Reply to LCPS -- Middle School Math sequencing Q

Forum Index » Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

Reply to "LCPS -- Middle School Math sequencing Q"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]OP here -- I found this and wanted to share in case it is of interest to others.

From the Loudoun Times Mirror (2013):

"Although all math scores in Loudoun increased, a blemish still came in the eighth grade math test, where the percentage of students passing went from 33 percent in 2011-2012 to 39 percent in 2012-2013. The state average is 61 percent passing and no other Loudoun test has passing rates below 77 percent.

Ackerman noted that a small portion of students even take math 8 in Loudoun County – most are at more advanced mathematical levels.

"The thing to remember is the tests are called grade 8, grade 7 but 80 percent of our eighth graders are in algebra one or higher,” Ackerman said. “Their pass rates are in the algebra one or geometry pass rate, not the math 8.”

Ackerman added that many of the students in math 8 are English Language Learners or Special Education students – two groups that tend to not test as well."

If 80% of LCPS kids are taking algebra in 7th or 8th grade, then that would leave only those at the bottom of the class to take Math8 in 8th grade.  The difference is that FCPS has kids taking the Math 8 SOL in 7th grade (for those who are only one year advanced), so the Math 8 SOL scores in FCPS INCLUDE the kids who are above average in math as well as those on the lower end.  In LCPS, the Math 8 SOL scores ONLY include those kids who are below average in math.

In FCPS, the accelerated kids skip the 5th grade math SOL, so those scores are probably lower across the board (b/c they only include the kids NOT taking advance math).  In LCPS, the better math kids skip 8th grade SOL, and perhaps they skip another one as well.

You wouldn't think there would be such a difference in counties in the same state!  (Maybe we need Common Core to normalize counties within VA??).  I have a friend whose child failed reg. math 3 SOL in FCPS.  She moved to Va. Beach for 5th grade.  Now in 6th grade, she is going to be taking the 8th grade Math SOL and on to algebra in 7th grade.

This child wasn't in adv. math when my child was (both in FCPS -- so that child was a year behind mine in math)... and she moves to another district and now the child's going to be a year AHEAD of mine (who is still in adv. math in FCPS).  Somehow, Va Beach school district accelerated that girl TWO years ahead in math in just TWO years time!

It does make you wonder what FCPS is doing and why other districts are doing it differently.

[/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics