Advanced class auto-enrollment policies have empirical evidence that they work for all students, especially the least advantaged students. That’s why these policies have the support of the leading national education civil rights organization, The Education Trust. Just 4 years ago, the VDOE proposed keeping almost all kids in the same math class until 11th grade based on no evidence as part of the thankfully dead Virginia Math Pathways Initiative (VMPI). But this anti-acceleration ideology didn’t die with VMPI. Although this ideology was proven in San Francisco to hurt the least advantaged students the most, it’s still pushed by many schools of education and certain ideological K-12 math organizations, like the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics. As stated by the old phrase, the road to hell is paved with good intentions. For instance, we saw Alexandria City Public Schools recently eliminate its 7th grade Algebra path because of a warped definition of equity. Advanced math is a civil rights issue. The new accountability system’s middle school advanced math factor also incentives schools to not remove acceleration opportunity. But that factor alone is not sufficient. The federal government made clear in ESSA that states should prioritize offering advanced courses. The legislature needs to codify advanced math civil rights protections into law with this bill.

Comments Document

I support HB2686. I am an education researcher at the University of Virginia who helped prepare a research brief around the benefits of math course auto enrollment/acceleration for middle schoolers. We need to focus on improving educational outcomes for all Virginians to help strengthen our commonwealth’s economy and create competitive workers for the future , and middle and high school course taking decisions, especially around algebra, are an essential crossroads where many students can set themselves up for future success. Thank you for your time serving on this committee.

Comments Document

I am an education researcher at the University of Virginia who believes that opening pathways for students to take rigorous math courses will improve our states' overall academic achievement, and better prepare students for successful futures and careers. I, in concert with my colleagues at the University of Virginia, prepared the attachment below: a research brief emphasizing the benefits of a program like this for all Virginia students. Our students deserve a rigorous education that will properly prepare them for a postsecondary credential or a gainful career so that they can be productive members of our society. Broadening students' ability to take higher level math courses based on data-driven decision making is a logical and necessary step for improving our students' futures and our states' economy. See attached research brief for further details.

Comments Document

Honorable Members of the House Education – K-12 Subcommittee – Thank you for the opportunity to voice support for HB2686, which provides for automatic math enrollment policy, a key tenet of ExcelinEd’s fundamental math policy principles. The bill would require each school board to develop and adopt a policy that sets forth the criteria for students in grades five through eight to be eligible to enroll in advanced or accelerated mathematics. The bill requires that each such policy provides for the automatic enrollment of certain students in advanced or accelerated mathematics based on Standards of Learning assessment scores, subject to course offerings and availability and the opportunity for parental opt-out, multiple additional pathways to student enrollment in advanced or accelerated mathematics, and an annual parental notification relating to mathematics coursework. Advanced mathematics opportunities allow students to move through math course sequences at a faster pace. For example, students usually take algebra (or its equivalent) in high school. With access to advanced mathematics opportunities, students who are ready for advancement may take algebra or its equivalent in middle school so that in high school, students can eventually take college–level courses for credit, often through Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Concurrent Enrollment, and/or Dual Enrollment. Automatic enrollment ensures that students have access to the mathematics courses that are appropriately challenging and enriching and requires no added registration paperwork or meetings. For too long, many students who should have been in advanced math opportunities were not given access to those courses. While this policy is strong, we would recommend adding language requiring reporting on automatic math enrollment and student outcomes. In states without these reporting requirements, we have seen students who qualify for advanced math get counseled to opt out of the program, even though they are prepared and capable. Reporting data would illuminate any issues that arise to ensure that all students who are prepared to advance have the opportunity. Thank you for your leadership and for considering this policy to help students advance in math coursework. Sincerely, Ashley Mullins National Legislative Director ExcelinEd in Action