Virginia to eliminate accelerated math cources prior to 11th grade

digifoss

digifoss

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Virginia moving to eliminate all accelerated math courses before 11th grade as part of equity-focused plans currently planned, this initiative will eliminate ALL math acceleration prior to 11th grade," he said. "That is not an exaggeration, nor does there appear to be any discretion in how local districts implement this. All 6th graders will take Foundational Concepts 6. All 7th graders will take Foundational Concepts 7. All 10th graders will take Essential Concepts 10. Only in 11th and 12th grade is there any opportunity for choice in higher math courses."

https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-accelerated-math-courses-equity
 

That's a Really Stupid idea....probably driven by Political Correctness. There is always a percentage of students who lag behind, as well as some that advance quickly. A decent school system should have a multi-tiered curriculum that offers extra help to those lagging, AND accelerated courses that challenge the minds of the brighter students. With an ever increasing need for people with a good STEM background, failing to offer these courses puts students in a position where they may not qualify for the highly advanced positions that will be needed in the future.
 

digifoss said:

Virginia moving to eliminate all accelerated math courses before 11th grade as part of equity-focused plan​

"[A]s currently planned, this initiative will eliminate ALL math acceleration prior to 11th grade," he said. "That is not an exaggeration, nor does there appear to be any discretion in how local districts implement this. All 6th graders will take Foundational Concepts 6. All 7th graders will take Foundational Concepts 7. All 10th graders will take Essential Concepts 10. Only in 11th and 12th grade is there any opportunity for choice in higher math courses."​

https://www.foxnews.com/us/virginia-accelerated-math-courses-equity
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This is a big mistake. Maths is like music. If someone has an aptitude (talent) for music you don't insist that they progress at the average rate through their music exams. The same with children who show aptitude for sports. Children with exceptional aptitude for maths should be given their chance to fly through the subject.

I had the privilege of nurturing children with special maths abilities and decided to try accelerating them one year. When the new Year 7 students arrived they were loosely graded and placed into classes where they would be more easily catered for but they all studied the same curriculum until the mid year exams. Those students who scored 80% or better were given the opportunity to sit for the Year 8 maths exam. Any of them who scored more than 80% on that exam were the given the option of moving up a grade in maths. The timetable was organised to allow the top maths classes in Year 7 and 8 to take place simultaneously so that for that one subject the most able maths students could cover the same course. There were two conditions. One was that the accelerated students could call it off if they wanted to. The other was that to stay in the accelerated program they had to achieve in the top 10% of the higher form.

Timetabling was a bit of a nightmare but I was the timetabler so I made it work. For the first time the accelerated students were being challenged and they rose to the occasion and performed extremely well. They were being recognised for their talent and they were in control.

It is said that all children are bored at school but the gifted students are bored for different reasons to the majority.
 
Don M. said:
... A decent school system should have a multi-tiered curriculum ...
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My high school in Newton, Massachusetts had three academic "curriculums." We used to joke that they were for the smart, normal, and stupid kids, but it was really more like 1) headed to top colleges, 2) headed, maybe, to "second tier" colleges, and 3) headed straight into the workforce or the military. There were also "advance placement" courses available to those who could qualify, and a full trade school.
 
raybar said:
My high school in Newton, Massachusetts had three academic "curriculums." We used to joke that they were for the smart, normal, and stupid kids, but it was really more like 1) headed to top colleges, 2) headed, maybe, to "second tier" colleges, and 3) headed straight into the workforce or the military. There were also "advance placement" courses available to those who could qualify, and a full trade school.
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That's the way my schools were....they had classes tailored to the abilities of the students. There is NO "one size fits all" when it comes to education, and any school system that doesn't recognize that is doing a huge disservice to its students.
 
This reflects the concept that the idea of an "advanced curriculum" is elitist and fosters inequality. In the minds of the wokesters, it's better that we all be dumb together rather than have any one person or group excel at anything.
 
JimBob1952 said:
I live in Virginia too. This is a non-Fox article that describes the issue in detail.

Short answer: They have not done away with advanced math yet. But they are trying.

https://www.pilotonline.com/news/ed...gqzgqpidmgzpqt4y6pq-story.html?outputType=amp
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Thanks, JimBob.

The other article does say it's in the planning stages, though. It stated the year it's planned to be implemented, too, if implemented. And it says more than once that they got the info from one of the teacher's Facebook page, and that they tried to question the VA Dept of Ed about it.
 
The situation is actually pretty complicated. There is a point in the discussions somewhere that not everybody needs calculus, nor to be pointed towards calculus. Other types of math might be more useful.

Since I don't have anybody in my family who is a teenager (except for a few grandnieces and nephews) I am going to skip this issue. Plus I'm trying to lower my blood pressure by staying away from subjects that get me riled up.
 
In high school some of the AP students got away with poop. But come test time they were ready. Talked to teachers about AP courses years later and said many teachers like teaching them because give them a book and assignments and they're done. Some teachers might put more effort seeing how far they can push their students. It wouldn't be unusual to pass by an AP classroom and they'd be just chatting, congregatting etc. Others were like a religious private school everyone seated racing to take notes from the board.

You don't have to treat raw talent like kings but one should definately nuture it.

And in today's world with the internet, youtube etc I have to wonder how many students are actually learning off of a set cirriculum, text books and teachers anyway.
 
Please accept my sincerest apologies I meant no offense or what some individuals here consider racially biased. Being 1/2 colored I just wanted to post a cultural opinion about a part of my heritage that non coloreds or even coloreds here may not be fully aware of. In the future I'll let on that I am 1/2 colored and/or feel free to elect your option to report this or any other of my post as offensive, inflammatory, trolling, biased or inappropriate in nature. Again my sincerest apologies and GOD Bless.
 
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In Harris County, Texas where Houston is many schools had to repeatedly lower their pass/fail standards in or to graduate students. But after a few years despite very low standards the students continued to fail and eventually some of those schools closed down.
 
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