In grade 1-10. Leah Barkoukis at Town Hall, What Virginia Schools Will Be Changing About Math Curriculum...All in the Name of Equity
In the name of equity, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is moving toward making sweeping changes to the K-12 math curriculum statewide, which includes removing options for advanced math courses prior to 11th grade.
Loudoun County school board member Ian Serotkin wrote on Facebook about the changes.
"[A]s currently planned, this initiative will eliminate ALL math acceleration prior to 11th grade," he said. "That is not an exaggeration, nor does there appear to be any discretion in how local districts implement this. All 6th graders will take Foundational Concepts 6. All 7th graders will take Foundational Concepts 7. All 10th graders will take Essential Concepts 10. Only in 11th and 12th grade is there any opportunity for choice in higher math courses."
He learned about the changes this week at the Curriculum and Instruction Committee meeting, during which they received a briefing from Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative (VMPI) staff. One of the images he shared explains what the VMPI’s goals are. Listed first? “Improve equity in mathematics learning opportunities.”
“23 states and 2- and 4-year colleges are participating in this initiative,” the VMPI infographic states.
I was not a particularly good match student in high school. I was able enough, but didn't exert myself, settling for the gentlemen's B or C. In college, I spent a year doing remedial math before I took calculus, and did very well. But I would not deny student the chance of taking higher math ahead of the bulk of their peers.
This is insanity. Math is the most important subject for anyone wanting to enter STEM college programs. I think of this sort of thing as the immune system response of a dysfunctional toxic education system trying to protect useless and expensive degree programs.
ReplyDeleteBut it will provide opportunities for math tutors throughout the Commonwealth. Because intelligent parents will realize that they will need to create the right systems outside of the public education community which clearly does not have their or their childrens' best interests at heart.
I took calculus in high school from a wonderful teacher, and then was able to test out of the first semester of calculus at MIT my freshman year. (Multi-variable calculus was the second semester.) That made it possible to take the differential equations class my second semester, and a graduate level applied mathematics class in my sophomore year. And I still could have used a more intensive mathematics background for my future studies.
Like I said, this is insanity at the government agency level. Go woke, go broke.