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I know - but be careful how you word it. I think comparing with the remediation might be safer.

the kids on level 25th to 75th percentile get an hours worth of on level instruction daily



Hmmm-- how do you know that this assumption is correct?

I think that Puffin's point is a good one-- it's very difficult to assess whether or not our children (whatever their learning ability/challenges/strengths) are getting a "fair" amount of instructional time and classroom resources when compared with their peers in any classroom. Children are not usually the best narrators, being biased in their observations of what goes on in the classroom, administration often aims squarely at marketing rather than accuracy, and unless we're there ourselves, it can be really hard to say whether something is happening for five minutes or forty each day. I hope that makes sense.

It also isn't necessarily wrong that it isn't always 100% "even" in distribution, either.


I'm guessing that you're after the latter point in puffin's post-- that is, the 15 minutes or so daily that the other children are getting who are, um-- well, ability-grouped, though that likely isn't the term these days.


Have you had any kind of conference with the teacher?

If not, I'd schedule that first-- and in that conference: 1) avoid comparing your child to other children in that classroom, and 2) avoid making arguments for educational changes on 'fairness.' If it doesn't feel fair to your child, that is another matter-- but your phrasing suggests that it is you that feels this way.

Instead, focus on your child's educational NEEDS.

Which of YOUR CHILD's needs are going unmet? It sounds as though your child isn't being given anything new to learn at school in math-- this is a problem.

What are your concerns for YOUR child in this situation? (When you take "fair" out of things, I mean.)


A classroom isn't a zero sum game. It should be the case that all children have their educational needs met, if not their wants, however. But this is ultimately the school's problem to solve-- so tell them what the problem is, and then listen to what they have to suggest, and have ideas of your own about what you'd like for your child to have in this situation-- not in any comparative way, but in a way that is centered on your own child.

Oh-- and one other thing that I've learned from years of 2e advocacy--

you mentioned a year of academic growth. This is definitely the right idea-- just understand that for all that modern education is aimed at outcomes-- those are still not guaranteed for any child. What should be present, though, is the opportunity.

Your child is being deprived of the opportunity to learn a year's worth of math curriculum. The teacher and school likely do not see this problem because they are looking at a very different outcome than you are-- they see "Xth grade mastery" as the desired outcome, and you see "one year of academic advancement during this school year, starting from September's level of attainment."

Obviously, from the school's perspective, a child that has attained the objective in September frees up classroom resources for those children who haven't. But this does leave such advanced children in a holding pattern-- and that is not a neutral thing, but a negative one. (See "what a child doesn't learn"). Often teachers/schools are slow to realize this unless a child is acting out.


You must be incredibly frustrated that the in-class differentiation that was promised is not materializing at all. I think that a lot of us here can definitely empathize, having been there ourselves. It's maddening.


This is a simple thing, really, to explain-- but requires some finesse not to alienate or cause defensiveness in your classroom teacher. Tread lightly.

The alloted time for math is about 75 to 90 minutes daily. I've been in to view a math lesson so I've seen "one day in the life."
I am just very frustrated. We asked for acceleration over a year ago when the district had the opportunity to align schedules and they didn't because they don't like to accelerate early. I am kicking myself for not having pushed harder. And it makes me mad that the district doesn't really offer anything to prove my request wrong--I just got a no with no supporting evidence.