Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS and LCPS use SOL and Iowa data for accelerated math consideration and families know the threshold needed ahead of time. Transparency is good.

IOWA scores are worthless. They aren’t accurate at all. Why does FCPS use them?

FCPS and LCPS have used Iowa for a while so they must find it useful. What don't you like about it?

It scored my kids 2-4 grade levels above their accurate grade level. Multiple times.

Any kid who is a decent guesser will score well. Regardless if he/she understands the content.

Were they given Iowa in APS or somewhere else?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOL data show the kids taking 7th grade Algebra 1 do well on their SOLs for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, with large shares scoring pass advanced. It's the kids starting Algebra 1 in later years that struggle more.

Interesting. That is the opposite message our elementary was pushing when discussing pre-algebra for 6th graders.

I’m also confused about this, in addition to the “holistic” comment - from what we were told the decision is purely based on Spring scores only with no teacher input…?

Regarding last year’s 7th grade placement process:

February 24, 2022

Dear Parents of Sixth Graders,

We are half-way through the third academic quarter (!), and I understand that many parents are starting to have questions about their child’s math placement recommendation for 7th grade. I want to share a bit more about the placement recommendation timeline.

All math course placement recommendations for rising 7th graders are made in mid-June following our scheduled spring SOL test (6/3/22 as of now) and additional end-of-year testing. A committee comprised of teachers, our Math Coach Michelle Janney, grade-level counselor Paul Gardner and an APS Math Department representative will meet to discuss and determine math placements for next year. At the conclusion of the meeting, I may contact you by phone to discuss your child's recommended placement for next year. Letters indicating the committee's course recommendation will be mailed home after the last day of school.

Because this decision is still months away, I respectfully ask that you hold questions related to placement until further information is shared.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS and LCPS use SOL and Iowa data for accelerated math consideration and families know the threshold needed ahead of time. Transparency is good.

IOWA scores are worthless. They aren’t accurate at all. Why does FCPS use them?

FCPS and LCPS have used Iowa for a while so they must find it useful. What don't you like about it?

It scored my kids 2-4 grade levels above their accurate grade level. Multiple times.

Any kid who is a decent guesser will score well. Regardless if he/she understands the content.

https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/iowa-algebra-aptitude

RESULTS LETTER - BELOW 91ST PERCENTILE
IOWA ALGEBRA APTITUDE TEST (IAAT)
"Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of ___________:

Earlier this year your child took the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT). This was the first step in the screening process for placement in Algebra 1 Honors in the following academic year. A student must score at or above the 91st percentile to continue in the screening process. I am writing to inform you that your child scored at the _____ percentile on this test.

Your child will continue in their advanced mathematics coursework this year and take the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Grade 7 Mathematics test in the spring. This will serve as excellent preparation for Mathematics 7 Honors in grade 7 and Algebra 1 Honors in grade 8."

Anonymous wrote:It’s well over 1000. Maybe 1100. Don’t parent place your kid. Every year there are 2 or 3 of these kids in class at WMS. They struggle, feel stupid and hold the class back. It’s just a terrible choice for everyone. Trust the professionals. It is OK to not be in the highest math class. They can still go to Harvard. They can still take calculus bc. They will be fine.

We parent placed, and our kid did very well in Algebra in 7th & doing great in geometry in 8th. Has not struggled at all. It was the right decision. Sometimes “the experts” is really just a cut-off on a test.
Patents should consider what the schools tell them, but parents know their kids best. There have also been times when we chose not to put one of our kids in the highest level class offered.

https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/iowa-algebra-aptitude

RESULTS LETTER - AT 91ST PERCENTILE OR HIGHER
IOWA ALGEBRA APTITUDE TEST (IAAT)
"Dear Parent(s)/Guardian(s) of ___________:

Earlier this year your child took the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT). This was the first step in the screening process for placement in Algebra 1 Honors in the following academic year. A student must score at or above the 91st percentile to continue in the screening process. I am writing to inform you that your child scored at the _____ percentile on this test.

The next step towards Algebra 1 Honors placement for the following year will be to take the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOL) Grade 7 Mathematics test in the spring of this year. A student must show mastery of middle school mathematics as evidenced by a score of 500 or above on the SOL Grade 7 Mathematics test at the end of this academic year in order to be enrolled in Algebra 1 Honors for next year.

During the summer, middle school staff will use the IAAT and SOL scores to make the appropriate mathematics placement. If your child meets the criteria for both assessments, they will be placed in Algebra 1 Honors. If your child only meets one of the criteria, they will be placed in Mathematics 7 Honors. If your child qualifies for Algebra 1 Honors but you would prefer a Mathematics 7 Honors placement, please notify the middle school about your preference over the summer."

FCPS offers advanced math in elementary centers and neighborhood schools. GenEd and AAP kids are eligible. This is the selection process for 7th grade Algebra 1 for kids doing advanced math.

https://www.fcps.edu/student-tests-and-assessments/student-assessment-details/iowa-algebra-aptitude

"Fairfax County Public Schools students who access a Sixth Grade Advanced Math curriculum take the Iowa Algebra Aptitude Test (IAAT) in the January through March timeframe. Results from this assessment are used as one component of the course placement process for Algebra 1 Honors in Grade 7.

IAAT results are available in April. The webpages linked below provide additional information on understanding IAAT results communication from schools. Links will be updated as decisions about 2021-22 course placements are finalized."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:FCPS and LCPS use SOL and Iowa data for accelerated math consideration and families know the threshold needed ahead of time. Transparency is good.

IOWA scores are worthless. They aren’t accurate at all. Why does FCPS use them?

FCPS and LCPS have used Iowa for a while so they must find it useful. What don't you like about it?

Why would schools allow parent placement? (I assume that means parent forces a kid into a higher level than evaluated for)

Anonymous wrote:My kid is in 6th this year and in pre-algebra. I was wondering about this last year and got stonewalled by our elementary school when I asked about the decision process and metrics.

I copy/pasted the text from last year’s notification letter:

VA SOL Grade 5 Math SOL 550+
CogAT Quantitative 126+
CogAT Nonverbal 126+
MI Quantile Score 1046

I don’t know if these guidelines are school specific or across APS.

That was what was in our now seventh grader’s math placement letter.
Even if they don’t place into prealgebra you can always self select in, or they can get ahead later. If you take prealgebra as a sixth grader, you are on track to take 2 years of calculus in high school. That’s a lot of calculus.

It’s well over 1000. Maybe 1100. Don’t parent place your kid. Every year there are 2 or 3 of these kids in class at WMS. They struggle, feel stupid and hold the class back. It’s just a terrible choice for everyone. Trust the professionals. It is OK to not be in the highest math class. They can still go to Harvard. They can still take calculus bc. They will be fine.

This is OP.

I am surprised, but not, about how hard it is to understand the numbers.

And I don’t understand how 5% go to pre-algebra with no other differentiation with students. Sounds like either rushed through pre-algebra Math or dragging around Math.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The MI benchmark was 1140 a few years ago. I looked up the email. Why is it so much lower now?

Was that the 3.1 or an earlier MI?

I’m pretty sure it’s the same scale… it used to be 1030, then was raised to 1139, I think, then maybe they went back to using 1030? I think they raised it in an effort to let very few kids take algebra in 7th… for example, fewer than 5 kids at my kid’s school initially qualified that year. Why they want to reduce the numbers, I’m not sure.

OK. I have an email from the math coach quoting at 1140 for Swanson. It's so odd that the benchmark is so much lower. I thought they raised it b/c they found that pushing math too fast had consequences down the line and they wanted the bar to be really high.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOL data show the kids taking 7th grade Algebra 1 do well on their SOLs for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, with large shares scoring pass advanced. It's the kids starting Algebra 1 in later years that struggle more.

Interesting. That is the opposite message our elementary was pushing when discussing pre-algebra for 6th graders.

I’m also confused about this, in addition to the “holistic” comment - from what we were told the decision is purely based on Spring scores only with no teacher input…?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:SOL data show the kids taking 7th grade Algebra 1 do well on their SOLs for Algebra 1, Geometry, and Algebra 2, with large shares scoring pass advanced. It's the kids starting Algebra 1 in later years that struggle more.

Interesting. That is the opposite message our elementary was pushing when discussing pre-algebra for 6th graders.

Ditto. I had further conversations with admin about this (downsides of pushing ahead, potential future struggles later) and ended up pulling my child out of algebra intensified in grade 7 because I didn't want them to have math be a struggle once they moved into the advanced classes in high school. Seeing them working on some harder stuff this year (Intensified Geometry and proofs and such) I am glad we took the pedal off the gas and let them get a stronger foundation, which is serving them well now. Even though they ended up "relearning" a lot of stuff the year I pulled them from Intensified Algebra, they even admitted that even though they technically learned the material the year before, they didn't have the same full understanding of things because of the rapid pace of 678 math