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State requiring eighth-graders to be tested in algebra
By Jennifer Bonnett
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Friday, October 24, 2008 11:56 PM PDT
Under a new state requirement, all eighth-graders will be assessed in algebra before moving on to high school. Lodi Unified is hoping that by using a tested and true curriculum that teaches math concepts early on, this feat won't be as difficult.
In July, the state Board of Education voted to adopt the governor's recommendation to require all middle school students be tested in algebra by the end of the eighth grade. This requirement is set to start in 2011, but districts across the state have balked at the cost of hiring more teachers to teach algebra, and the issue has even gone to court.
Currently, eighth-graders in California take either algebra 1 or general math, commonly referred to as "algebra readiness" or "pre-algebra," which often bridge the gap between general math and algebra concepts.
Catherine Pennington, the district's assistant superintendent of primary education, said LUSD is already teaching basic math concepts to children as young as kindergarten-age that will eventually build on algebraic formulas once the students get to middle school and, later, high school.
Lodi Unified is among the more than 50 school districts that have chosen the enVisionMath California curriculum.
The program is centered on conceptual development and problem-solving skills, and exposing young students to algebraic concepts as early as kindergarten to build a rock-solid foundation for higher-level math courses in middle and high school.
"Algebra doesn't have to be difficult to learn or teach — especially when we begin introducing these concepts at an early age," said enVisionMATH California author Randall Charles, professor emeritus of the Department of Mathematics at California State University, San Jose, and past vice president of the National Council of Supervisors of Mathematics.
Preparing all students for success in algebra at eighth grade requires a strong "early algebra" curriculum as well as a curriculum that focuses on developing concepts and skills involving fractions, he said. "Too many students find algebra challenging because of a poor background in fractions. EnVisionMATH develops the essential understandings and skills related to fractions needed for success in algebra."
In 2006-07, 48 percent of eighth-graders took the state's algebra 1 test and, of those, only 38 percent were considered proficient, according to a survey by the California Teachers Association.
Lisa Kotowski, the district's new curriculum director, said the current state mathematics framework lays out algebra functions that start as early as kindergarten.
"For example, in kindergarten, students are asked to sort and classify objects," she said. "Essentially, programs develop algebra and function strands by building upon simple concepts and skills and computational skills at each grade levels.
"It is hoped that by the time students take (the actual subject of) algebra ,they have mastered the necessary skills and concepts to be successful."
The California School Boards Association and the Association of California School Administrators filed a lawsuit last month to prevent the state Board of Education from imposing the algebra testing requirement. California is the first state to mandate algebra classes at such an early level.
The lawsuit, filed in Sacramento County Superior Court, says the action by the state board was taken in violation of the state's open-meeting laws. It says the public was not given adequate time to comment on the policy.
Even state Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell is against the requirement. He said that only about 23 percent of those students score as proficient or above on standardized tests. The rate is even lower for black, Hispanic and poor students, according to state research.
According to the California Teachers Association, 6,238 full-time employees are currently assigned statewide to teach one of the 32,507 algebra courses for grades 7 through 12. In three years, the eighth-grade projected enrollment is expected to be 469,910, forcing districts to hire another 3,759 full-time employees just to teach the estimated 18,796 algebra courses solely for eighth-graders.
Specific Lodi Unified figures were unavailable.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Contact reporter Jennifer Bonnett at jenniferb@lodinews.com.
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Acampo_Mom wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:47 PM:
Yes, I've had my moments where I've actually agreed and disagreed with several posters on these blogs, even dogs4you.
Everyone can agree and disagree now an then, if we didn't we would then be wallowing in the "we are all the same crowd" would we not?
I hadn't actually given myself the "liberal" label. Rather, I was labeled that by many on the LNS blogs, because of my liberal point of view. But just because a person may lean left, doesn't mean she can't be a right sided thinker now and then.
You said "We have agreed on many issues, but I see some disharmony." In this case...where do you see the disharmony? Other than the fact that I lean left and you lean right, it looked like again we agreed (for the most part).
With my "liberal point of view" comment I was just demonstrating that we don't all fit the stereotype that you (and many others) like to classify us as. "
Acampo_Mom wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:32 PM:
Why do you feel the need to be so insulting? I don't think I even so much as hinted to thinking that I felt my kids deserved anything without working for it first.
As for my daughter getting C's...I am talking about a 7th grader taking algebra 1, which is a high school level class. She will have the opportunity to retake it which she will then probably get A's in it the second time around. My oldest daughter has worked long and hard to maintain honors every single quarter since 4th grade. I'm proud of my kids, and yes they probably WILL have to go to a couple of years of community college, I definitely can't afford four years for the both of them at a university.
The sour grapes in this case seem to be rolling off your own tongue dogs4you. "
edumacation wrote on Oct 26, 2008 8:01 PM:
dogs4you wrote on Oct 26, 2008 6:15 PM:
Acampo_Mom wrote on Oct 26, 2008 2:58 PM:
When I said "How's that for a liberal's point-of-view?"
The point I was getting at was this: just because we have a liberal mindset doesn't mean we are teaching our kids to skate by on other people's hard work, as most conservatives like to infer. We work just as hard as anyone else, and like to enjoy the fruits of our labors just like anyone else.
The implication that if a person is more liberal than conservative that they couldn't possibly be hardworking, serious, intelligent people, couldn't be further from the truth.
And by the way...our family tried the "conservative way" for a while, it didn't suit us.
The only reason why us libs "have to try harder" than anyone else is because unlike the doctor's and lawyer's kids down the street, our kids college educations and futures aren't already bank-rolled for them, they will have to prove themselves worthy to attend the good universities, they will have to earn their scholarships, etc. "
dogs4you wrote on Oct 26, 2008 12:09 PM:
Acampo_Mom wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:38 AM:
She is struggling, however. A lot has to do with how fast they cover the concepts in class, and move on to the next. But most has to do with the fact that she wasn't ready for it. The tests are not accurate measures of these skills. I think she'll get by with C's this year (which is too bad, because it will hurt her GPA) and then have to retake it next-year.
I'm frustrated for her, but I'm going to push her through it, nevertheless. She's holding her own, and we stress in this household that "anything worth doing is worth doing well".
How's that for a liberal's point-of-view? "
perspective wrote on Oct 25, 2008 7:16 PM:
samiam wrote on Oct 25, 2008 4:28 PM:
t jefferson wrote on Oct 25, 2008 3:18 PM:
edumacation wrote on Oct 25, 2008 2:26 PM:
What we need is a three tiered system.
1) Proven results from motivated and pruductive students.
2) Middle of the road average students
and
3) The slackers, hiders, losers and gangbangers.
Strict objective criteria via written tests would be the classification methods, similar to the military. No affirmative dversity plan and games and no preferential treatment beause of mommy and daddy, (or daddy and daddy and mommy and mommy, and various other unknown combinations if prop 8 does not pass).
This method will be cheaper since these kids already know who they are anyway. Someone is always first and someone is always at the bottom. Why pretend they are all "baby geniuses"? "
dogs4you wrote on Oct 25, 2008 1:20 PM:
t jefferson wrote on Oct 25, 2008 7:43 AM:
Comments on this story are now closed.