I'm wondering what you all think about school districts, policies, and when/if exceptions to the rules are okay.

I'm taking a compacted class of honors algebra two this semester with four other students. We are all extremely talented in maths. I'm taking this short class along with a normal yearlong course of honors geometry. The other four students had the option to take that course last year, so they are currently taking precalculus/triginometry right now. The one problem is that algebra two is a prerequisite for precalculus.

So the school district is making a huge deal. I'm doing well in geometry, and the others are doing great in precalc. The school district just won't let it go. We worked with an enrichment teacher who has a math major and is certified to teach honors algebra two. We did all the projects the non-compacted honors alg. 2 students did. We had homework assignments and tests and a midterm (at the end of 1st quarter). The district doesn't think we're getting deep enough into the topics. Yet we do all the challenge problems in the book, we just skip the easy repetition of basics. We apply knowledge to real-life problems. The district doesn't want to give us honors credit for this course. They don't want to give us a full-course credit (instead only half a credit) since we did the course in one semester.

The final decision has been reached. They gave us a standardized test and gave that same test to the normal honors alg 2 students. We did perform above them, so they couldn't nail us with that. Yet they kept going, looking to find anything and everything to complicate things. They decided that they will give us honors credit (which raises our GPA, and that's what we were more concerned about). But if we want a full year credit, we'll have to take another semester of it. Even though we've already covered almost all the material in the course. So, being told that this week, we slowed down our learning rate (way to go, district, exactly what we didn't want to do) and that way we'll have a little bit to learn next semester.

I can see why if one of us was struggling in our other yearlong course, they might try and stop this class, but if we're all doing really well...it's a waste of everyone's time to make a big deal. The district, in giving us weighted GPA as an honors class, is supposedly doing us a favor. Making an exception. They won't do it again next year for another group. Which makes me want to be able to change the district policy, since there may come another time where a group of kids like us comes along. I don't want them sleeping through math classes since I hated it. My principal realized "it isn't right to hold them back" [from learning]

Does this seem fair? Right? Can you think of better solutions? I'm just looking for ideas and thoughts.

This is sort of off-topic as it's a different school district problem, but I'm in Philly's district and it sucks a$$. The whole district has to weear uniforms and we have too much religion in the schools. Not cool in public gov institutions.

If I may, could you e-mail me the school district?

Simply because I take a lot of intrest in this sort of thing... Also if you could request a copy of the course descriptions you should be able to find in your student services office, and ask your superintendants secretary for a copy of it's honors classes policy.

Please ask them to explain their reasoning behind this. I find the whole situation bs....if they learn at a faster rate, why hold them back? Maybe they can give you an answer without alot of bs (holds back sarcasm) Ask them why they are doing this.

Are they making a big out of it because those are taking two math classes in which you have to take one of the classes before the other? I did that last year. I took Algebra 1 and Foundations 2 in the same year and where I go to school you have to take Foundations 2 before you can take Algebra 1 but no one at my school said or did anything about it. I don't see the harm in it if they can handle it. But if they can't than that's a different story but you make it sound like it's not that big of an issue.

Well, they need to make an exceptio if they are going to offer the course. You eed to just stad up to them and tell them everything going on ad that they just can't decide to change thier mind about a accelerated course halfway through the year.

I needed a full year credit since it's required for a full credit in algebra two before starting precalculus. They won't let me into precalc next year until I have a whole credit in alg 2. (The other four in my class are exceptions. The school district doesn't want to make any more exceptions.)

Honors algebra two is a year-long course. There are three or four classes of it. I guess it's more of an independent study group, as we are taking in all the information from the year in half the time. Which has never been done before in the district. Thanks for your thoughts!

Why do you need a full year of credits? Thats what I don't see.

Last year, I took honors geometry and halfway through the year I decided to drop home economics (a requirement for 8th grade) and take Algebra 2. They mad me take the midterm and get an 85 or better to get in (I did.). They gave me full credit for the course - I knew all the material. If you knowall the material, you shouldn't have to take another semester of it. But, if it was only meant to be a semester course, I see why they don't want to give you a full year of credits. In your next semester, just take a course that will give you the number of credits to make up for what they won't give you.