All eighth-grade students at Latta Middle School in Dillon School District 3 will take algebra in the upcoming school year after students in all grade levels showed significant gains in math.
Superintendent Dr. John Kirby said the math gains on the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) testing conducted by the district has led administration to change the math course offering in the eighth grade.
“The teachers have stepped up to the plate and they have increased the rigor in math,” Kirby said. “The students have accepted that challenge. They’re showing that they have accepted the rigor in math by these exceptional test scores.”
Traditionally, top performing eighth-grade students took algebra.
The majority of students will take algebra for high school credit, Kirby said. Students who don’t reach a mastery level in algebra will receive credit for eighth-grade math.
“The worst-case scenario is we’ll have everybody going to the high school with some algebra skills,” Kirby said jokingly. “What a pleasant problem. The ultimate goal is to have every student by the time they finish ninth grade mastering algebra and understanding the high order thinking skills that algebra brings with it.”
By having algebra in the eighth grade, Kirby said, students will be able to take higher levels of math and more rigorous courses in high school, which will better prepare them for future careers.
The district will provide all students with a TI-83 graphing calculator for their personal and school use.
Also discussed during the district’s board of trustees regular meeting Tuesday was information on the MAP data, presented by Esther Rogers, the district’s director of instructional technology.
Anita Mace, the district’s school nurse, also discussed during the meeting the Healthy Learners, a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System dedicated to improving the health and well being of school children from economically disadvantaged families, according to its Web site, www.healthylearners.com. The program will begin in the fall.
In other business, the board received information on Latta Elementary School’s teacher incentive program; a free employee health screening program; and conducted an executive session to discuss a property contract.
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