College Readiness: The Keys
In a recent post, we pointed out that our job is to prepare our students to succeed in and graduate from college. Given the fact that only half of all students who enter college graduate in six years, our vision for our students must go beyond admission to graduation.
The Washington Post reports that Montgomery County (MD) Public Schools is “one of the few systems in the country that tracks its students all the way through college graduation.” Tracking graduates is an expensive proposition. So, hats off to Superintendent Jerry Weast and MCPS for making the commitment.
Montgomery County, located outside of Washington, D.C. is a large, diverse, suburban and inner-ring suburban school system. MCPS data offer principals and school leaders valuable insights into what it takes for a student to succeed in college.
MCPS has indentified “7 Keys to College Readiness.” These are milestones that, if met, indicate that students will not only attend college, but that they will graduate.
The 7 Keys to College Readiness are as follows:
- Advanced Reading in Grades K-2
- Advanced Reading on state assessments in Grades 3-8
- Advanced Math in Grade 5
- Algebra I by Grade 8 with “C” or higher
- Algebra II by Grade 11 with a “C” or higher
- Score of 3 on an AP exam, Score of 4 on an IB exam
- SAT score of 1650, ACT score of 24
Principal Pointers
- College admission does not mean that a student will succeed or graduate.
- Meeting state graduation requirements does not necessarily indicate college readiness.
- Reading is the best indicator of academic success.
- Reading is the best predictor of math success.
- Math success is the best predictor of college success.
- A rigorous course of study counts most to college graduation.
- Taking an AP course or an IB course only helps if the students take the exam and achieves a passing mark.
- Rigorous course work means hard work and deliberate practice. There is no easy way out. There are no quick fixes.
A Case Study
39% of Montgomery County students take Algebra I in the eighth grade, which translates into 37% graduating from college eight years later. I can’t help but be reminded of a school system that systematically excludes large numbers of students from taking Algebra I in the eighth grade. This school system, also located in the Washington, D.C. area, has half the percentage of students taking Algebra I in eighth grade as compared to Montgomery County and other neighboring school systems. When I asked them why, they indicated that they had tested and screened the students and only 20% were ready to take Algebra. In this school system students must prove to officials that they are ready to take Algebra I in the eighth grade. This might be acceptable if the math curriculum was aligned and structured to prepare students for Algebra. However, a closer inspection reveals that only students labeled as “talented and gifted” are exposed to a math sequence that prepares them for Algebra I in the eighth grade. So, unless students are in the 5% identified as gifted they are not being prepared for a more rigorous math curriculum. To me this looks a lot like tracking.
Not only are the students in this school system being victimized by low adult expectations, but they are systematically being prevented from taking a more challenging course of study in high school. Some parents refuse to allow their children to be subjected to low expectations. Those who can afford to do so remove their children from the school system and put them into private schools. The rest have no choice. Ironically, the same adults who were entrusted with their care are those who forced these capable children off-target for college readiness.
Something to think about
Our job is not to screen out students. Anyone can screen people. It takes a true professional to raise up all students. Our job is to align our curriculum so that we prepare students to take and succeed in challenging courses.
Learn more about this blog and "head blogger" Mel Riddile...
Comments
I agree with the author about 95% of the time; however I have to disagree with the idea of having a majority of students take Algebra 1 in the 8th grade. Saying that students who take Alg 1 in 8th grade do better in college is analogous to saying 9th grade varsity athletes will do better in college sports. Of course this is the case but that doesn't mean everyone in 9th grade should try out for and be on the varsity team. I do agree that if a student is ready for Alg 1 in the 8th grade and the class is taught as a rigorous high school class (the second far rarer than the first) then students should take the class in 9th grade.
Unfortunately, it is too often the case that a student is not ready for the class or it is not taught on a high school level (or both). Often when this happens, a student will still pass the course (through extra credit, homework done by parents, friends, etc.). This sets up the student for failure. In math, being a cumulative subject, students need a good foundation to successfully move forward. I personally have more than a dozen students in Alg 2 who passed Alg 1 in 8th grade, made it through Geometry in 9th grade and will barely make it through Alg 2. Now, as a rising junior they have no place to go in math. Because of their lack of a good foundation, these students are not ready to succeed in any advanced classes. When you take my numbers, multiply them by the number of Alg 2 teachers and multiply that by the number of high schools, you get close to 1000 students per year negatively affected by taking Alg 1 in 8th grade. This is in a county self proclaimed as one of the "best and brightest".
I think it is much better for students to take the class they are ready for instead of being pushed into a class they are not (especially when this is a foundation class).
Posted by: William Horkan | May 27, 2010 08:53 AM
I find the Case study and the article very interesting from the following perspective. In my area, Lebanon, PA, only a limited number of students take Algebra I in eighth grade. They of course are the students who are academically prepared to do so. For everyone else, Algebra I is offered as a ninth grade course. One wonders if this approach to course enrollment is meeting the needs of all the students. I work in a urban district that is making progress in math achievement but still has not made AYP in that area. I also see Algebra I as a key foundational course that leads to success in other math courses. At the present time, I am beginning my dissertation on the following topic. Will students who perform below proficient in math achieve at higher levels if exposed to a 2 year Algebra I course as compared to students of similar academic level who take a full year course in eighth grade or in ninth grade? In other words, offer pre-Algebra in seventh grade, begin Algebra I in eighth grade and complete in ninth grade. I would like to know if this approach will have a positive impact on student achievement and success in math in later years. If you know of anyone who offers a two year Algebra I curriculum/course, I would like to know as I gather information and do a literature review on the topic. Gary Z
Posted by: Gary Zelinske | June 16, 2010 09:58 AM
I find the Case study and the article very interesting from the following perspective. In my area, Lebanon, PA, only a limited number of students take Algebra I in eighth grade. They of course are the students who are academically prepared to do so. For everyone else, Algebra I is offered as a ninth grade course. One wonders if this approach to course enrollment is meeting the needs of all the students. I work in a urban district that is making progress in math achievement but still has not made AYP in that area. I also see Algebra I as a key foundational course that leads to success in other math courses. At the present time, I am beginning my dissertation on the following topic. Will students who perform below proficient in math achieve at higher levels if exposed to a 2 year Algebra I course as compared to students of similar academic level who take a full year course in eighth grade or in ninth grade? In other words, offer pre-Algebra in seventh grade, begin Algebra I in eighth grade and complete in ninth grade. I would like to know if this approach will have a positive impact on student achievement and success in math in later years. If you know of anyone who offers a two year Algebra I curriculum/course, I would like to know as I gather information and do a literature review on the topic. Gary Z
Posted by: Gary Zelinske | June 16, 2010 10:04 AM