California Bill Would Require Schools to Offer Algebra I to 8th Graders

A California bill that would require public schools to offer an algebra course to eighth graders advanced in the state Senate April 24, after the Senate’s Education Committee voted 7–0 to approve it. In July, the California Department of Education adopted a new mathematics framework, which has not yet been rolled out, that sparked controversy for shifting its emphasis to “big ideas” and prioritizing equity over algebra and geometry. Sen. Rosalie Ochoa Bogh, the author of Senate Bill 1410, said she introduced the bill because the state’s newly adopted mathematics framework suggests students take such courses in the ninth grade. However, she argued that timeframe would give students less time to take more advanced mathematics courses, which may impact their college admissions chances—particularly if they’re applying for a STEM or mathematics-focused major....