New Math Requirements for High School Start Sept. 7

Labor Day weekend means barbeques, picnics and long lazy days of lounging at the lake. For parents, it also means preparing for the start of another school year, the end of a chaotic summer and a return to the normalcy of a scheduled routine. But for incoming ninth graders at Woodbridge and Gar-Field high schools, it will also mean adapting to the new math graduation requirements.

Back in January, the Virginia Department of Education announced a number of changes to graduation requirements for students entering the ninth grade in 2010-2011, all of which were intended to raise the standards of learning for Virginia students.

However, after both the Board of Education and the state legislature were presented with concerns from school divisions regarding whether it was the right time to be making these changes since the school divisions faced an uncertain budgetary future, the majority of these changes were delayed until September 2011 to give schools more time to prepare for the changes.

But, the delay was not applied to the approved changes regarding the math requirements.

Previously, students who split Algebra I into a two-year course were receiving two math credits towards the necessary graduation credits: three credits for a standard diploma or four credits for an advanced diploma.

Now for students entering the ninth grade in 2010-2011, Algebra I, Part I will count as an elective credit only, while Algebra I, Part II will count as one math credit.

"If a student is stretching a course intended to be completed in one year over two years, they are leaving less time for other studies," said the Virginia Department of Education Director of Communications Charles Pyle. "This change represents a raising of the bar for students at schools where this had been a practice and ultimately when students have more time to take more courses, and more advanced courses, they will benefit."

Despite this optimistic outlook, Gar-Field principal William Bixby had his reservations.

"As a principal this makes me a little nervous, because the youngsters who may be struggling are losing one option," Bixby said. "They have very little wiggle room for the remainder of their math studies if they wish to graduate on time."

Bixby has calmed his nerves by providing incoming ninth graders with the option of double-blocking Algebra I, thus students would take part one for the first semester and part two for the second semester.

"Double blocking Algebra I allows students to receive a math credit by the end of their freshman year and then still have three more years to obtain at least two more credits," said Bixby. "They will get twice as much instruction and I think it will increase the likelihood that they graduate on time. Any strategy that increases students' likelihood of graduating on time makes them more competitive when it comes to college."

Both Pyle and Bixby said they encouraged parents and students with questions regarding this change to utilize the resources provided on the Virginia Department of Education's website, or to contact the school guidance counselor.