algebra II

Update on Math Credit and Personal Curriculum
February 12, 2010

Yesterday at the Oakland Schools Math Council. Val Mills, one of the math consultants, clarified the changes in the math requirement. These clarifications came from Ruth Ann Hodges, from the Michigan Dept of Ed.

Some of the main points are the following: In addition to students being able to take Algebra 2 either in one year (for one credit) or over two years (for two credits), students may take it over 1.5 years (for 1.5 credits). The third option is designed to accommodate districts that want to spread the CE's over 1.5 years. We don't offer the third option, so that really doesn't affect us.

Here is the clarification of SB 981 language regarding Algebra II credit within approved CTE courses. Before reading, I advise you get refreshment. It will take awhile.

My read tells me their word says... know the law, use the overall HS math content expectations document in your decision (the big book--not the individual course/credit content expectations documents), within a group make a decision, let you conscience be your guide and "don't ask - don't tell."

Have your refreshment? Click below to read it.

Jim Ballard

The Michigan Department of Education has released the much anticipated pre MME guidelines and a pared down version of Algebra II.  These documents were produced as part of a legislative provision in the 2008 State School Aid  Act that the Department define what content expectations are expected to be covered before the second semester of the 11th grade when the Merit Examination is given.  MASSP was instrumental in the passage of this provision.

See Jim's quote under Myth No. 5.

Myths undercut efforts to boost Michigan's high school standards

  (Click here to read)

AMBER ARELLANO

Source: MIRS News

The House committee reported legislation (HB 4410*) that would allow Algebra II to be replaced with financial literacy course. The bill would still require four credits of math to graduate and would allow up to three of those credits to be embedded in a career and technical education course.

For students struggling with math, the committee also reported legislation (HB 4511*) that allows them to enter a personalized curriculum, which could include dropping the Algebra II requirement, earlier in their high school career.

There side-by-side comparisons to provide information regarding:

• ADP English Benchmarks with the newly developed College- and Career-Ready Common Core State Standards in Reading, Writing and Communication
  Click here to view the report
  
• ADP Mathematics Benchmarks with the newly developed College- and Career-Ready Common Core State Standards in Mathematics
  Click here to view the report
  

Purpose

Michigan Algebra II Expectations in Relation to ACHIEVE, Inc. American Diploma Project and The National Assessment of Educational Progress 12th Grade Mathematics Framework

Executive Summary

The State Superintendent’s memo regarding the use of power standards you received in the past few days is the result of a lot of work by MASSP. The memo vindicates what we’ve been saying to you ever since the passage of the MMC -- there is a lot more flexibility in the standards than believed.

MASSP put considerable effort into getting this memo written to your advantage, the building principal. I hope you will now put it to your use.

mymassp.com/powerstandards

For those in education hoping to hear the Governor talk about school funding, they were disappointed. If they were hoping to learn more about plans for the future they were not disappointed. Jobs drove the State of the State presentation last evening.

The only mention of new initiatives in education was this piece:"Beginning this summer, our Algebra for All initiative will give teachers across our state the professional development they need to teach algebra in a proven way that ensures all kids master it, whether they’re math whizzes or not."

She praised the Michigan Merit Curriculum and the Michigan Merit Examination. Making it very clear that these efforts were part of the development of a strong, highly skilled, Michigan workforce.

No money, no standards?Here's an original (and fallacious) thought: when times get rough, absolve children of the need to learn math. That, at least, is the story coming out of Oregon, where budget woes have allegedly forced the state to drop its brand-new graduation requirements in algebra, geometry, and statistics. Set only six months ago, the new bar would turn the already existing high school state math test into a graduation requirement for this year's crop of 9th graders. But since more than half of sophomores typically fail the exam on the first try, the state board of education felt it would be too daunting a challenge to ramp up student performance in time to require total math literacy by 2012.