This school year, the number of freshmen taking Algebra II—rather than the norm of Geometry—dramatically increased from last year by 40 students, more than doubling the amount of freshmen in the higher level math class. Glen Russell, the high school math department chair, largely attributed the increase to the Math Lab, a program introduced to the middle school in the 2023–24 school year. The Math Lab provides eighth grade students in Algebra I the opportunity to learn Geometry in sessions after school.
Fourteen former Math Lab participants interviewed by the Bit, who are currently freshmen, said they did not gain an adequate understanding of geometry from Math Lab.
Geometry and Algebra II are the two main math courses offered to freshmen at GDS, with rare accommodations permitted to other classes. Both Geometry and Algebra II have a core level class and an extended level class. Additionally, students can take Algebra II Honors for the most challenge. Last year, there were only 29 freshmen in Algebra II classes, and now there are 69. Subsequently, the number of freshmen in Geometry dropped from 73 last year to 59 this year.
The Math Lab program began in Jan. 2024 with classes held three days a week after school. About 30 of 84 total eighth grade students last year participated in the Math Lab. A majority of the Math Lab participants last year are currently taking Algebra II, over 20 students. The other participants either transferred schools, did not pass the class or simply participated in the Math Lab to be more prepared for geometry freshman year.
“What’s the point?” Russell told the Bit in regard to more students taking Algebra II freshman year. He explained that a freshman in Geometry interested in taking post-calculus courses can have that opportunity by taking an extra math class senior year in addition to calculus, the standard senior math class.
“People think that Geometry doesn’t fit in the Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus track, and I get it,” Russell said. However, he explained that Geometry teaches many crucial math concepts, such as proofs, logic and reasoning, that are necessary for higher-level math classes. “Not many eighth graders are developmentally ready for that.”
Middle school math teacher Daniel Schweikhard, who heads the Math Lab this year after teaching it last year, attributed the Math Lab’s struggles last year to the class’ lack of time. “One of the challenges was covering the full geometry curriculum in a single semester while balancing students’ commitments to sports and other extracurricular activities. This often made the pace feel rushed, and there wasn’t always enough time to explore topics in depth,” he wrote in an email to the Bit.
According to freshman Justin Heffernan, a former Math Lab participant and current Algebra II Extended student, a passing grade to graduate from the Math Lab was 70%. “A lot of people got in [to Algebra II] who shouldn’t have because passing with a 70% doesn’t really mean you understand,” he said.
Heffenan explained that the Math Lab content was split into three sections. Students took a midterm exam after each section. Additionally, there was a final exam at the end of the year split into three parts corresponding to each section. In the Math Lab, the higher grade between a midterm and the corresponding part of the final was the students’ final score. The lower mark was disregarded. “You only had to study the sections [on the final] that you didn’t pass on the midterm,” Heffernan said.
“I don’t know if it’s a good thing,” Russell said, referring to accelerated Geometry courses. “The acceleration and the placement has to be thoughtful and meaningful and what’s best for the students’ mathematical understanding and not the goal of finishing faster.”
“I honestly didn’t even pass,” freshman Gabe Levine, a former Math Lab participant and current Algebra II Extended student, said. “I was two percent away from passing, so they just let me through.” Levine added that he decided to take Algebra II in order to take Calculus junior year and to have a robust college application.
“I think while in math lab I didn’t learn all the study skills that I would’ve loved to have in math,” freshman and Algebra II Extended student Ella Maas said. “It was more of a memorization thing and less of an understanding thing.” Maas ended up dropping down from Algebra II Honors to Extended.
Schweikhard referenced several adjustments he made to the Math Lab this year, including beginning the program in October, rather than January and incorporating asynchronous courses with one in-person class per week on Thursdays. He wrote that it grants students the opportunity to “dive further into topics like logic/proofing and transformations.”
The number of Math Lab participants this year reduced to 17 students. “The goal is to make sure that the students who sign up are genuinely interested in both the subject matter and the challenge of a more independent, self-directed learning experience,” Schweikhard wrote.
However, according to Russell, the Math Lab is not the only factor in the rise of Algebra II freshmen, as math acceleration is happening on a larger scale. “I’m not sure if it’s a local or national thing, but it seems like there’s a push for more kids to take earlier jumps,” he said. “For a lot of students it is farther than they’re ready for.”
Additionally, according to high school math teacher Ellie Nader, there are much larger Algebra II classes this year than in previous years. “I think that’s the biggest hurdle we have right now,” she said. “It’s always beneficial to have a smaller teacher-to-student ratio.”
“We’ll look at the numbers and adjust the classes accordingly,” Russell said regarding class sizes next year. “If we have a lot of students signed up for Algebra II, we’ll make sure to have the appropriate number of sections.”
Three sophomores interviewed by the Bit referred to difficulties with larger class sizes and influx of freshmen students.
“Last year I definitely had more time to talk one-on-one with my teacher in class,” sophomore James Fitzgibbons, who is in Algebra II Extended, said. “Now, if I have my hand raised, there are also like five or six other people who have their hands raised.” Fitzgibbons added that he attributes these problems to a significant increase of freshmen in his class, contributing to larger class sizes.
“I think it’s good that more freshmen can talk to sophomores, but it’s definitely kind of annoying,” sophomore Leela Rustgi, who is in Algebra II Extended, said. “I think the maturity difference is a problem.”
“The freshmen talk a lot in my class, which makes it so we can’t finish the lesson,” sophomore and Algebra II Extended student Naveen Joshi said. “Also, I can’t focus with all of them talking.”