Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums General Discussion Is Algebra Necessary?

Oh, that's interesting. In NC, we have a mandated by law end of course test for what used to be algebra (now the first HS level CC class), so that content in NC is going to be very standard in all 100 counties, as they'll all be teaching to the test. After that, there are no required EOGs for math, so I suppose it might vary from county to county. Though once the text books start coming out, I suppose that will cut down on some variation.

For MS and ES it is different-- they have EOGs (end of grade tests, different from the EOC for algebra / HS CC 1). Those will all teach from the state's list of Common core standards -- they will all teach to the test, so I suspect classes will be similar from county to county as they are now (we already had a standards and testing system in place, we've just swapped it for a different one, for the $). They are all (admins and teachers), in fact, freaking out a bit this year, because they don't know what the new tests look like.

From what I understand about what happened in NC, we got some federal money for implementing CC early and part of that was contingent on this testing system that we're implementing. But who knows. I live in a county where the BOE superintendent changes weekly and kids are zoned to different schools every year. At some point I just stopped paying attention and started signing my kid up for Art of Problem solving classes on the side.

I really don't like that in our state so much of what our kids do in school is legislated. But that's me.

This is all so interesting. My daughter took the normal AlgI, Geom, AlgII beginning in 7th grade. She is now taking College Algebra. I was worried this would be a total rehash, but the teacher has stepped it up quite a bit. She'll take Trig next semester and then College Calc I next year finishing with College Stats - and maybe College Calc II.

She loves math and learns it very easily. She is not representative of our population though. Most here struggle through math and barely finish Algebra.

kcab, your impressions of CC's actual mandates match mine. That is, that it does mandate certain algebra skills-- but doesn't mandate how/when they are taught other than "during the course of four years of high school mathematics instruction." That means, more or less, four years at or beyond the algebra I level (but, as noted, the devil is in the details there in terms of even defining what "at" means, nevermind what "algebra I" does).

I've been trying to keep up with that as it rolls out-- mostly because I have worried about it producing 'gotcha' moments for kids who are currently in their 10th-13th grade years (as mine is).

LOL... obviously, I meant "12th grade" there. That'll teach me to pay attention to my typing, won't it?