At ETHS, students are required to complete six math credits to graduate, including Algebra, Geometry and Algebra 2, or the equivalent. Placement in high school math classes depends on the courses students take in eighth grade, and some freshmen taking advanced math have pursued new options that allow them to move more quickly through the curriculum.
Principal Dr. Quiana McNeal says the process begins with alignment with District 65 to ensure all students meet this requirement.
“Our math department chair coordinates with math leadership at District 65 to talk through the skills students are expected to learn by the time they go to high school,” said McNeal.
Eighth graders in District 65 who want to take accelerated math in high school have two options: they can complete a shortened geometry course during summer school or complete the equivalent curriculum through ALEKS, an online program with short lessons that cover the same learning targets as the high school geometry course. This acceleration means that many math classes include students from various grades learning the same material.
Last year, many students completed ALEKS and are now in Advanced Algebra 2 Honors as freshmen. The ALEKS program is entirely online and set at the pace of the individual student, so time management can be an important skill.
“The most difficult part of completing the ALEKS program for me was that I had to do it on my own outside of class, and that made it hard to manage my time correctly,” said student Maxine Smith, who finished ALEKS this spring.
Many students, like Smith, experienced difficulty with the ALEKS program.
“I feel like planning my time accordingly [was the biggest takeaway] because I just got behind, and by the end, I was busy with so many other things,” said student Marit Skwish.
In Smith’s view, ALEKS did not adequately prepare her for Algebra 2 in her freshman year.
“I feel like most of what I learned on ALEKS has not transferred over,” said Smith. “ALEKS teaches you to think about things in a way that is different from how we are taught to solve problems in class, which doesn’t make sense.”
Marit Skwish sees ALEKS differently in terms of its ability to help prepare students for high school math.
“Even though I’m struggling a bit with Algebra 2, I feel like that has nothing to do with geometry or ALEKS,” said Skwish. “It has more to do with what I knew from Algebra 1.”
McNeal emphasizes the district’s approach to math placement and providing students with the right opportunities.
“We want to ensure that we offer courses to meet students where they are in math while maintaining the integrity of those courses,” said McNeal. “We also want to maintain rigorous courses that are appropriately challenging for students based on where they enter.”
According to Marit Skwish, the decision will depend on the student and what they value. She noted that it is a big commitment.
“Figure out what is more efficient for you,” said Skwish. “If you choose to do ALEKS, just prepare for the amount of work you’ll have to do, because it is harder than you think it will be at the start.”
Accelerated math options like ALEKS and summer geometry give students the chance to move ahead, but they also require strong time management and preparation. ETHS works with District 65 to provide multiple pathways, ensuring students have a range of options.
