Texas will require 4 years of math and science

Parent Cafe
1

<p><a href="http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4344568.html%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4344568.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Tougher school classes passed
Science and math teacher shortages worry the state board
By JANET ELLIOTT</p>

<p>AUSTIN — A tougher high school curriculum requiring four years of math and science was finalized Friday by the State Board of Education amid warnings that the Legislature needs to find more money for teachers and labs.</p>

<p>"We may set high standards, but if we don't have qualified teachers, we're not going to achieve the results we desire," said board member Bob Craig, R-Lubbock.</p>

<p>"They need to put money into these programs. They need to come to the plate," said board member Mary Helen Berlanga, D-Corpus Christi.</p>

<p>The 15-member board unanimously approved the courses that will count for the fourth year of math and science beginning next fall for incoming high school freshmen on the state's preferred graduation plan, known as the recommended program.</p>

<p>For the next five years, students will be allowed to take an integrated physics and chemistry course that some board members believe is too easy. Beginning in 2012-13, that course will be replaced with a full year of physics, chemistry or principles of technology.</p>

<p>Students caught a break on the math side, where they can take a lower-level class known as mathematical models as the fourth credit.</p>

<p>Some business leaders had wanted the fourth credit to be a course higher than algebra II, such as pre-calculus.</p>

<p>David Anthony, superintendent of Cypress-Fairbanks ISD and president of a group of large school districts, said the state board crafted a workable situation for schools and students. He said there is enough flexibility for students to achieve the required credits without opting for the less rigorous minimum graduation plan, which requires three credits of math and two in science.</p>

<p>The board has grappled with the new curriculum since July and has held three lengthy public hearings on the issues.</p>

<p>The Legislature earlier this year mandated the "4-by-4" course of study, named for the requirement of four credits each in the core subjects of math, science, English and social studies.</p>

<p>'Wake-up call'
Next year's freshmen must earn 26 credits, up from the current 24. The board decided to require the extra credits so students could continue to fit music, art and other electives into their schedules. </p>

<p>Texas students have been struggling in math and science while recording improvements in reading and writing, according to results on standardized tests taken last spring.</p>

<p>Board member Pat Hardy, R-Weatherford, said there was little focus on science in elementary schools until 2003, when a fifth-grade science test was introduced.</p>

<p>"The schools got a wake-up call," she said. "We will ratchet up every level of science."</p>

<p>Sheryl Santos, dean of the College of Education at Texas Tech University, said there is much work to be done to find and train certified high school science teachers.</p>

<p>She said that out of 600 students expected to graduate next spring, only seven plan to teach high school science.</p>

<p>College students able to master math and science usually find lucrative jobs in the private sector where they can earn twice what they would make as a starting teacher, Santos said.</p>

<p>Hundreds needed
"This state's going to have to put some type of incentive program together to have young people choose teaching as a career," Santos said. </p>

<p>Pascual Gonzalez, spokesman for the Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, said that the district will need hundreds of new science and math teachers.</p>

<p>"It is very easy to mandate additional math and science credits. It is quite another thing to find the teachers," said Gonzalez.</p>

<p>Another San Antonio district, North East ISD, said it would begin training physics teachers.</p>

<p>"We've linked up with Our Lady of the Lake University, and our goal is to immediately start providing training for our (integrated chemistry and physics) teachers who will likely be teaching physics, and for our physics teachers," said Patti Castellano, assistant director for school improvement for science.</p>

<p>Recommended high school graduation plan, beginning with incoming freshmen in 2007:
• English language arts: Four credits.
• Mathematics: Four credits, three of which must be geometry, algebra I and algebra II. The fourth can be math models, pre-calculus, Advanced Placement statistics or Advanced Placement calculus.
• Science: Four credits, including biology and two of the following: chemistry, physics, principles of technology or integrated physics and chemistry.* The fourth can be a lab-based class such as earth and space science, environmental systems, aquatic science, astronomy, engineering or anatomy and physiology.
• Social studies: Four credits, including world history, world geography, U.S. history and government/economics.
• Foreign language: Two credits.
• Physical education: 1 1/2 credits.
• Health: 1/2 credit.
• Speech: 1/2 credit.
• Technology applications: One credit.
• Fine arts: One credit.
• Electives: 3 1/2 credits.
• Total: 26 credits </p>

<p>*The integrated class will be eliminated as a choice beginning in 2012-13.</p>

2

<p>Hey, Texans, is the "recommended program" the standard for graduation in most Texas high schools? It seems really heavily academic for kids who have no intention to go on to college -- and a sure-fire way to encourage drop outs. Is there a parallel set of standards aiming towards a vocational education?</p>

3

<p>My school strongly advocates the 24 credit plan (and soon to be 26). Currently you can graduate with the 22 credit plan (but that's the bare minimum. Although, over 90% of our school goes to college so it could be a lot different at another school.</p>

<p>the 22 credit plan has no foreign language requirement (as opposed to 2 years in 24 plan), 2 years of science, 3 years of social studies. The 22 plan requires 5 1/2 credits of electives as opposed to 3 1/2 in the 24, though.</p>

4

<p>Kids who don't want to go to college can opt for minimum graduation program which requires 22 credits. Under that plan, students must earn at least three credits in math and two in science.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=19620%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.heartland.org/Article.cfm?artId=19620&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>In 2005, 32 percent of Texas high school seniors graduated under the Minimum Graduation Plan, and 68 percent under the Recommended and Distinguished Graduation Plans combined. The Distinguished Graduation Plan calls for a third year of foreign language.</p>

<p>Nearly 50 percent of Texas college freshman require remedial or corrective courses.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.tmea.org/025_Advocacy/default_grad_plan.htm%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.tmea.org/025_Advocacy/default_grad_plan.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>Effective as of the 2004-2005 school year, the Recommended Program became the default graduation plan for all students entering ninth grade and thereafter. Since 1998, the Minimum Program, which required a total of 22 academic credits for graduation though none in fine arts, served as the default graduation plan for Texas high school students.
As prescribed in TEC 28.025(b), however, the Recommended Program became the default graduation plan for all Texas high school students unless the student, parent and school administrator agree that the Minimum Program is more suitable for the student.</p>

5

<p>I graduated from a TX public school in Dr. Anthony's district two years ago, and when I graduated, we could decide whether we wanted to follow the recommended or the minimum plan. (This has changed, since my sister, who's c/o 2008, has to follow the recommended plan). I ended up following the minimum plan because I didn't really want to take the Fine Arts credit. I think I fulfilled all the requirements for the recommended plan (year of World Geography, more advanced math etc) and actually ended up taking the equivalent of 7 years of science classes including the year-long "Integrated Physics and Chemistry" class the article talks about. I really have absolutely no idea how they think this IPC class is too easy - the class is the first introduction that students get to real science (either in 8th or 9th grade) and it was a class I really liked and learned a lot from. When I took it in eight grade (wow, so long ago), it was definitely the hardest class I took and for a lot of people in my school, it was their first 'B' ever.</p>

<p>Under the new system, the "recommended" plan is required unless the student, parents and school agree that the minimum plan is better suited for the student.</p>

6

<p>In Texas, Distinguished Achievement Program graduation plan calls for third year of foreign language... plus four advanced measures. Acceptable advanced measures include research projects, certain scores on AP or IB exams, National Merit, National Achievement or College Board National Hispanic Scholar recognition, dual college credits with 3.0 or higher....</p>

7

<p>I am not sure I like this plan. </p>

<p>I believe that the board trying to solve some really big problems with remedial classes is looking for a wrong place. Instead of taking the opportunity to take classes they like from the kids who are not so math & science oriented the board should look at the middle school curriculum first. They could make Algebra I and IPC middle school requirements.</p>

<p>The problem with remedial classes is 10% rule in college admissions, when all the top students from any school can go to college and will be accepted.
Some of these schools don't have working labs, even water is disconnected, the reason is very simple - students tried to blow up the school so the school just protected itself. In chemistry classes in 11 grade students still learn balancing acts, after 7th and 8th grade science where it was included in the textbook and IPC in 9th or 10th grade. Environmental science in many schools is just TAKS preparation and students are still learning what matter is. The major science project in the fall semester is usually some kind of drawing competition. Some schools don't have physics, all the choices are biology, IPC, chemistry and environmental science for those who would never understand what balancing act is and what's the difference between coefficients and subscripts. Well, some students don't have textbooks at home, they don't check them out. Sometimes they don't have textbooks in the class either. Teachers don't want to be responsible for stolen and damaged stuff.
It's not just rumors, it's my own experience seen with my own eyes.</p>

<p>Science TAKS is taken in 5th (very recent requirement) and 10th grade, and it means that between 5th and 10th grade students can attend school studying nothing and nobody would care too much. Science classes in some middle schools even combine regular and special ed students with one extra inclusion teacher. </p>

<p>I really wonder how all these schools are going to provide lab based science. All the equipment would be broken or stolen very fast.
And where are these schools going to find teachers who
1. know subject
2. can deal with certain discipline problems
3. can laugh at jokes "I don't speak English, you should learn Spanish"
3. are ready to get paid what teachers are paid</p>

<p>About math. I guess that mathematical models as the fourth credit is some kind of school based remedial class so the colleges will spend less on their own remedial classes.</p>

<p>It will be the same waste of money as with AP classes where hardly 1% can pass the test.</p>

8

<p>When my district went to the 24 credit plan 3 or so years ago, my school went to a 7 period day from a 6 period day so that students could fail a class and still graduate on time without taking summer school or 0 period classes (classes that started at 6:35 AM). I wonder if a 26 credit plan will force the school to an 8 period day or 4/4 block scheduling, since the new required classes are likely to have higher fail rates than current required classes.</p>

<p>Does any one know of those 3 1/2 credits of electives still have restrictions on them? Formerly, some of the credits had to be 'academic', and if that is still there I wonder if students will still be able to fit arts into their schedules.</p>

<p>I think that matching the science TAKS (current standardized test) to the curriculum and testing in the year it is taught would be more effective than just requiring more years of science. Several years ago, the TAAS (old standardized test) had an exit level history test in 10th grade that tested primarily US history, but most students took US history in 8th and 11th grade. It resulted in some panicked 10th grade world history teachers at my school, because one of the 8th grade US history teachers had been particularly weak, and the 10th grade teachers would have been considered responsible for students' poor grades on TAAS.</p>

9

<p>Our school district (NC) requires 28 credits to graduate.</p>

10

<p>
[quote]
They could make Algebra I and IPC middle school requirements.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I really don't think every middle schooler is ready for Algebra 1.</p>

11

<p>College bound students should be.
Algebra in the rest of the world has been successfully taught in 5-6-7 grade for years.</p>

12

<p>I think the same: a college-bound student should have rigorous preparation. (In fact, I agree that math through trigonometry should be required as the minimum standard, with certain top-level public and private schools in Texas (Rice University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas Agricultural and Mechanic University) requiring even more preparation.) Those who do not want to go to four-year school should have their own vocational track, however.</p>

13

<p>I hope they make fine arts as a mandatory graduation requirement. That will curtail many GPA/Rank manipulation games.</p>

14

<p>Fine Arts is a graduation requirement... one year is required. </p>

<p>IPC can vary... my teacher was pretty good. she did a lot more advanced stuff than the normal curriculum contained - i learned a lot. Most other IPC classes I heard about weren't that great, though.</p>

15

<p>Algebra as early as 5th grade? Right now (or rather, 6 years ago when I was in 8th grade - I think the same is true now) in our district, the students who were ready for it took IPC and Algebra I in 8th grade (after taking Pre-Algebra in 7th grade). The rest took Pre-Algebra in 8th grade along with a course in Geology, Meteorology and Oceanography (GMO) and later took Algebra and IPC as freshmen.</p>

16

<p>The problem with many of these proposals (as the first draft of a proposal like this in my state) is that if the students aren't prepared well in elementary school, they aren't ready for truly international-standard curriculum expectations by middle school. My wife learned algebra in seventh grade just fine, and began her study of foreign languages (English, in her case) at that age, even though she lived in a third-world country growing up. Most Americans have schools that set much lower standards for preteens, so high school graduation standards are way below worldwide expectations. Setting benchmarks at the top end of the K-12 age range is great, and a start, but even better is to improve instruction at the lower end. </p>

<p>P.S. I should note that ALL students in my wife's native country, including all the below-average students, are expected to begin study of algebra in seventh grade. Foreign language study has now moved down to third grade, and geometry has long started in eighth grade. In my wife's day, the majority of students were going to school itself in a second language--because the standard national language was not the majority language of the country. (That language, the only language she received her schooling in, is not my wife's native language either, but she learned it just fine and was just speaking it today while visiting relatives.) Americans underestimate what is possible unless they have lived elsewhere and seen what poor students in poor countries can do with better instruction.</p>

17

<p>I've never heard of anyone taking algebra in 5th grade. I think my kid could have managed in 6th, but I was unable to persuade the school to let him. I did get him in 7th grade honors in 6th which led to algebra in 7th grade. He was one of only three to do it. They all did very well, and I think in reality there were probably a dozen (out of 300 or so) who easily could have. I'm not convinced there were a lot more. About a third of the class does algebra in 8th grade.</p>

18

<p>My son was taking algebra in fifth grade through the EPGY distance learning program. I thought that was perfectly natural because of an offhand reference in a book I have at home, a Chinese translation of a Russian book, about some (many?) students in Russia taking algebra in fifth. All students in Chinese-speaking countries take algebra in seventh grade. They can manage that because of superior elementary math education, which is well described in the book Knowing</a> and Teaching Elementary Mathematics, a book I recommend very highly to parents in America.</p>

19

<p>All students in Chinese-speaking countries take algebra in seventh grade.</p>

<p>Would that be * all Chinese children?* or the only the children that are able to attend a * school*?</p>

<p>All children in China do not attend school</p>

20

<p>With 4 math credits required in h.s you have to be careful about the track you start on in middle sch. The brightest students in S's grade were grouped in a "scholars class" for middle sch. Every class was accelerated including math (pre-alg. in 6th, Alg. in 7th, and geom. in 8th). Most all of the kids did fine in m.s but when they got to h.s. some "hit the wall" after pre-cal honors in soph. year. By that time, it was apparant that all were not truly accelerated math students. They still needed 2 more math credits for high sch. but did not feel capable of doing AP math and so ended up taking non-honors math courses to fulfill the 4 year requirement. On their transcripts, it appeared that they were going backwards when the real probelm was that they had accelerated forward too early on.</p>