Math Pathways

Did you know that when your child receives a placement in a math class now, that the placement will affect a math pathway which continues through 12th grade? Advancing children to accelerated curricula has an impact on whether they take high school courses in middle school, and which courses remain when they get to High School.

Cluster representatives from Whitman Cluster schools have been discussing this issue all year. We would like parents to be informed that it is not only important that your child is placed in a class appropriate to their level now, but also as they move down the pathway.

The charts reproduced below are very difficult to read, an important point is that Algebra I and Honors Geometry are high school classes, with final exams and grades that go on the permanent transcript. It is the County goal to have 80% of students take Algebra in the 8 th grade. Acceleration beyond one grade level above grade puts children on a pathway to take Algebra in 7 th or even 6 th grade. Certainly, this is an appropriate opportunity for some children. But please keep this in mind when evaluating opportunities in elementary school.

Carderock teachers and faculty have been very vigilant about placement and assessment of performance with this in mind. Acceleration of students at a rate of one grade above puts children into Math A (once a middle school course) in 5 th grade, which keeps them on track to meet the County objective. Some students will move beyond this track while at Carderock, and others would be inappropriately rushed to take this track. Teaches and the principal are available to discuss the implications of your child’s placement once it is determined, and have resolved to try to place children where they will feel most successful now and in the long term.

Middle School Mathematics Sequences

Course Sequence for Mathematics