Both Sides of the Equation

Wednesday, July 30, 2008 | I agree that students are ready for algebra at different rates and times. I see this from test scores and know this from my two sons. Not mentioned in the article is that 4 percent of San Diego Unified students take algebra in seventh grade, and 86 percent of them score at advanced or proficient levels(see California Department of Education results for San Diego Unified). Unfortunately, only half of the middle schools in our district offer this option for students who are “ready.”

In the mandate to get everyone into algebra by eighth grade, I urge that we not overlook the seventh graders in every middle school who are ready to have this opportunity. To do this, we have to pay attention to the top students as well as the struggling students.