[muawiyah]

Depended entirely on where you lived. We had it available in 7th grade ~ with most taking it in 8th grade ~ and laggards getting tagged with it in 9-12 until they could graduate.

(BTW, moved from Indiana to Virginia in the 1970s)

Southern school systems like those in Virginia think chilluns are entirely too immature to handle algebra until 9th grade. On the other hand they require county, state and us history ~ and for kids in Northern Virginia that's the same course taken three times ~ makes for some really great docents and tourguides in the DC area BTW.

Fortunately they've given up on handwriting and moved boldly into computer keyboards.

[Gabz]

Southern school systems like those in Virginia think chilluns are entirely too immature to handle algebra until 9th grade.

Gee, in NYC in the 70s algebra was 9th grade math - even in Catholic schools. My daughter in a VA public school took algebra last year in 8th grade.