Reply #219: If your district is succeeding at that, good on you. [View All]

[Hello_Kitty]

I passed Algebra in 8th grade and Algebra II in 9th. Then again, I attended K-12 in an excellent public school system. OTOH algebra wasn't a requirement to graduate HS in my unified county district. They had an alternative "math skills for independent living" or some such course that you could take if math wasn't your forte. A lot of my classmates opted for that. It probably incorporated enough important algebraic concepts to prepare the students for the workforce or community college.

And as I posted downthread, states are adding more onerous math requirements as they are slashing funding. If a state is requiring students pass algebra but not providing funding to hire more math teachers or tutors then it's an unfunded mandate and practically guaranteeing a higher dropout rate. Private prisons are standing by to absorb more unemployable high school dropouts!