My son took his Algebra 1 Final Exam yesterday. Found this Article
In Fairfax County schools, 22 to 25 percent of high school students in three non-honors math courses — Algebra 2, geometry and pre-calculus — did not pass finals last year. Students in the same courses at the honors level did far better, with exam failure rates of 5 to 7 percent.

According to college figures, 75 percent of Fairfax graduates attending Northern Virginia Community College need remedial math courses, as do nearly 70 percent of Montgomery graduates attending Montgomery College.? Why are we paying those math teachers????

This is unpossible, as we are constantly assured that FCPS is the Best of the Best of the Best.

You will believe what we tell you, so please dig deeper into your pockets.

honors courts exam failure rates of 5 to 7 percent is BAD

honors students ASK for better homework / classes (or have asshole parents who threatened them into the class)

is actaully very BAD. an honors student failing a test ? a C should be unusual for an honors student

i got an F in HS once for not being allowed to sharpen my pencil. feminist teacher.

i got an F once in school for having bad hearing from a teacher who'd said i needed a hearing aide. infat i did and couln't afford it. (turns out hearings aids don't help all hearing loss, actaully, note people with hearing aids are very unusual about asking you to repeat then telling you not to talk so loud)

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i still beleive they get favored if their parents work for the county. that's the way it was - that's what i heard - in my days

I got a total of two Fs in 7 - 12 grade. One was 7th grade english, during a quarter on poetry, which I wasn't the slightest bit interested in (at least, not the poetry we were studying). The other was a quarter of 12th grade US & VA Government, when the entire grade was a term paper, which I didn't do because I hate writing long papers.

35+ years later, I might actually do well in college, but I didn't then, so I went to Computer Learning Center. If I had a degree, I would probably be making more money, but I'm doing OK.

While I was pretty good with Math and any science that didn't require lab work, I know I could never have been an honors student / advanced placement. That said, I find it hard to fathom that 5 - 7 percent of them would fail math exams.

A few years ago, I saw an argument between Stuporintendent Spillane and a critic regarding the percentage of VA students having to take remedial courses in college. Spillane's percentage assumed that because no data was available from private colleges, the number of students taking remedial classes there was zero. His opponent assumed the percentage was equal to the public school percentage. While the private school would probably have higher standards, and a lower percentage of students needing remedial courses, I don't think assuming zero was realistic.

If the number of Honors students needing remedial courses was greater than zero, I wouldn't be shocked, but I would be disappointed.

I need more information. Can you link to the source where you found this info?

Gruntled Wrote:
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> I got a total of two Fs in 7 - 12 grade. One was
> 7th grade english, during a quarter on poetry,
> which I wasn't the slightest bit interested in (at
> least, not the poetry we were studying). The other
> was a quarter of 12th grade US & VA Government,
> when the entire grade was a term paper, which I
> didn't do because I hate writing long papers.
>
> 35+ years later, I might actually do well in
> college, but I didn't then, so I went to Computer
> Learning Center. If I had a degree, I would
> probably be making more money, but I'm doing OK.
>
> While I was pretty good with Math and any science
> that didn't require lab work, I know I could never
> have been an honors student / advanced placement.
> That said, I find it hard to fathom that 5 - 7
> percent of them would fail math exams.
>
> A few years ago, I saw an argument between
> Stuporintendent Spillane and a critic regarding
> the percentage of VA students having to take
> remedial courses in college. Spillane's percentage
> assumed that because no data was available from
> private colleges, the number of students taking
> remedial classes there was zero. His opponent
> assumed the percentage was equal to the public
> school percentage. While the private school would
> probably have higher standards, and a lower
> percentage of students needing remedial courses, I
> don't think assuming zero was realistic.
>
> If the number of Honors students needing remedial
> courses was greater than zero, I wouldn't be
> shocked, but I would be disappointed.


Bud Spillane made used car salesmen look virtuous.

Edison Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My son took his Algebra 1 Final Exam yesterday.
> Found this Article
> In Fairfax County schools, 22 to 25 percent of
> high school students in three non-honors math
> courses — Algebra 2, geometry and pre-calculus
> — did not pass finals last year. Students in the
> same courses at the honors level did far better,
> with exam failure rates of 5 to 7 percent.


I think the students have something to do with those numbers.

Hmm Wrote:
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> I need more information. Can you link to the
> source where you found this info?


http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/across-dc-region-final-exam-failures-go-beyond-montgomery/2013/06/22/05bb030a-cf7e-11e2-8845-d970ccb04497_story.html


I want the full report onn final Exams.

Unpossible Wrote:
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> This is unpossible, as we are constantly assured
> that FCPS is the Best of the Best of the Best.


You can't be sarcastic if you use "unpossible" in your post :(

Remember, statistics can prove almost anything you want them to.

Think about the students taking honors classes. Most likely more academically motivated, most likely have been successful in the past, and most likely to have support at home if needed. 5% to 7% failing the exam is less than one kid per teacher (most high school teachers have at least 5 classes of 25-30 kids).

Algebra, geometry, and algebra 2 are required for a standard diploma, which means everyone has to take it. Not everyone is mathmatically inclined, and some students don't see the value in school and aren't particularly interested in working hard when something doesn't come easily. You can't compare the honors pass rates to non honors without accounting for a vast difference in background knowledge and academic interest.

The last stat you shared also makes sense when you consider the factors. Typically the students attending community college weren't as successful in high school, so the fact they aren't attending a more competitive college indicates they probably need to solidify their basic skills. While a significant percentage of students attend community college to build credits before transferring to another college, there is also a significant number of adults who are returning to college to complete a degree after many years out of school. It isn't surprising that they would need a refresher on basic skills.

I'm most certainly not saying education is meeting the needs of all our students, but these factors should be taken into account.

I'd be interested to see how the final exam failure rate correlated with SOL failure rate. That could help pinpoint the problem. If kids are passing the SOL but not the final, it's probably because the final covers way more material (SOLs only cover "essential" knowledge as laid out in the curriculum framework) and isn't multiple choice. It would also be helpful to know if those kids that failed the final were failing the class all year or if they were doing ok and just bombed the exam at the end.

My younger brother has a private tutor as school teacher can’t provide with enough level of knowledge, he also uses additional online sources like and Udemy and https://myschoolsmath.com/ (very helpful). I wish I had a tutor at my time, too, but our parents trusted school system of education, unfortunately.

It doesn't matter anymore how kids do in math.

As long as they know the proper pronouns to refer to their gender non conforming friends, and participate in the school assisted Trump protests, that is all that matters to the school board.

Sure, parents all want math, but parental opinions in their kids teaching doesn't matter at FCPS.

It's not that the final has more material than the SOL... it's that they only care about passing the SOL, so once they do, they don't care about the final and are willing to bomb it. Besides, there's like 2 weeks of class between the SOL and the final exam... not like they'd suddenly lose math skills during that time. They just don't care beyond the SOL

...we've created and nurtured an environment where we're satisfied with achieving the minimum

Edison Parent Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My son took his Algebra 1 Final Exam yesterday.
> Found this Article
> In Fairfax County schools, 22 to 25 percent of
> high school students in three non-honors math
> courses — Algebra 2, geometry and pre-calculus
> — did not pass finals last year. Students in the
> same courses at the honors level did far better,
> with exam failure rates of 5 to 7 percent.
>
> According to college figures, 75 percent of
> Fairfax graduates attending Northern Virginia
> Community College need remedial math courses, as
> do nearly 70 percent of Montgomery graduates
> attending Montgomery College.? Why are we paying
> those math teachers????

What do you mean what are we paying the math teachers?? what are you parents doing. IN high school kids stop coming to class, studying. Cheating is rampant. We stay after and come in early to catch kids up . They do not care or show up . You can lead horse to water but not force them to drink!

> What do you mean what are we paying the math
> teachers?? what are you parents doing. IN high
> school kids stop coming to class, studying.
> Cheating is rampant. We stay after and come in
> early to catch kids up . They do not care or show
> up . You can lead horse to water but not force
> them to drink!


Careful there teach. FCPS is committed to giving each student the education they deserve and are entitled to. If you are incapable of providing that for each of your students then perhaps you should look for teaching positions elsewhere. I hear Baltimore or DC may have something for you. Here in Fairfax the kids are NEVER at fault nor are the parents. It is your responsibility as an FCPS educator to find creative ways to move your students forward so they pass their exams. Believe me it's for the greater good.

If you need to prepare for exams in mathematics, then try to hire a good tutor. Fortunately, I know one pretty good company that provides tutors. Here is a link to their website https://www.ezymathtutoring.com.au/tutors/sydney-2000 . Professional tutors work here and I have already turned to them for help. So try

You only have to get 50% of the questions correct on the math SOLs in order to "pass." You can't correlate the SOL and an FCPS math grade . . .

Oh, wait. You also get a 50% in FCPS for doing exactly nothing.

I retract my previous statement.