Hmmm.
Well, I'm skeptical. My DD's foundation in algebra I and geometry is more than enough for her to tutor high school students in both courses-- and in the revamped Common Core "course three" which I gather is the new "prealgebra" class. Or maybe it's some other course that doesn't translate at all into the conventional sequence, as it has elements of algebra and geometry both, but with less rigor than either course. At any rate, DD knows her stuff well enough to explain it efficiently and cleanly to other students for four hours a week-- and that includes students who are into the newly designed/aligned course.
On the other hand, if "inquiry based" methods of math instruction are implemented as they have been in many ways around here... well, then, sure. I can see why it would take students-- even bright ones-- a couple of years to "discover" algebra 1 fundamentals on their own.
(Yes, sarcasm very much intended)
