Anonymous
01/14/2026 20:03
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:Three is no frickin way they will be able to successfully get students to these standards. They are struggling as it is to provide great math instruction. If that many students require math tutoring, the system is not working. You need at least two (maybe even more) QUALIFIED math teachers in each classroom to teach and assist students K-16.
?? This post is about the acceleration guidance for students who are ahead of grade level, not the kids who are behind.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 18:45
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Three is no frickin way they will be able to successfully get students to these standards. They are struggling as it is to provide great math instruction. If that many students require math tutoring, the system is not working. You need at least two (maybe even more) QUALIFIED math teachers in each classroom to teach and assist students K-16.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 17:36
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
So it seems like the real missing piece at MCPS is compacting that supports an on-ramp to acceleration at grade 5, right?
MCPS already has compacting that supports starting acceleration at grades 4 and 6, so I don't think you'd need many changes to those. And you could theoretically enroll in Pre-Algebra (which combines 7/8) in 7th coming off grade-level math in grades 4-6, so you wouldn't necessarily need a new course there either.
I guess if the "extensions" in grade 4 were significant, would that be enough to cover the part of grade 5 math that's covered in Compacted 4/5 and be ready to jump into the second half of grade 5?
MCPS already has compacting that supports starting acceleration at grades 4 and 6, so I don't think you'd need many changes to those. And you could theoretically enroll in Pre-Algebra (which combines 7/8) in 7th coming off grade-level math in grades 4-6, so you wouldn't necessarily need a new course there either.
I guess if the "extensions" in grade 4 were significant, would that be enough to cover the part of grade 5 math that's covered in Compacted 4/5 and be ready to jump into the second half of grade 5?
Anonymous
01/14/2026 17:03
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
I wonder how much of a hassle the "Individual Acceleration Plan" thing is going to be for teachers? Maybe not so much the original plan development, since if the kid is coming out of a mixed-level class then probably the teacher only has a handful of kids ready for acceleration. But then if the plans are supposed to be reviewed annually and the math teacher is supposed to be part of the "committee," then if they have, say, 25 kids in their accelerated class and have to spend 30 minutes in an IAP meeting for each of them near the end of the year, that's like 12.5 extra hours of meetings which seems like a lot.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 16:53
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
My initial thoughts are that there is no way MCPS can staff even more levels of math and these acceleration teams.
Most of all, I still don’t understand what this means for my current 5th grader in compacted math.
Most of all, I still don’t understand what this means for my current 5th grader in compacted math.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 16:18
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:Thanks very much, OP, for posting this. Looking at the acceleration guidance, I think MCPS (and other school districts) will have a very hard time implementing it. In 4th-5th grades, they need to have 3 levels -- on-grade level, slightly accelerated, and fully accelerated. MCPS already struggles with providing compacted math; my kid had 40 kids in his math 5/6 class. I don't think having more levels is going to be easy for ES to accommodate, and MCPS will have to create 3 different pacing guides in upper ES--not something I'm confident they will do well.
You mean the "math 4 with extensions" thing? I think that is supposed to be within regular Grade 4 math classes-- they could probably do it during FIT/WIN time or during small group time in the regular class. Although you're probably right that regrouping the "slightly accelerated" kids into one Grade 4 math class would he the easiest way to do it.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 16:17
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Only Integrated Algebra 1 by grade 8? That’s not really accelerated.
What comes after Integrated Algebra 2? Pre calculus? Or is it Integrated Algebra 3?
If you start in what is now compacted math, you can either to integrated algebra 1 in 7th or 8th grade, depending on how you do, per the examples in the document.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 16:13
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Only Integrated Algebra 1 by grade 8? That’s not really accelerated.
What comes after Integrated Algebra 2? Pre calculus? Or is it Integrated Algebra 3?
They have a pathway for Integrated Algebra in 7th (as well as the skipping a grade in math thing which should cover the occasional kid who is ready for Algebra 1 in 6th, although honestly that doesn't sound like a wise choice unless you're cool with dual enrollment for your later HS courses.)
I think the Algebra 1 in 8th thing is them saying that even if kids get identified late for acceleration, they should still be able to reach Algebra 1 by 8th. But kids who get identified early enough to start compacting in 4th grade should have no problem getting there by 7th (as they do now.)
Anonymous
01/14/2026 16:13
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Only Integrated Algebra 1 by grade 8? That’s not really accelerated.
What comes after Integrated Algebra 2? Pre calculus? Or is it Integrated Algebra 3?
Right now, pre calculus is the class after integrated algebra 2. If every does IA1 in 8th, then they are doing precalc in 10th.
Maybe IA3 will be created. Maybe other math classes like business statistics….
Or maybe pre-calc will become a two-year sequence, where students learn the missing content plus the traditional precalc content.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 16:10
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Thanks very much, OP, for posting this. Looking at the acceleration guidance, I think MCPS (and other school districts) will have a very hard time implementing it. In 4th-5th grades, they need to have 3 levels -- on-grade level, slightly accelerated, and fully accelerated. MCPS already struggles with providing compacted math; my kid had 40 kids in his math 5/6 class. I don't think having more levels is going to be easy for ES to accommodate, and MCPS will have to create 3 different pacing guides in upper ES--not something I'm confident they will do well.
Anonymous
01/14/2026 15:51
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Only Integrated Algebra 1 by grade 8? That’s not really accelerated.
What comes after Integrated Algebra 2? Pre calculus? Or is it Integrated Algebra 3?
Right now, pre calculus is the class after integrated algebra 2. If every does IA1 in 8th, then they are doing precalc in 10th.
Maybe IA3 will be created. Maybe other math classes like business statistics….
Anonymous
01/14/2026 15:46
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Anonymous wrote:MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Only Integrated Algebra 1 by grade 8? That’s not really accelerated.
What comes after Integrated Algebra 2? Pre calculus? Or is it Integrated Algebra 3?
Anonymous
01/14/2026 14:24
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
Does it means math acceleration/skip grades will be easier?
Anonymous wrote:MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Anonymous
01/14/2026 14:14
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
They can F themselves
Anonymous
01/14/2026 14:00
Subject: MSDE math acceleration guidance is up
MSDE guidance for their new math acceleration policies starting in 2027-2028 are up here-- there's a guidance document and some appendices, of which the Sample Acceleration Progressions seems particularly interesting.
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?
Curious other folks' take on it but it looks to me like it includes:
-- An expectation that districts offer compacted math (they call it "telescoping" but make clear it's the same thing, moving through more than one year of math content in a year), I think in grades 4-8 specifically which is when MCPS already does it
-- An expectation that districts offer cluster grouping of kids in grade-level math who do "extensions" covering some of the next year's math content as an "on ramp" to compacting/telescoping in future years (looks like this would likely start in 3rd grade but also be used later on to support kids entering compacted math at higher grades)
-- An expectation that districts offer skipping ahead grades in math ("grade-level subject acceleration") if all grade-level standards have been mastered-- they give an example of a 2nd grader in the 98th-99th percentile, but it looks like this could be in any grade
-- A process with an Individualized Acceleration Plan (IAP) developed by an Acceleration Committee (i.e. teacher, school staff, parents, child) with a multi-year trajectory and annual check-ins
-- Automatic acceleration for any kid scoring a 4 on the math MCAP
-- Students scoring 90-99th percentile on CogAT or similar tests "should be formally considered for advanced acceleration options as appropriate"
There may be more coming regarding enrichment, especially in the lower grades, in the MTSS guidance which isn't out yet but is supposed to be out soon-- these documents are specifically about acceleration.
What do folks think of this and what it means for MCPS?