Gifted Issues Discussion homepage Forums Learning Environments Middle Students receiving credit for HS course

I have an 8th grade daughter who is taking Algebra II at the high school but they will not give her High School credit. She is getting credit for math as a middle schooler. Do you have any suggestions as to how to proceed to have this policy changed or places to look for information?

Is she registered for the class and receiving a grade? If so, then it should appear on her transcripts as a high school course. If she is not registered for the class, then I would start with the high school guidance counselor and ask about it. Then, I would go to the district office and talk to the person in charge of gifted.
These days, most schools have electronic grade books, so I am guessing that her name must appear on the teacher's roll or she would not be able to get grades. If that is the case, then she must be listed as a student in the class and it would be available to be on her transcripts.
My DD is in gr 7 and taking algebra 1, a high school course here, and is getting high school credit for it because the law requires that if she is in the class she has to be registered for it because there is a state end of course exam in it.
In fact, that was one of the reasons they tried to get us to keep her out of the class - "if she does poorly it will be on her transcripts and her chances of getting into college will be affected."
I would push for the high school credit because it may be a graduation requirement and you do not want her to have to take it, or any of the pre-requisites again just to get it on her transcripts.

I think the answer to your question is going to depend on which state you live in and possibly which school district. You might be able to get the information about what your specific school district policy is online (or state policy). If the school district/state policy doesn't allow for accepting the course as high school credit, I'd start advocating for it first through the district gifted department head.

Good luck!

polarbear

That's where things vary from state to state. Algebra 1 is also a high school course here, but students who take it in 7th grade do not get high school credit for it. They get high school math placement from it, but not credit on their transcript.

polarbear

That's where things vary from state to state. Algebra 1 is also a high school course here, but students who take it in 7th grade do not get high school credit for it. They get high school math placement from it, but not credit on their transcript.

Same here. My ds12 is taking Alg this year in 7th and ds10 will actually take it next year in 6th, but neither boy will get credit for it. Ds10 takes pre-alg at the MS (he is in 5th grade at the elementary school) and yes, he is registered for the class. I can see him in the online site. However, it will not go on his MS transcripts and the Alg, Geo and AlgII/Trig that he takes in 6th, 7th and 8th grades will also not go on his HS transcripts. He will fulfill his needed three years of math by taking pre-Calc, Calc and Calc III in HS. I am not sure what he'll do his last year- maybe some FACs or something more laid back
I'm actually excited that my ds10, who has always raced through math with minimum effort, is not being graded. His pre-alg teacher is a very precise and particular grader (last test he got points off for not copying the "repeating decimal" sign on a number in his scratch work-not the answer, but just the work he did off to the side-even though it didn't change the answer and the repeating decimal sign wasn't part of the answer... their "scratch" work is graded because all work must be shown). It's kind of nice that he is learning to be very careful and specific and grades don't matter!

This could be challenging... our school would handle it the same way, no HS credit. I would think the only reason you would actually care is if she plans to graduate from high school early. If you are just worried that she won't have four years of math in actual high school, you can explain this on the college apps and note the grade she received with the explanation. I guess I would hang onto her middle school report card as proof, but very much doubt it would be requested.

My son is taking Algebra I as a 7th grader and will take Geometry as an 8th grader. Where we are, he gets credit for taking the class but the grade doesn't figure into his high school GPA. The state still requires four years of math in high school, so he'll take Alg II through Calc III.

I agree that you need to check with both your school district and your state.

Thanks for all your input. We live in CO. No GT coordinator at this time. Small town so only one hs. I have lots to think about. I am not worried about her running out of math classes just feel that if she is putting in the time with all the other hs students she should get the credit. May need to rethink that. Students do have the opportunity for dual enrollment with community college nearby.

Well, you might care if your state mandates PARTICULAR math classes for high school diplomas (and some do). Beyond that is fine... but if your state says that "geometry" must be included for high school graduation, "calc II" isn't going to substitute for it.

BTDT. This is why we INSISTED that my then 10 yo DD be given high school credit for geometry. It was a high school course, taken with high school classmates. Ergo-- high school credit.

So glad that we insisted, looking back from 11th grade.

Here, a passing grade in algebra and a passing end of course exam are now required for graduation, whether it is taken as a middle schooler or not, if a student doesn't have it on their transcripts, they will not graduate! The state is specific about which courses are required because of the new end of course exams.