Reply to Thomas Jefferson TJHSST - why not Honors Algebra I/Honors Geometry for TJ admissions?

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Reply to "Thomas Jefferson TJHSST - why not Honors Algebra I/Honors Geometry for TJ admissions?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Families who send their kids to outside enrichment, including test prep, with the goal of gaining admission to TJ are “gaming” the system. 
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Not really, at least not all of us. DS loves math and loves his math competition class. Does that mean he has a bit of a leg up in his math class? Sure, he has been exposed to many of the concepts before and he has probably had more math practice than kids who don’t do math outside of school. Are we gaming the system? Not intentionally. He dropped the grade level math class he initially took in favor of math competition and we were fine with that. Would he have a leg up on the Quant test if they still had it? Probably, but that is not the reason why he is taking the class.

So it is “ok” for him to participate in enrichment because he loves math vs a kid who is strong at math and whose parents are interested in TJ?

I don’t have a problem with them dropping the Quant test as it was, that test was being specifically prepped for and did provide an advantage to students who could afford prep.

I like seats for each MS. We know that those seats are not all used by kids from those schools and I appreciate them making sure that there is space for kids who are interested in STEM at schools where the kids are less likely to have the outside support to imp[rove or strengthen academic skills.

I like that the criteria is now focused on STEM measures that are available at all schools, so classes. I wouldn’t have a problem if there was a way to weight participation in Mathcounts, Science Olympiad and the like if they are available at all MS. I do think that those clubs show additional interest/investment in STEM but they need to be available to all the kids and not just the ones with AAP Centers.

I would not have a problem if the applications were weighted based on the highest level of math available at each MS. The MS with Algebra II can add a weight to those kids scores to choose their top 1.5%. The schools that only have a few kids in Geometry and more kids in Algebra can still send those kids. But punishing kids who come from families that don’t know about AAP or math paths or that their kid is really good at math shouldn’t be denied access to a great cohort of kids and some amazing opportunities. The AAP Centers with Algebra 2 kids and Geometry kids should be sending those kids. The schools with smaller cohorts send kids with Algebra 1 H and TJ is in a position to support those kids and their interest in STEM in a unique way. But the Algebra 1 only kids would be a smaller group of kids who are interested in STEM and need some supports that the Carson, Cooper, Longfellow, Rocky Run kids don’t need.[/quote] Isn't 8th grade geometry available at all middle schools? Why isn't that metric used?[/quote]

Because it would cut out all of the kids whose parents didn’t know how to game the system by pushing their kids into extra accelerated classes early on.

It was encouraging the race to nowhere. 
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But none of that is needed to access geometry in 7th.  Any kid who is naturally bright at math will end up in the FCPS advanced math track.  Among those kids, any who are bright and mathy should be able to clear the IAAT bar without any prep or studying.  Algebra I in 7th is a path that doesn't require parents to do anything at all.  Any kid who is naturally 98th percentile or higher should easily qualify without any parental intervention or outside enrichment or anything.  Last year, a reasonable number of FARMS 8th graders took the Geometry SOL, and a few even took the Algebra II one.  It's kind of absurd not to look at math level, since the FARMS kids who are accelerated like that are certainly naturally gifted at math.  [/quote]

Very few kids have access to Geometry in 7th grade because very few kids take Algebra 1 in 6th grade. The reason why kids end up in Algebra II in 8th grade is that they take Geometry in the summer. [/quote]
Why do you keep moving the goalposts?  Few kids have Geometry in 7th, but 7th grade geometry is not being proposed as a requirement.  Geometry in 8th is.  Every FCPS kid who is bright at math should have no problem accessing Algebra I in 7th and Geometry in 8th without any need for outside prep or parental involvement.

That being said, the FARMS kids who took Algebra II in 8th are likely exceptional and would thrive at TJ.  [/quote]

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