<p>@TheGFG, you misunderstood my point. ^Your last point would not apply in our district. Those with 90 minute blocks would typically have math class every other day and would cover twice the material of a 45 minute class, whose students would have class daily. The homework given should be exactly the same, except that in the shorter class it would be given in the form of two halves rather than one larger assignment. In our district a student taking algebra or geometry in middle school has 90 minutes of instruction <em>every day</em>–7.5 hours per week of class time. Actually, I think algebra1 in high school also gets a double block because it’s considered kind of remedial at that point, but kids taking geometry in high school are on the every-other-day 90 minute schedule you mentioned, so they have half the instructional time as the kids who take it in middle school. Teachers tend to use some of the extra time to have the kids start on homework in class. So, it should be possible to assign a much lighter homework load under such a schedule.</p>
<p>"While algebra 1 is generally harder than typical middle school math, you need to consider the students being placed into algebra 1 in 7th grade (two years ahead). Such placement is based on being a top student in math, so, for those students, algebra 1 is probably an easy A. " You’re assuming that expectations for other middle school classes aren’t dismally low. Try again.</p>