Anonymous
08/20/2025 13:42
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Both iReady Reading and Math are valuable tools for understanding your child’s standing relative to grade-level expectations. The Lexile and Quantile scores, in particular, provide especially useful insights. Unfortunately, FCPS has done a poor job of being transparent about the purpose and value of the iReady assessments—even for parents. I had to seek out this information on my own. Since FCPS administers the test, I assumed it was intended to measure something meaningful. Once I dug into the full report, I realized how powerful the data could be in tracking and supporting my child’s academic growth.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:56
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
No, my child entered AAP in the last three years and they didn’t even have an iready at the time of application. It is also not listed as one of the scores considered on FCPS AAP website such as nnat or cogat. It was initially introduced as a tool to align with SOLs and see where student gaps existed. Even our ES said it’s merely a tool to see where kids may need help. The FCPS website states:
The iReady Reading test is used in FCPS as a screening and growth tool to help teachers understand students' strengths and areas for support. The iReady Reading test helps teachers monitor the growth of every student in learning the content knowledge and skills of the state standards, regardless of their starting point.
It has never been relied upon as a standardized assessment tool for advanced math placement. FCPS merely pulled this metric out of nowhere to implement a disorganized unplanned pilot program that even the schools didn’t know about. Isn’t that why some schools declined to participate in the pilot or administered an additional test to confirm the student is a good fit. If anything they should administer the IAAT test to confirm 6th grade eligibility.
I'm telling you at our school for principal placement into advanced math it absolutely was. For years.
What school? It’s not an FCPS wide policy.
Canterbury Woods ES. IIRC this policy was first used when my now-4th grader was going into 2nd? Or maybe 1st.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:54
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
NP. I asked the AART a couple of years ago about criteria for advanced math and received the following response. Kid got in on appeal so it didn't end up mattering, but it's clearly been used as a screener for years. It's also a data point listed for AAP admissions.
"Good afternoon. We look at multiple data points when thinking about advanced math placement. We use the Cogat, teacher feedback, and IReady scores as well as the assessment."
"Good afternoon. We look at multiple data points when thinking about advanced math placement. We use the Cogat, teacher feedback, and IReady scores as well as the assessment."
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:47
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
No, my child entered AAP in the last three years and they didn’t even have an iready at the time of application. It is also not listed as one of the scores considered on FCPS AAP website such as nnat or cogat. It was initially introduced as a tool to align with SOLs and see where student gaps existed. Even our ES said it’s merely a tool to see where kids may need help. The FCPS website states:
The iReady Reading test is used in FCPS as a screening and growth tool to help teachers understand students' strengths and areas for support. The iReady Reading test helps teachers monitor the growth of every student in learning the content knowledge and skills of the state standards, regardless of their starting point.
It has never been relied upon as a standardized assessment tool for advanced math placement. FCPS merely pulled this metric out of nowhere to implement a disorganized unplanned pilot program that even the schools didn’t know about. Isn’t that why some schools declined to participate in the pilot or administered an additional test to confirm the student is a good fit. If anything they should administer the IAAT test to confirm 6th grade eligibility.
I'm telling you at our school for principal placement into advanced math it absolutely was. For years.
What school? It’s not an FCPS wide policy.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:45
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
No, my child entered AAP in the last three years and they didn’t even have an iready at the time of application. It is also not listed as one of the scores considered on FCPS AAP website such as nnat or cogat. It was initially introduced as a tool to align with SOLs and see where student gaps existed. Even our ES said it’s merely a tool to see where kids may need help. The FCPS website states:
The iReady Reading test is used in FCPS as a screening and growth tool to help teachers understand students' strengths and areas for support. The iReady Reading test helps teachers monitor the growth of every student in learning the content knowledge and skills of the state standards, regardless of their starting point.
It has never been relied upon as a standardized assessment tool for advanced math placement. FCPS merely pulled this metric out of nowhere to implement a disorganized unplanned pilot program that even the schools didn’t know about. Isn’t that why some schools declined to participate in the pilot or administered an additional test to confirm the student is a good fit. If anything they should administer the IAAT test to confirm 6th grade eligibility.
I'm telling you at our school for principal placement into advanced math it absolutely was. For years.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:44
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
They never publicly said one word about iready with respect to Algebra placement.
No, but my point was that at least some places they started using iReady for math placement. I mean - it directly impacted which kids could take Algebra 1 in 7th under the current system at our ES that they used iReady (and SOLs for that matter) to push a whole bunch of kids - who deserved it FWIW - into advanced math.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:43
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
No, my child entered AAP in the last three years and they didn’t even have an iready at the time of application. It is also not listed as one of the scores considered on FCPS AAP website such as nnat or cogat. It was initially introduced as a tool to align with SOLs and see where student gaps existed. Even our ES said it’s merely a tool to see where kids may need help. The FCPS website states:
The iReady Reading test is used in FCPS as a screening and growth tool to help teachers understand students' strengths and areas for support. The iReady Reading test helps teachers monitor the growth of every student in learning the content knowledge and skills of the state standards, regardless of their starting point.
It has never been relied upon as a standardized assessment tool for advanced math placement. FCPS merely pulled this metric out of nowhere to implement a disorganized unplanned pilot program that even the schools didn’t know about. Isn’t that why some schools declined to participate in the pilot or administered an additional test to confirm the student is a good fit. If anything they should administer the IAAT test to confirm 6th grade eligibility.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:31
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
IAAT would be a better test to determine Algebra readiness, but they got rid of that for reasons unknown.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:29
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
They never publicly said one word about iready with respect to Algebra placement.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:26
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
At our ES iReady has been used to determine placement of kids not in full-time AAP into advanced math for at least 3 years now...and they publically said so.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 12:22
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Does anyone know if these grades will be in SIS do we can see what is missing like wheb they are in middle/high
Yes, you should be able to. I'm not teaching this year but I had a 6th grader in my middle school class last year who came from the elementary, and he was just added to my roster. If they are following the HS grading policy of 30% formative/70% summative with max 10% homework then there needs to be weighted gradebook categories set.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 11:53
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
This is a really good point. Iready should not be used to determine anything since we have always been told that it is not used in any determinations. Now they are using it and nobody knew. This is not a reasonable measure for placement into Algebra. They should only use the SOLs and have a well defined requirement. This stinks of "wholistic" selection bias all over again.
Anonymous
08/20/2025 11:43
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:What about the 120 schools that aren't offering it? Aren't we all about equity of course offerings these days?
That argument is why there is even a pilot happening. It used to be that 30 or so kids had access to Algebra in 6th grade and that parents had to provide transportation to the MS for the class. At least FCPS is looking for ways to get Algebra in 6th grade into the ES so more kids have access. A pilot program makes sense to see how to expand the class to ES. They can compare the kids at Secondary Schools, who will take the class with MS teachers, kids at Centers, who will have a dedicated class, and kids at base schools who have to take the class virtually.
Hopefully they can expand the program across the county. It would have been nice if they allowed kids with the same scores at other schools the option of attending the MS to take the class, like the did kids who were taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade in the past.
How were the 25-30 students in past being identified to go to the MS? Just teacher/parent placement based on conversations?
Anonymous
08/20/2025 09:47
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:All along FCPS has said the iready isn’t used for anything but here we are determining if a kid should take algebra in 6th based at least in large part on an iready, a test which even teachers hate and don’t emphasize.
For those of you that have a child that got into 6th grade algebra can you post here with what percentile and raw score your child got? I'm seriously confused what the criteria is and fcps is not being transparent (shocking!)
555 iReady (99%)
569 Grade 6 Math SOL
Anonymous
08/20/2025 09:38
Subject: Algebra in 6th grade - new selection process?
Anonymous wrote:What about the 120 schools that aren't offering it? Aren't we all about equity of course offerings these days?
That argument is why there is even a pilot happening. It used to be that 30 or so kids had access to Algebra in 6th grade and that parents had to provide transportation to the MS for the class. At least FCPS is looking for ways to get Algebra in 6th grade into the ES so more kids have access. A pilot program makes sense to see how to expand the class to ES. They can compare the kids at Secondary Schools, who will take the class with MS teachers, kids at Centers, who will have a dedicated class, and kids at base schools who have to take the class virtually.
Hopefully they can expand the program across the county. It would have been nice if they allowed kids with the same scores at other schools the option of attending the MS to take the class, like the did kids who were taking Algebra 1 in 6th grade in the past.