
DATE: Tuesday, August 26, 1997              TAG: 9708260362

SECTION: FRONT                   PAGE: A1   EDITION: FINAL 

SERIES: Back To School 

SOURCE: BY ALETA PAYNE and DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITERS 

                                            LENGTH:  168 lines

NEW STANDARDS (EQ) HIGHER MATH A NEW STATE RULE CALLS FOR STUDENTS TO LEARN MORE ADVANCED MATH EARLIER AND TO MASTER ALGEBRA IN ORDER TO GRADUATE.

In a series of stories, The Virginian-Pilot examines the changes to Virginia's education system.

If you hate finding the area of a rectangle when its length is x + 10 and its width is x + 2, let's hope you've already graduated from high school.

The state's Standard of Learning for mathematics calls for all students to master algebra I. The proposed Standards of Accreditation, expected to be approved Sept. 4 by Virginia's Board of Education, would take it a step further. All Virginia high school students would be required to pass algebra and a more advanced math class such as geometry, algebra II or trigonometry to graduate with a regular diploma.

School divisions locally and across the state are laying the groundwork for the requirement, which would first affect the graduates of the Class of 2002, this year's eighth-graders.

Previously, the state required two units of math credit for the standard diploma, neither of which had to be algebra or higher.

In addition, students would be expected to learn more and master lessons sooner with new math standards. In some cases, math skills would be expected of students four years younger.

For example, identifying parallelism and perpendicularity were once expected of eighth-graders, but under the new standards would be taught to fourth-graders.

Preparing students to graduate with algebra credits seems to be the biggest hurdle, with the standards urging that algebra skills be incorporated in classes as early as kindergarten.

Algebra is considered a ``gate-keeper'' course that tracks the students who take it onto a college-bound curriculum. Some critics have wondered whether all children can learn algebra or if the expectation is too high.

But local educators who are bracing to meet that challenge say they believe all young people can take and pass the course, but schools must change the way they teach it.

Denise M. Walston, Norfolk's acting senior coordinator for mathematics, said all students should be able to pass algebra by the time they graduate. Success will lie in training teachers to make algebra more relevant and interesting, and giving students help when they struggle.

``It's a matter of teaching students and not boring them to death,'' Walston said, ``and making sure there are supports for kids making the requirements.''

Parent Sandra Cone agrees.

Cone grew up in Pittsburgh, where she failed high school algebra and didn't take it again; there wasn't the dire need to understand it as there is today, she said.

``I think it's important for students to go as far as they can,'' said Cone, whose daughter Tameka will take pre-algebra courses at Lake Taylor Middle School this year.

``If that means algebra, then I guess they should take it.''

To prepare students for algebra, Norfolk teachers have had extensive training during the past two years, and summer courses have been added to help middle school students prepare for high school algebra work.

At First Colonial High School in Virginia Beach, a pilot program, algebra for all, has been under way for three years. Algebra I is the lowest level math class offered to incoming students, according to Principal Donald Stowers. Of the students who haven't taken algebra by the time they arrive at the school, about half take the traditional one-year course and half take the course offered over 1 1/2 or two years.

``Everybody gets the concepts,'' said Stowers. ``But the length of time is extended and the pace is slowed down for the students to absorb the concepts.''

Experts say the effort by local districts to tailor their math programs to meet the needs of students, to offer support and tutoring, and to develop curricula that help make the subjects relevant are keys to getting students to fulfill the higher standards.

Gail Burrill, president of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, said the state standard is admirable as long as different schools would be allowed to work toward it in different ways. Schools would face problems, she said, if they expected kids to learn things that don't make sense to them or don't seem applicable to their lives.

``I think they need to free their thinking,'' Burrill said, as opposed to keeping a single traditional curriculum in place for all kids.

Equity 2000, a national program sponsored by the College Board, has taken the algebra-for-all concept to a half-dozen cities across the country and met with mixed results. The object of the program, started in 1990, has been to increase the number of minority and economically disadvantaged students who go on to college by making sure they take those crucial courses - algebra and geometry.

More students have taken the courses, but more have also failed them. Supporters say kids who would otherwise never attempt the classes are taking them, and many are succeeding, which points them in a different direction academically. Critics say, however, that the Equity 2000 program doesn't allow for sufficient flexibility in teaching - algebra is taken in a one-year course by ninth-graders and geometry in a one-year course by 10th-graders. They also say teacher training was insufficient for such a sweeping change.

Critics argue that raising the bar does no good if the state is setting kids up for failure.

Officials in local districts say they have made teacher training, developing different ways to teach the courses, and building support networks for students a priority. Divisions are phasing in the changes, so not all of the requirements will take effect this year.

Portsmouth and Norfolk had integrated tougher algebra standards into their lesson plans before the state's push.

Last year, Norfolk dropped its general diploma out of concerns that the diploma allowed students to coast through school; students needed only to complete the minimum amount of work required by the state to receive the diploma. Now Norfolk students in the Class of 2000 will be required to pass algebra I to graduate, in addition to tougher English and science courses.

Portsmouth decided to raise academic standards four years ago when the district eliminated ninth-grade basic math and replaced it with basic algebra and informal geometry courses. An algebra foundations class was introduced last year for freshmen not ready for basic algebra.

``Algebra is really a basic skill now that's needed,'' Marcella F. McNeil, curriculum supervisor for mathematics K-12. ``Algebra requires problem-solving and critical thinking, a set of very, very essential skills.''

To prepare for the state's standards, however, Portsmouth will phase out algebra foundations this year and begin a two-year algebra course for students who ``might require more time to work with the concrete skills,'' McNeil said.

Portsmouth also forged a staff development partnership with Norfolk and Suffolk two years ago. The districts' teachers are able to share ideas and study ways to use hands-on items in the classroom and graphing calculators to teach math.

``Math is a subject everyone can learn,'' McNeil said. ``When it's taught properly.''

That's the philosophy, too, in Virginia Beach and Chesapeake, where administrators say preparations have been ongoing for some time.

Pat House, director of instructional services in Virginia Beach, said the division may look to the program at First Colonial for ideas - such as spreading a course over two years. The district has been working toward an emphasis on concrete math - things like working with counting devices - rather than abstract.

``We know that the traditional paper and pencil approach isn't going to work for all kids,'' she said.

House also said she expects the division to intensify tutorial programs and summer offerings to help those who need it. All students can learn algebra, she said, but it may be harder for some.

``I think everybody sort of shares that concept that algebra will be difficult for some students,'' she said.

In Chesapeake, math supervisor Dan Mulligan is on the state committee developing the Standards of Learning math exam. A committee of teachers there began work last fall on math curriculum and came up with a math plan based totally on the standards.

Every child will take pre-algebra no later than the eighth grade and algebra I, over one or two years, no later than ninth. ``Watered down'' courses are a thing of the past, Mulligan said. And help, such as a summer algebra readiness camp, will be available for students who struggle with pre-algebra.

``We're not going to wait until they get to algebra I'' (to help), he said. ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MORT FRYMAN/File photo

Oscar Smith High School students in Chesapeake tackle some problems

in a pre-algebra class. The proposed standard would require all

Virginia high school students to pass algebra and one more advanced

math class to graduate with a regular diploma. The state has been

requiring two units of math, neither of which had to be algebra or

higher.

IAN MARTIN/ File photo

Brenda Paul lectures students at her algebra camp at Lake Taylor

High School in Norfolk. Many area schools have added programs to

help students prepare for algebra.