<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>