Anonymous wrote:1090 is threshold this year. And 600 SOL. I heard they are putting very few kids through. Much fewer than past years.

for the 8th grade SOL (pre-algebra)?

1090 is threshold this year. And 600 SOL. I heard they are putting very few kids through. Much fewer than past years.

We were told the threshold was 1090?

Prealgebra definitely missed content.

1090 must be the APS threshold. SMI and many other districts use 1030. I am sure all classes missed content due to the shortened instructional hours. Not sure if that content was fully necessary to move forward in math and it’s unlikely there will be specific time set aside for what your student specifically missed in a class where students are entering from multiple prior classes.

https://www.hmhco.com/product-support/content/techsupport/smi/documentation/SMI_TG_PART_3.pdf
Bottom of page 60

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For our rising 6th grader, we got our recommendation for our kid to do Pre-algebra for 6th graders.

This combines 6/7/8 grade math into one year. We know it is a challenging curriculum for next year, but our DC has been tutored all year, and should be able to handle it. And math is her thing.

Math SOL 600, CoGat in mid-140s and Math Inventory @ 1046.

Most kids who were placed in pre algebra didn’t have tutors, but I’m sure she’ll be fine.

Since you are "In The Know", what percent of kids are heading towards pre-algebra math, and how do you know? Or just a troll?

Around 50% of APS students take accelerated math in middle school. The percentage is closer to 80% for white students.

I don't think this is true anymore. My third child is entering 8th grade in APS and will be taking pre-algebra. Kid 1 took geometry in 8th grade, Kid 2 took algebra in 8th grade, and Kid 3 is taking pre-algebra. Kids 1, 2 and 3 have different strengths, but I think the math placement is more of a reflection of APS's move away from Patrick Murphy's "Your child can take 6 high school classes in middle school" Groundhog Day recitation. Plus, COVID.

Anonymous wrote:Prealgebra is not a prerequisite for algebra. Math 7 kids can take algebra in 8th. Did your student score at least a 1030 on the most recent math inventory? That indicates algebra readiness.
Algebra 1 has a set curriculum and I don’t think the teachers will be slowing down or including lower content in it. Just like my student who took geometry won’t be expected to have any missed content next year as part of algebra 2.

We were told the threshold was 1090?

Prealgebra definitely missed content.

Prealgebra is not a prerequisite for algebra. Math 7 kids can take algebra in 8th. Did your student score at least a 1030 on the most recent math inventory? That indicates algebra readiness.
Algebra 1 has a set curriculum and I don’t think the teachers will be slowing down or including lower content in it. Just like my student who took geometry won’t be expected to have any missed content next year as part of algebra 2.

Anonymous wrote:Yes they do; however if your child had difficulty with Algebra 1 intensified in 8th you might ask if the TJ environment is the right one for them.

It's not a "difficulty" thing. It's the fact that during the pandemic, prealgebra didn't cover all of the necessary concepts. So regular algebra would presumably cover those gaps vs. intensified would just move ahead and not cover gaps.

Beyond that, TJ fit is still a question in general.

Yes they do; however if your child had difficulty with Algebra 1 intensified in 8th you might ask if the TJ environment is the right one for them.

Anonymous wrote:Also TJ only requires algebra 1 to apply so most students are eligible

But do they accept anyone with only alg 1 in 8th grade? seems like alg 1 intensified was a stretch...

Also TJ only requires algebra 1 to apply so most students are eligible

In APS intensified is honors. It means you learn additional content beyond the VA SOLs, so it moves at a faster pace than regular Algebra. There are no additional GPA points for intensified in APS, only AP classes get the additional point so that isn’t until calculus level math.

When applying for colleges there is a place for your counselor to note that you’ve taken the “most rigorous courses available”, so that is where the intensified comes in. I don’t know that they are looking back to 8th grade, though.

In 7th grade only intensified is an option, not regular.

What is the difference between Algebra 1 intensified vs. Algebra 1?

What are disadvantages of taking regular algebra?

Is TJ off the table?

Huge ding for college applications?

Definitely NOT half the kids doing algebra in 7th. I think there were 2 classes when my son was in 7th (last year 19-20) at WMS, maybe 3 classes max. That would be about 75 kids max out of 400 kids. It’s less than 25% for sure. The majority of APS middle schoolers take Algebra 1 in 8th, either regular or intensified. Taking Algebra in 8th is the regular APS path.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For our rising 6th grader, we got our recommendation for our kid to do Pre-algebra for 6th graders.

This combines 6/7/8 grade math into one year. We know it is a challenging curriculum for next year, but our DC has been tutored all year, and should be able to handle it. And math is her thing.

Math SOL 600, CoGat in mid-140s and Math Inventory @ 1046.

Most kids who were placed in pre algebra didn’t have tutors, but I’m sure she’ll be fine.

Since you are "In The Know", what percent of kids are heading towards pre-algebra math, and how do you know? Or just a troll?

Around 50% of APS students take accelerated math in middle school. The percentage is closer to 80% for white students.

Anonymous wrote:Does not taking the SOL mean your kid won't get placed in pre-algebra? The other scores indicated a readiness for pre-algebra, but my son's recommendation was for regular Math 6. Identified GT in math, if it matters. He is bright and advanced, but not off the charts brilliant. We opted out of SOLs for a variety of reasons. Before I try to track down his teacher on summer break, I wanted to get perspectives from parents who have been through this already.

FWIW, there are a lot of GT kids who take regular Math 6 but they are clustered together and then they track to pre-algebra in 7th and Algebra 1 in 8th. The kids who are ready for Algebra 1 in 7th (which counts for high school credit) are usually the GT kids who are really off the charts in math-- the kids who compete on the middle school math team and are getting perfect or near perfect scores on the math inventory without any help from tutors, etc. In past years, APS pushed all the GT math kids through that track, but then found that kids who were above average in math, but not off the charts, were really struggling in high school. Unless you think your kid is going to be a math or hard science major in college, there really isn't a huge advantage to taking Algebra 1 in 7th vs 8th grade. It basically just means one extra year of college-credit math before 12th grade, which won't matter to kids who aren't looking to pursue that track in college. Pushing your kids too fast could actually hurt them in high school, when grades really count and they find themselves totally in over their heads in an advanced math class that they actually don't need for college admissions. Talk to parents of high school students before you get too pushy with the math teachers.