To help students complete algebra in less time, San Benito High
School is tweaking the course and offering algebra remediation.
Normally, students enroll in algebra for the entire school year
their freshmen year. In the past, the student finishes the whole
year in the class even though they may be having trouble with the
concepts or flunking the class entirely early on.
Now, students who flunk the first semester of algebra will be
pulled from the class and enrolled in a remediation class second
semester instead of next school year.
To help students complete algebra in less time, San Benito High School is tweaking the course and offering algebra remediation.
Normally, students enroll in algebra for the entire school year their freshmen year. In the past, the student finishes the whole year in the class even though they may be having trouble with the concepts or flunking the class entirely early on.
Now, students who flunk the first semester of algebra will be pulled from the class and enrolled in a remediation class second semester instead of next school year.
“If a student is failing the first semester, the chances of them failing the second semester are really high,” said Clete Bradford, math proficiency teacher at SBHS. “This way, they haven’t lost a year.”
SBHS administrators sent out letters to students and their families informing them of the semester change and the math review, or algebra remediation, class.
The idea of offering a math review for algebra allows students to move forward, Superintendent Jean Burns Slater said.
“We wanted to see what we can do better for them now. There’s no point in putting a student into algebra 1 second semester if they’re not succeeding,” she said. “This will keep them from getting behind in any of their graduation units.”
Currently, a student must pass 235 units to graduate. Students earn five units per class per semester. If a student takes six classes for four years – without zero or seventh period or summer school – they can reach 240 units, leaving a margin of error of flunking one semester in one class.
Having problems in the first semester is also troublesome since concepts get harder as the course progresses.
“Algebra I is the gatekeeper of math courses,” Slater said.
This program will start at the semester change in January with 100 students affected, Bradford said.
For second semester, ninth graders will be enrolled in pre-algebra; 10th and 11th graders will remain in their algebra class but will also take a math lab; and seniors will have to repeat the first semester of algebra at the same time they take the second semester of algebra and a separate math proficiency class – giving them three classes of math.
To make room in students’ schedules, they will be pulled out of elective classes second semester, Bradford said. Also, some may have to take zero or seventh period or summer school. Administrators will try and schedule classes so that students who have to take more than one math class at the same time will have them on different days (because of the school’s alternating block schedule).
Students are required by the state of California to pass algebra to graduate starting with this year’s seniors.
“We do have a rather significant number of kids failing algebra the first time around,” Bradford said. “If they struggle with algebra, they’re going to struggle with other math courses.”
It’s because of this that administrators are focusing on algebra over other math courses, including geometry, trigonometry and algebra II. Also, the need to pass state and federal requirements adds pressure to administrators and teachers, as well as students.
“Math and English are key components (of state tests). Algebra has always been somewhat of an issue, but because of the way the state grades tests, it’s more important to get the basics in,” Bradford said.
