Virginia Department of Education shoots down claims of eliminating accelerated math courses for equity plan
By Ayesha Khan
Some parents on Northern Virginia are asking whether the Commonwealth is eliminating advanced math classes.
RICHMOND, Va. - Are advanced math classes going away in Virginia for the sake of student equity?
It’s what many parents in Northern Virginia are asking after a Loudoun County school board member posted to social media that this is being considered in the Commonwealth.
According to board member Ian Serotkin, he learned of the change during last Tuesday’s briefing from staff on the Virginia Mathematics Pathway Initiative (VMPI).
23 Apr 2021
The Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) is taking steps to only offer accelerated math classes to student in 11th and 12th grade a move critics say will prevent some students to excel earlier in their academic career.
Loudoun County School Board member Ian Serotkin posted about the change on his Facebook page Tuesday:
MASSIVE STATE MATH CURRICULUM REVAMP
During last night’s Curriculum & Instruction Committee meeting, we received a briefing from staff on the Virginia Mathematics Pathways Initiative (VMPI), a sweeping initiative by the Virginia Department of Education to revamp the K-12 math curriculum statewide over the next few years.
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Source: AP Photo/Mike Groll
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 11
th 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.