On a whim I decided to test my soon-to-be first grader to see if he understood basic algebra. I first asked him “If something minus 4 equals 5, what is something?” He took a couple of seconds and responded “9″. I asked a few more, including “Something minus 2 plus 3 equals 5″. It took a while, but he gave the correct answer of 4.
He is not even in first grade yet and understands multiplication (proficient in 2s, 3s, 4s, 5s, 9s, and 10s) and basic algebra. I am genuinely concerned that keeping him in Nashville public schools will hinder his education. When I mentioned this to my dad he told me that his first calculus class was in 7th grade.
Part of the problem is “special needs” education and No Child Left Behind. Special needs education is funded by the federal government, but they do not consider advanced learners as having a special need. Tennessee schools do define advanced learners as having a special need, which makes it an unfunded mandate. By lowering the bar there will be more students who are above the curriculum. This will result in bored kids and more behavioral problems. That is going to be bad for everyone.
