Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 06:20     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is all so bizarre - we were specifically told that 4th grade advanced math/LLIV class will take the 4th grade SOL even though they'll learn the 5th grade curriculum.


This is not a change. 4th AAP has always taken the 4th grade SOL. They skip the 5th grade SOL the following year and take the 6th grade SOL instead in 5th grade.


I posted yesterday that it is a change for kids at my center school. Last year they did the above. This year, 4th grade AAP will take the 5th grade SOL.


You are mistaken, or the teacher is— 4th grade no longer even covers all of the 5th grade content. 4th grade AAP will continue to take the 4th grade SOL.


I'm sorry, no, the teacher was quite clear they are disregarding the advanced math pacing on the website and will be teaching primarily 5th grade math in preparation for the 5th grade SOL. I even asked to clarify/confirm. They are essentially going to skip 4th grade math, since last year only third grade with "extensions" was taught. This is a center school so I suspect it's has something to do with the algebra 1 pilot.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 06:11     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is all so bizarre - we were specifically told that 4th grade advanced math/LLIV class will take the 4th grade SOL even though they'll learn the 5th grade curriculum.


This is not a change. 4th AAP has always taken the 4th grade SOL. They skip the 5th grade SOL the following year and take the 6th grade SOL instead in 5th grade.


I posted yesterday that it is a change for kids at my center school. Last year they did the above. This year, 4th grade AAP will take the 5th grade SOL.


You are mistaken, or the teacher is— 4th grade no longer even covers all of the 5th grade content. 4th grade AAP will continue to take the 4th grade SOL.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 06:08     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is all so bizarre - we were specifically told that 4th grade advanced math/LLIV class will take the 4th grade SOL even though they'll learn the 5th grade curriculum.


This is not a change. 4th AAP has always taken the 4th grade SOL. They skip the 5th grade SOL the following year and take the 6th grade SOL instead in 5th grade.


I posted yesterday that it is a change for kids at my center school. Last year they did the above. This year, 4th grade AAP will take the 5th grade SOL.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 06:04     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:This is all so bizarre - we were specifically told that 4th grade advanced math/LLIV class will take the 4th grade SOL even though they'll learn the 5th grade curriculum.


This is not a change. 4th AAP has always taken the 4th grade SOL. They skip the 5th grade SOL the following year and take the 6th grade SOL instead in 5th grade.


My current 8th grader was in advanced math. He skipped the 5th grade SOL in 5th grade and took the 6th grade SOL. He took the 4th grade SOL in 4th grade. Fifth grade is the year that they “”skip” a grade but really the math in 3r and 4th grade was slightly accelerated so that they completed grades 3-5 math in grades 3-4.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 06:00     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
What is the end game here? IMO even multivariable calculus in 12th is unnecessary for many kids.


A strong elementary education that gives them the opportunity to explore their potential and sets them up for success in a competitive world.

Slowing down the pacing for kids that were selected because they were advanced seems counterproductive.

As others said, FCPS should revisit the selection criteria instead of penalizing the students that were performing well within AAP.


Weakening the AAP math program is not counterproductive if your goal is to close the racial achievement gap from the top down.

FCPS appears to be doing exactly that. All the evidence points to it.


As you’ve undoubtedly seen here on this forum, FCPS is now piloting algebra 1 in 6th to a much larger percentage of students than have historically been offered this option in the past. That is the opposite of slowing down pacing.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 05:55     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:This is all so bizarre - we were specifically told that 4th grade advanced math/LLIV class will take the 4th grade SOL even though they'll learn the 5th grade curriculum.


This is not a change. 4th AAP has always taken the 4th grade SOL. They skip the 5th grade SOL the following year and take the 6th grade SOL instead in 5th grade.
Anonymous
Post 09/11/2025 04:44     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
What is the end game here? IMO even multivariable calculus in 12th is unnecessary for many kids.


A strong elementary education that gives them the opportunity to explore their potential and sets them up for success in a competitive world.

Slowing down the pacing for kids that were selected because they were advanced seems counterproductive.

As others said, FCPS should revisit the selection criteria instead of penalizing the students that were performing well within AAP.


Weakening the AAP math program is not counterproductive if your goal is to close the racial achievement gap from the top down.

FCPS appears to be doing exactly that. All the evidence points to it.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 21:41     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
What is the end game here? IMO even multivariable calculus in 12th is unnecessary for many kids.


A strong elementary education that gives them the opportunity to explore their potential and sets them up for success in a competitive world.

Slowing down the pacing for kids that were selected because they were advanced seems counterproductive.

As others said, FCPS should revisit the selection criteria instead of penalizing the students that were performing well within AAP.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 21:24     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
This is all so bizarre - we were specifically told that 4th grade advanced math/LLIV class will take the 4th grade SOL even though they'll learn the 5th grade curriculum.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 21:01     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Ha. I teach 5th advanced and the word is that we’re going to be asked to teach some 7th grade standards or even a full section of math 7 next year.

This push from Reid really screwed over the math office. They have wanted to move to enrichment/extensions instead of acceleration for elementary advanced math, which would then just be folded into regular math so “everyone gets the advanced content.”

Now they have to figure out how to get 5th graders who have gotten mostly grade level “extensions” competent with the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade standards so they’re ready for algebra 1 in 6th.

Or who am I kidding? They’ll just tell US to figure it out.


What is the end game here? IMO even multivariable calculus in 12th is unnecessary for many kids.


No clue. The system we had previously (compact 3rd-5th into 3rd-4th advanced) was working fine. All of this is unforced error.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 20:59     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:No one is holding advanced kids back. The reason for the change is that too many kids were failing advanced math/required extensive tutoring or enrichment to keep up. This change to 3rd and 4th gets them to where they need to be in 6th and 7th without too many children falling behind.


That was the justification for slowing down 3rd-4th advanced. I asked for specifics of this supposed epidemic of kids failing advanced math. What percentage of kids are we talking? At what point was the failing happening? Somehow it never materialized. And why not just have more stringent entry requirements for advanced math then, instead of slowing down everyone?

I think the original plan was to pull 5th advanced back too in a few years. There’s going to be a drop in 5th advanced math scores as the kids currently in 3rd and 4th get to 5th less prepared, which would have been a good excuse.

Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 20:52     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:Ha. I teach 5th advanced and the word is that we’re going to be asked to teach some 7th grade standards or even a full section of math 7 next year.

This push from Reid really screwed over the math office. They have wanted to move to enrichment/extensions instead of acceleration for elementary advanced math, which would then just be folded into regular math so “everyone gets the advanced content.”

Now they have to figure out how to get 5th graders who have gotten mostly grade level “extensions” competent with the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade standards so they’re ready for algebra 1 in 6th.

Or who am I kidding? They’ll just tell US to figure it out.


What is the end game here? IMO even multivariable calculus in 12th is unnecessary for many kids.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 20:46     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:At our school the teacher confirmed that she will teach 4th grade math per the curriculum. This pacing was introduced last year and will apparently continue to follow this cohort. I will not be surprised if the SOL is changed to their grade level next year. I’d be curious to see how this plays out with the selection process for Algebra in 6th.


19:01 here. I thought it was odd that our teacher said they will take the 5th grade SOL this year. Last year, 4th grade took 4th grade SOL and then in 5th grade, skipped 5th grade SOL and took 6th grade SOL as is common for AAP. It dawned on me that the school, being a center, is likely one of the algebra pilot sites, though I don't have direct knowledge of it one way or another.


Teacher here— 5th advanced math is still taking the 6th grade SOL this year, unless some schools got exceptions for some reason. I’ve never heard of that but things are so chaotic this year I wouldn’t rule it out.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 20:43     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Ha. I teach 5th advanced and the word is that we’re going to be asked to teach some 7th grade standards or even a full section of math 7 next year.

This push from Reid really screwed over the math office. They have wanted to move to enrichment/extensions instead of acceleration for elementary advanced math, which would then just be folded into regular math so “everyone gets the advanced content.”

Now they have to figure out how to get 5th graders who have gotten mostly grade level “extensions” competent with the 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grade standards so they’re ready for algebra 1 in 6th.

Or who am I kidding? They’ll just tell US to figure it out.
Anonymous
Post 09/10/2025 20:37     Subject: has the curriculum for AAP 4th grade changed?
Anonymous wrote:At our school the teacher confirmed that she will teach 4th grade math per the curriculum. This pacing was introduced last year and will apparently continue to follow this cohort. I will not be surprised if the SOL is changed to their grade level next year. I’d be curious to see how this plays out with the selection process for Algebra in 6th.


19:01 here. I thought it was odd that our teacher said they will take the 5th grade SOL this year. Last year, 4th grade took 4th grade SOL and then in 5th grade, skipped 5th grade SOL and took 6th grade SOL as is common for AAP. It dawned on me that the school, being a center, is likely one of the algebra pilot sites, though I don't have direct knowledge of it one way or another.