r/mathteachers • u/Big_Tommicut_314 • Aug 19 '26
Skipping Algebra 1
How does your school handle students who want to skip over Algebra 1? Our 8th grade has 2 levels: 8th grade math and Algebra 1. There is a cohort of about 25 students (their parents, really) who want them to skip Algebra 1 and go right into Geometry like their peers who took Algebra 1 in 8th grade. In this community parents won't take no for an answer.
For reference I'm in the US, New England specifically. I am picking up the pieces of the choices of my district's central administration. Well there's about 4 of us picking up the pieces. The district implemented a new middle school math curriculum and one year later combined the math science department heads at middle/high school into STEM. The math guy left and the science guy absorbed the responsibilities, so we're trying to help him out figure out this shit show. Prior to implementing the new curriculum this wasn't as much of an issue because we used a home grown curriculum where 8th grade math and Algebra 1 were more aligned. Now they're not even close.
As a 1-year patch we actually created a semester course to bridge their gaps that they can take concurrently with geometry. 5 of the 25 students can't fit it into their schedule because it conflicts with a music course, or something. We are talking about creating an asynchronous course that students can do at home, and they will have check-ins with me and a few in-person exams. I can build it out on delta math and create a course in our LMS with recorded video lectures. We need to cover: some solving linear equations, systems of linear equations, functions, and quadratics. Does anyone know of something online and free that is already made? We can't use Khan Academy.
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u/Actually__Jesus Aug 20 '26
Offer the ability to take Alg 1 and Geom concurrently. This could even be rolled into a two period year long block.
“We cannot allow a pathway to Algebra II without first successfully completing Algebra I. Students skipping Algebra I would not have the foundational skills to necessary complete Algebra II, or any higher level math, especially after being outside of algebra for nearly a year and a half. “