Schools

Problem Solved? 8th Grade Math Curriculum May Change in Saratoga

The State Board of Education cuts Algebra I standards from the state's eighth-grade math requirements.

An ambitious effort to better prepare students for college is now just a footnote in history books after the State Board of Education eliminated Algebra I standards for eighth-graders.

The controversial plan required school districts to teach Algebra I in middle school, a mathematics course that most other states offer to high schoolers, according to NBC 4 News.

But the State Board of Education dumped the Algebra 1 requirement, favoring standards that will mirror the national Common Core standards, EdSource reported. That means no more Algebra I for eighth graders, though there are plans to develop accelerated courses of study for students who have the skills to comprehend the Algebra I curriculum.

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Many families move to Saratoga for the superior public schools. Nearly 66 percent of eighth-graders at Redwood Middle School took Algebra I during the 2011-12 school year. Of those 207 eighth-graders, 57 percent rated "advanced" in STAR test results and 32 percent were "proficient."

The state launched Algebra I for middle school students 15 years ago to put pupils on a path to take calculus as high school seniors, according to this Mercury News report. The advanced math study is encouraged for college-bound students and expected by high-level universities.

Find out what's happening in Saratogawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

While more students enrolled in Algebra I as eighth-graders, there have been concerns about students in other districts struggling with the curriculum. The standards require students to keep retaking the course until they pass.

Complicating the matter was a move by the state two years ago that created two sets of middle school math standards. Federal No Child Left Behind statues don't allow for dueling curriculum.

The new eighth-grade math course will be more rigorous than a general pre-algebra class but not as complex as Algebra I, Tom Adams, head of California's curriculum framework and instructional resources, told NBC 4 News.


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