Common Core Standards

Thank you for posting this info.  What an unexpected turn of events!  It's too bad the district cave in and waived the tests.  I'm lost now at what to do with my 6th grader...
We were supposed to have the test on July 21st
 
IrvineRes said:
Thank you for posting this info.  What an unexpected turn of events!  It's too bad the district cave in and waived the tests.  I'm lost now at what to do with my 6th grader...
We were supposed to have the test on July 21st
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This is a huge game changer.  How to get the parents more irritated at Common Core.

I don't know how this will play out in the long run but unless colleges have lowered their admissions standards as well ... Passing the Calculus AP exam in high school is essential ..unless a junior college Calculus class can be counted on the same level as an AP exam.
 
ZeroLot said:
IrvineRes said:
Thank you for posting this info.  What an unexpected turn of events!  It's too bad the district cave in and waived the tests.  I'm lost now at what to do with my 6th grader...
We were supposed to have the test on July 21st
Click to expand...

This is a huge game changer.  How to get the parents more irritated at Common Core.

I don't know how this will play out in the long run but unless colleges have lowered their admissions standards as well ... Passing the Calculus AP exam in high school is essential ..unless a junior college Calculus class can be counted on the same level as an AP exam.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure a junior college Calculus counts "more" than an AP exam for credit purposes.  Those are actual college credits where as an AP exam simply provide for the possibility for college credit. 
 
I'm trying to remember but do AP courses/tests count as actual college credits or just a passing a prerequisite for other courses?

From what I remember, getting a 4 or 5 on AP Calc lets you skip 2 math courses in college. Same thing with AP Chem, AP English, AP Physics etc etc.
 
irvinehomeowner said:
I'm trying to remember but do AP courses/tests count as actual college credits or just a passing a prerequisite for other courses?

From what I remember, getting a 4 or 5 on AP Calc lets you skip 2 math courses in college. Same thing with AP Chem, AP English, AP Physics etc etc.
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From my recollection, passing AP tests allows you to receive credit but many schools only allows you to use them for GE purposes, i.e. you can't use them for your major.

UC policy

Units awarded toward UC graduation may be granted for specific subjects and/or for general education/breadth requirements, as determined by each campus.

AP exams can also be used to meet the minimum transfer admission subject requirements in English, Math and 4 other courses chosen from the humanities, behavorial/social sciences and biological/physical sciences.

Please encourage students to take AP tests when appropriate. Although the College Board reports all AP tests results to us, students should be aware AP test scores lower than 3 will not adversely affect their chances for admission.

Units granted for AP tests are not counted toward the maximum number of credits required for formal declaration of a major or the maximum number of units a student may accumulate prior to graduation. Students who enter UC with AP credit do not have to declare a major earlier than other students, nor are they required to graduate earlier.
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http://admission.universityofcalifornia.edu/counselors/exam-credit/ap-credits/index.html

That's part of the reason why I think AP "credit" is way overblown.  You can't use them to pursue a major and GE courses are pretty easy (and honestly really fun).
 
WTTCMN said:
irvinehomeowner said:
I'm trying to remember but do AP courses/tests count as actual college credits or just a passing a prerequisite for other courses?

From what I remember, getting a 4 or 5 on AP Calc lets you skip 2 math courses in college. Same thing with AP Chem, AP English, AP Physics etc etc.
Click to expand...

A lot of this is dependent on where you go to college and what your major is. For some majors, AP classes can't replace classes required for your major.  I was a non math/science major so my AP calc credit got me out of all college math.
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I can see wanting to get out math but I think going to classes outside of your major is part of the college experience.  One of the best classes I had in college was my film studies class...it helps me to learn about things like camera angles, lighting, and gave me a deeper appreciation of films in general.
 
WTTCMN said:
Maybe it is way overblown in terms of the sheer amount of AP classes these kids take on these days but having AP credit is never a bad thing. Depending on the college, It might allow you to graduate earlier (significant $$ savings), allow you to double major without killing yourself, allow you to take it easy (credit wise) for a semester or two esp if you are premed and doing the hard sciences classes, allow you to study abroad without messing up graduation, etc, etc.  It's hard to know where you will end up as a HS junior/senior so kids should take AP coursework that suits their academic profile. If you can't use the credit in college, oh well but you prob will have a head start on that course in college.
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I guess it's just my experience but I got a double major in 4 years without the use of any AP credits.  I guess it's possible to graduate earlier but with the way courses fill up these days, it pretty much takes up all 4 years to finish your major.
 
WTTCMN said:
Irvinecommuter said:
WTTCMN said:
Maybe it is way overblown in terms of the sheer amount of AP classes these kids take on these days but having AP credit is never a bad thing. Depending on the college, It might allow you to graduate earlier (significant $$ savings), allow you to double major without killing yourself, allow you to take it easy (credit wise) for a semester or two esp if you are premed and doing the hard sciences classes, allow you to study abroad without messing up graduation, etc, etc.  It's hard to know where you will end up as a HS junior/senior so kids should take AP coursework that suits their academic profile. If you can't use the credit in college, oh well but you prob will have a head start on that course in college.
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I guess it's just my experience but I got a double major in 4 years without the use of any AP credits.  I guess it's possible to graduate earlier but with the way courses fill up these days, it pretty much takes up all 4 years to finish your major.
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Again. All depends on where you go college which you can't predetermine. AP credits give you that flexibility. You don't have to use them in college if you don't want to. I know you like to argue IC but I can't see a reasoning where AP credit is "bad".
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I don't think it's "bad"...I just think it gets oversold to parents and high school kids as this essential step to get into and succeed in college.  Basically all of my classmates in college passed a bunch of AP tests and basically ended up taking Chem 1A and Math 1A like I did.
 
Heh... I also took math classes I didn't need to because that's what all the cool kids were doing.

But I didn't take Chem... once was enough. :)
 
IUSD totally screwed up. Earlier, Pre-Algebra is in 6th grade and Algebra 1 is in 7th grade. Suddenly they changed and reduced the standard, because some schools are not doing well. Instead of increasing the teaching standards so that the kids can come up to the level, they reduced the bar.  Does the school district think IUSD students have less IQ than other Santa ana, Fullerton and other school districts where studnets with poor math grade got qualified to Algebra 1. In India and China, students learn Pre-Algebra in 5h grade itself. It is not students fault. If they want to implement the common core, it should be done in proper way. They have to realise the complete course layout from 6th grade to 12th grad. Universities or colleges should release the details if they are going to change their admission requirement when these new common core students are ready for colleges. What happens if the UC system does not change their admission pre-reques and students do not meet it?
http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/08/california-no-longer-requiring-eighth-graders-to-take-algebra/#!

Anyway, most of the parents are depending on private tutoring for maths and there will be no issue if the kids are enrolled in Algebra 1 in 7th grade which was the case earlier too.(Pre common core).
 
90% of all IUSD and TUSD will end up at colleges equal to or less ranked than Chapman University. IVC, OCC and SCC will be the daycare service for most kids not prepared or willing to leave the bubble nest. The math requirement for these 90% colleges is Geometry so I don't understand why this math course discussion is really that important.
 
chava45 said:
IUSD totally screwed up. Earlier, Pre-Algebra is in 6th grade and Algebra 1 is in 7th grade. Suddenly they changed and reduced the standard, because some schools are not doing well. Instead of increasing the teaching standards so that the kids can come up to the level, they reduced the bar.  Does the school district think IUSD students have less IQ than other Santa ana, Fullerton and other school districts where studnets with poor math grade got qualified to Algebra 1. In India and China, students learn Pre-Algebra in 5h grade itself. It is not students fault. If they want to implement the common core, it should be done in proper way. They have to realise the complete course layout from 6th grade to 12th grad. Universities or colleges should release the details if they are going to change their admission requirement when these new common core students are ready for colleges. What happens if the UC system does not change their admission pre-reques and students do not meet it?
http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/08/california-no-longer-requiring-eighth-graders-to-take-algebra/#!

Anyway, most of the parents are depending on private tutoring for maths and there will be no issue if the kids are enrolled in Algebra 1 in 7th grade which was the case earlier too.(Pre common core).
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I don't understand your point, all UC requires for admission in math is:

Three years (four years recommended) of college-preparatory mathematics that include the topics covered in elementary and advanced algebra and two- and three-dimensional geometry. Approved integrated math courses may be used to fulfill part or all of this requirement, as may math courses taken in the seventh and eighth grades if the high school accepts them as equivalent to its own courses.
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http://admission.universityofcalifo...inimum-requirements/subject-requirement/#math

They don't even require you to take calculus or pre-calculus. 

2)  They didn't reduce the standard because some school didn't do well.  They didn't reduce the standards, they simply detached the grade from what is being taught.  The key is not what type of math you are taking, but whether you truly understand the concept of each type of math.  It kicks out formulaic and memory learning and replace it with actual understanding (I know shocking).

3)  I have no idea where you are getting your comps from. 

Fullerton:  Algebra I by 8th grade but alternative course for those not ready.
http://www.fullertonsd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/math_ccs.pdf

Santa Ana:  Goal is to have kids go to Algebra I by 8th grade.
http://www.sausd.us/cms/lib5/CA01000471/Centricity/Domain/5397/Common Core Standards Math.pdf

Irvine:  All kids entering 8th grade has to take test and those who pass will get to be placed into Algebra-1.
https://www.iusd.org/education_services/Mathematics.html


4)  Common Core is also more align with the course work those outside of the US, including Singapore.  In fact, the US is one of the few countries that allow for disparate standards between the states, leading to fractionalized standards and learning. 

Singapore is seen as the "gold standard" of education and they have course work and standards nearly identical to that found in common core.  Going faster doesn't mean anything if you don't know what you are learning.
 
It is not exam standard that should be increased. It is the teaching standard that require improvement. I have seen 6th grade math home work sheets. 7th grade home worksheets and compared with the so called placement tests standards.
There is no comparision between those exams and class room work.
They introduced World history in 6th grade , expect the students to memorize greek, egyptial , Indian historical dates for exam. Can you check the Syllabus of 8th grade common core and Algebra 1 and see if there is any difference?
Both are exactly same. So why can't they improve the teaching so that the students can understand the logic with real world problems?
You are talking about minimum requirement for filing UC applications. But no student with that minimum requirement is getting admission into College. UC are looking at high school GPA, SAT and A.P courses that is taken in high school.
So if they want to change the pattern, it should be implemented in proper way. They have to release complete layout of the course from 6th to 12th grade and implemented nationwide for all kids at same level without any placement exams for advancing some kids.  Universities should be directed to consider high School course for admission. Now some kids go in advanced path with A.P courses and some kids will lag behind.
 
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