The U.S. News and World Report ranks this school as the 191st nationwide and third in the state of Maryland. Across the country, the report also places the University of California San Diego (UCSD) as the 29th highest national university. Coasts apart, teaching entirely different groups of students, what do these two institutions have in common with each other? Both are suffering from an issue felt nationwide: math curriculums are significantly over-accelerated, and the pressure to take more advanced courses too early has resulted in students lacking necessary, foundational skills.
Traditionally, Algebra 1 has been offered as a ninth grade course, however in 2008, MCPS began developing a new math initiative referred to as “Curriculum 2.0 (C2.0)”. According to MCPS, the goal of the program was to focus on a “strong early foundation” and “deep conceptual understanding” of key math topics, allowing proficient students to access Algebra 1 as early as eighth, seventh or even sixth grade, thus opening the door to AP classes later in high school.
MCPS then rolled out the new curriculum in phases beginning in the 2013-2014 school year. Now a decade removed, this plan has backfired tremendously. Instead of students developing strong foundational skills, the highly accelerated nature has caused students to entirely miss key building concepts, something Prep 1on1 ACT/SAT tutor Alyssa Girod refers to as “gaps.” “Gaps can be identified as spaces or skill sets where students should have been previously prepared for the current grade and are missing key elements that allow them to access materials. Think of it like a bridge that connects two cliffs. Students with the bridge are able to walk to the other side even if they are uncertain of what is over there due to access, but students without one may need to make jumps that are out of reach,” Girod said…