thank you so much for following up and giving us the answer. I appreciate this information very much.

just closing the loop here in case others have the same question. I'm the one who asked if there is any discretion in allowing a kid who just missed the cutoff on the SOL to take 7th grade algebra anyway. The guidance counselor said we should ask the principal, and she used her discretion to allow our son to enroll in algebra.

Anonymous wrote:I don't see any purpose for taking Algebra in 7th grade unless your high school (like Jefferson) offers a post-calculus class. From what I see and read, most schools do not offer any, and frankly, most kids do not want/need differential equations/ multi-variable calculus. So, you are basically pushing your kid to calculus in 11th grade and then stopping.

All FCPS high schools offer post-calculus math.

Anonymous wrote:I don't see any purpose for taking Algebra in 7th grade unless your high school (like Jefferson) offers a post-calculus class. From what I see and read, most schools do not offer any, and frankly, most kids do not want/need differential equations/ multi-variable calculus. So, you are basically pushing your kid to calculus in 11th grade and then stopping.

McLean offers it.

I don't see any purpose for taking Algebra in 7th grade unless your high school (like Jefferson) offers a post-calculus class. From what I see and read, most schools do not offer any, and frankly, most kids do not want/need differential equations/ multi-variable calculus. So, you are basically pushing your kid to calculus in 11th grade and then stopping.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have the link to the chart handy at the moment, but most of the successful TJ applicants are taking Honors Geometry in eighth grade. Each year for the last few years, the school has been accepting fewer and fewer students who are taking Algebra I in eighth grade.

This will likely change this admission year and going forward due to the new math standards and the 7th grade math SOL scores.

I agree They had to lower the admission standards a few years ago when they were a PA on the 8th grade math SOL. With the higher standards on the 7th grade SOL, it goes back closer to the older standard. The reason they have been accepting fewer students with Algebra I in 8th grade is because more students were 'qualifying' to take Algebra I in 7th grade based on the lower bar. With the new standards, there should be fewer students qualifying for 7th grade Algebra I again. This might help the current problem at TJ with students who need 'remedial' help with math. This issue seemed to coincide with the lowered standard to take Algebra I in 7th grade.

+1

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't have the link to the chart handy at the moment, but most of the successful TJ applicants are taking Honors Geometry in eighth grade. Each year for the last few years, the school has been accepting fewer and fewer students who are taking Algebra I in eighth grade.

This will likely change this admission year and going forward due to the new math standards and the 7th grade math SOL scores.

I agree They had to lower the admission standards a few years ago when they were a PA on the 8th grade math SOL. With the higher standards on the 7th grade SOL, it goes back closer to the older standard. The reason they have been accepting fewer students with Algebra I in 8th grade is because more students were 'qualifying' to take Algebra I in 7th grade based on the lower bar. With the new standards, there should be fewer students qualifying for 7th grade Algebra I again. This might help the current problem at TJ with students who need 'remedial' help with math. This issue seemed to coincide with the lowered standard to take Algebra I in 7th grade.

Anonymous wrote:I don't have the link to the chart handy at the moment, but most of the successful TJ applicants are taking Honors Geometry in eighth grade. Each year for the last few years, the school has been accepting fewer and fewer students who are taking Algebra I in eighth grade.

This will likely change this admission year and going forward due to the new math standards and the 7th grade math SOL scores.