go to Algebra 1 in 7th from either class, it seems like both are providing prealgebra skills. Does prealgebra cover additional material or is it the same material as Foundations but it goes deeper into the topics?[/quote]

Good question.  Perhaps they are similar classes with prealgebra being an honors prealgebra, as it is a new course.  It used to be about half the kids would be in algebra by 7th grade, and it is still somewhat close to that now.[/quote]

Fewer are in 7th grade Algebra than used to be.[/quote]
Yes. If you look at SOL data, it shows that 28% of 7th graders took the Algebra 1 SOL last year; prior year it was 39%.  Similarly, 28% of 8th graders took the Algebra 1 SOL last year; prior year it was 36%.[/quote]

And it will be even less this year. [/quote]
Any sense on how much less?[/quote]

Well, it’s anecdotal, but I have a 6th grader (and an older child who went through before) and pretty much everyone she knows including her is in Foundations. Literally maybe 3-4 kids from her ES went to Pre. The pre kids will likely go to algebra next year and maybe a few foundations kids too but probably only if their parents push. Most of her class will take Pre next year.

FWIW, my older child took Algebra in 7th and although she did fine and has continued to do fine, I’m just not sure what the rush is for. She’s not looking be an engineer or anything like that. Maybe if you are it matters more. I don’t think I will accelerate my 6th grader further. She will likely take Algebra in 8th, which means AB Calc in 12th. Just my 2 cents. [/quote]
Any risk that the number of kids going into 8th grade algebra will be pared back too? Many of the same arguments used to justify slowing kids down from 7th grade algebra could also apply to 8th grade algebra.[/quote]

The throttle is in 6th. After that the path is the path. All 7th graders in Pre will take Algebra in 8th, unless they repeat because they did poorly (some do this every year.)[/quote]

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