If the child turns out to love math once it “clicks”, nothing prevents them from taking Algebra2&Geometry in 10th grade, then Precalculus and Statistics or AP Stats in 11th, and finally Calculus (Honors or AP) in 12th, or Calc+Stats in 12th if not taken before. Or simply as you said to do AlgebraI1H->Geometry (Honors)->Algebra2H->Precalculus&APStats.
In short, if Algebra1 was not mastered in 8th and is “retaken” in 9th, it doesn’t theoretically prevent anything.
However the parent would need to know whether doubling up is accepted at the HS and at what levels/for what courses… and plan accordingly.
Alternatively if it was just “careless mistakes” and it has improved over the course of the year, but Algebra1 seems mastered, then it would be possible to start in Geometry, but odds are the student wouldn’t be allowed to take Geometry Honors so the parent would need to see whether excellent work in Geometry allows the student to join Algebra2H later on or whether the 1st class (honors or not) “tracks” the student to the end of HS.
The Math teacher could presumably be approached and asked to evaluate where the problem lies and whether the student would be able to do well in Geometry&Algebra2, or whether foundations are too shaky.
This is parenting/teaching advice, not advice from an AO or dean, but here’s my two cents:
Have him retake Algebra 1 in 9th. If the high school will allow him to take honors, that’s as high as I would recommend he go at this point, not because of the letter grade on the transcript, but because of development of his understanding of the material.
I don’t know your son’s age exactly, but I used to teach math in 7th-8th grade, and in this age range, many very intelligent kids have trouble with the abstract thinking required in algebra due to their stage of cognitive maturation. This will correct itself as he grows and develops if he is otherwise developmentally at the norm or higher.
It used to frustrate me endlessly that parents would push to put their 7th graders in algebra because I had to adapt the curriculum a lot to get 80% of my high ability students to do well in the class. Teaching 9th graders did not require this adaptation and differentiation.
If this is your son’s reason for getting the C or B, you are doing him a favor by letting him learn the content in 9th, when his brain will have developed for another full year. You might find that it just clicks right away. I’ve seen this happen many times with very bright students.
True story. Our younger kid was recommended for accelerated math in middle school. We graciously declined the offer. My husband, an engineer with LOTS of math courses under his belt, gelt very strongly that a strong foundation was way more important than accelerated math. We were the very first parents ever to decline this accelerated math. And we don’t regret it one bit.
Our kid had Algebra 1 as a ninth grader with a fabulous teacher. And then geometry in 10th and algebra 2 in 11….and precalc as a senior. She was accepted to the colleges of her choice. Oh…and she majored in engineering so she had a ton of math in college…starting with calculus there. She never felt she was lacking in the skills needed to do well in her many upper level math courses.
I do agree with @MYOS1634 that some kids just click later…and maybe that will happen with your son. Does he have a good tutor to help explain and work through the areas where he didn’t quite get it? I wouldn’t let him go further without one.
@blossom perhaps can explain the importance of getting the info…and having someone who is well versed in explaining.
I will say…accelerated math classes were more…do…and review. And less about actually teaching the math skills…because most kids just “got it”. Which is fine.
But it sounds like your kid didn’t “get it”. So he heeds someone to get him there.