Trend-starting Texas drops algebra II mandate

Chron.com ^ | January 25, 2014 | Will Weissert

[gooblah]

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Policy pop quiz: Does Texas - algebra II = success?

The state that started a trend by making high school students tackle algebra II is now abandoning the policy in a move praise by school districts for affording more flexibility. But some policy experts are nervous because nearly 20 states have followed Texas' lead in requiring the vigorous course.

[Paladin2]

It’s the end of Weapons of Math Instruction.

[Paladin2]

Next thing you know, CongressCritters won’t know how to balance a Budget.

[1010RD]

Schools kill learning, but you’ve got to take some algebra even if you’re just going to work in the trades. Is geometry being dropped.

Texas and other states with large Latino populations have a major challenge on the education front. Latinos for the most part are not education oriented.

Lower standards just lead to lower standards.

[ClearCase_guy]

Algebra II is "vigorous"? Do they mean "rigorous"?

I took Calculus in HS. And Trigonometry. And Geometry. I started with Algebra II. And I went on to college as a Liberal Arts major because my math skills were nothing special.

[3Fingas]

I disagree with lessening Math requirements. If anything, Texas school systems should require at least pre-calculus by graduation.

[SandRat]

Next thing you know, CongressCritters won’t know how to balance a Budget.

Thay don't NOW!

[generally]

IMO, algebra is NOT a “vigorous” course. Maybe they mean “rigorous.” Maybe journalists could skip math and take more rigorous English classes before they get jobs in the industry.

[bigheadfred]

just snort some of this and forget all that abc bull....

[DannyTN]

Somebody has to flip our burgers.

[DannyTN]

Somebody has to flip our burgers.

[andyk]

Yikes. I took Algebra II at government school in Austin, 20+ years ago. Thanks, Mrs McGowan.

[RginTN]

I heard gov Rick Perry promoting Texas’ education. Ditching Algebra 2, what next Chemistry?

[James C. Bennett]

I hope there are contingency plans to deal with the resulting deluge of useless eaters who will have a high proclivity to take to violence because they have nothing to lose...

[Still Thinking]

Supporters say fewer course mandates give students more time to focus on vocational training for high-paying jobs that don't necessarily require a college degree, such as at Toyota's factory in San Antonio or oil and chemical giant BASF's facilities on the Gulf Coast.

Uh, Algebra IS vocational instruction. Both Algebra and Calcoolus (see "Stand and Deliver") help create an instinctive feel for how things work. That's all math is, after all, a codified symbolic way of describing how stuff works. So math in general IS vocational/life training unless Toyota and BASF want mindless button-pushing drones with no analytical ability. And if that's what they want, the State of Texas has no business delivering that.

[umgud]

I’ve spent all of my career in engineering related work and have never needed Black, Latino, Women or other related social education.

[Paladin2]

Oh yeah, I forgot.

[Paladin2]

Do your knuckles hurt from scraping the ground all day? ;-)

[usconservative]

Both of my sons had Algebra I in 8th Grade.

For some stupid reason, they then had to take Geometry their Freshman Year in HS, and then Algebra II as Sophmores. Seems out of order to me ...

My oldest is a Junior taking Calculus after he tested out of Probability and Statistics.. He'll have Trigonometry his Senior year. Youngest will be following same pattern.

I'd swear I remember taking Algebra I and II in Junior High ... hated Geometry in High School but loved Physics, Calc and Trig.

[Still Thinking]

Me too. Hated the formalistic way they teach geometry. The degree of geometry I care about, mostly trig, was adequately covered in Algebra I/II, and Calculus A/B.