Math prerequisites revised

Course requests for the upcoming 2014-2015 year are here, and the prerequisite rules have seen a change.

Previously, students in a regular level math course were not permitted to jump straight into the AP track. For instance, a student in Algebra 2 regular could not go into Trigonometry Pre Calculus honors. Starting next year, the math department is simply making recommendations for students but not requirements.

Minimum grade requirements in honors and AP math classes to go to the next level have also been eliminated. This allows students to think about what they want, not what they are restricted to.

“Opening up access to our great math classes is a goal our math department has been working on,” principal Paul Robinson said.

According to Robinson, good assessments and communication of students’ skills contribute to helping counselors advise students on what classes they should take.

Math teacher Debra Troxell said the rule was implemented more as a technicality.

“Making the changes for the math department in the past made no sense, so we made hard and fast pre-requisites so that students wouldn’t take on classes that they weren’t fit for,” Troxell said. “We still feel really strongly that students should follow our guidelines, but legally, we can’t stop them from taking the classes they want to take.”

Robinson also thinks that choice, which the revised policy allows, will be a benefit for students.

“Of course, we’re always concerned that students take courses that they’re prepared for and able to be successful in,” Robinson said. “We never want a student to overreach and cause problems for themselves, so we hope that they enroll themselves with a challenging but healthy schedule based on their interests and capabilities.”

Students like sophomore Naved Krishnamurthy expressed concern that the rule change might hurt students’ grades.

“If the students take the harder classes when they didn’t do well in the previous level it’s more likely that they won’t do well,” Krishnamurthy said. “The rule should stay unchanged to make sure people don’t do things they aren’t ready for.”

Others like sophomore Josh Dey said the new rule benefits students.

“I think it’s good because it gives students more freedom and the choice to take the classes that they want to rather than classes they are restricted to,” Dey said.

Dey said the new policy allows students to be able to transfer from regular classes to tougher classes that they feel ready to take.

“This flexibility allows students to enjoy their schedule and take the classes they really want to take, which is important in high school,” Dey said.