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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]SOL data suggests that majority of FCPS kids do fine after taking Algebra 1 in 7th grade. Before covid, 13-14% of FCPS 7th graders took Algebra 1 in 7th and 11-12% took Algebra 2 in 9th. Thus, a few may leave the track, but the majority are still there and they appear to be doing well. Again, before covid, roughly 80% of FCPS students taking Algebra 2 in 9th grade scored pass advanced on their SOL. (And this share would likely be higher absent content coverage quirks -- some teachers opt not to spend much time on statistics in order to better prepare kids for Precalculus and Calculus content.)  SOL scores have fallen post-covid but that reflects learning loss.
https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/apex_captcha/home.do?apexTypeId=306[/quote]

Well, you would expect the majority to do "fine" -- it's only the very strongest academic kids who take Algebra 1 in 7th grade.  But some of these top students end up getting B's when they would have more likely have earned As earlier.  They are at the bottom of the "advanced" class which becomes their comparative group and slowly opt out of STEM careers they were interested in because they are "not that good at math."  They probably would have been better served by taking it in 8th grade since there's no college advantage to taking it sooner.  It might help their math foundations and their overall math self concept.  This might have happened to my eldest kid.  I just went with the flow and had him take Algebra 1H in 7th--he had a 93 on the IAAT, pass advanced on the SOL and teacher recommended it.  Was young for his grade (summer birthday).  Got a B, thought about doing a retake of it in 8th, but was told "B's are very good, I was being too perfectionist etc.".  So  I let it slide.  He got As and Bs in his advanced math/AP classes, but went from being super interested in engineering to thinking himself not good enough in math for it.  Plus the Bs did close some college options for him as they were his lowest grades. Got a 740 in math on his first try on the SAT, but still just felt like he didn't like math and wasn't good enough at it to pursue a STEM major.  For my second kid with nearly identical scores, I recommended waiting until 8th (also a summer birthday, so young for grade).  She seems to be more confident in herself and is sustaining her STEM interest better and so far has gotten As in math.  Just two data points on a complex subject of course, but something to consider.[/quote]
Thanks for sharing this. I believe your story.

I understand that many parents don't have a good idea of how to judge this and that teacher advice is not perfect, and that there is probably some reputation/peer pressure. I am fortunate enough to be in the field and am very engaged in learning mathematics with my child.

From that perspective, I would not have signed up my child for Algebra I in 6th grade had they not scored a 60/60 on the IAAT (as well as on the similar practice tests they took) and regular 600s on the SOLs, plus lots of supplementary math in AoPS.  T[b]he assessments given in school set IMO too low of a bar[/b], in part due to parent pressure, in part due to the nature of these assessments. [/quote]

I'm the PP, and that's what I think too.  I believe there are some kids who can easily handle Algebra H early--who thrive on it.  They have strong math aptitude and interest.  My kid had friends like this in his math classes--they likely would have been better served by taking it in 6th than 7th.   Withholding accelerated math instruction from them would be a waste of their interest and potential.  But the overall push to have academically advanced kids take it earlier than 8th grade is not serving kids' math understanding/interest well.  Thankfully it doesn't seem selective colleges--even in STEM--care whether you took it in 7th or 8th as long as you get to Calc in HS (and do well throughout of course).  [/quote]

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