Why are students required to take algebra in high school?

Photo by Wim van ‘t Einde on Unsplash

I’m extremely grateful to State Senator Mark Romanchuk and his research team for doing this useful research for me about the federal & state requirements for math in Ohio’s public high schools. Some thoughts on this:

• There is no federal or state requirement that public schools in Ohio administer an assessment in Algebra II. And yet, Ohio makes it mandatory for kids to take one unit of Algebra II in order to graduate. Why?
• There’s also no requirement for an end-of-course exam in Algebra II. So, once again, why does Ohio require students to take one credit in the course in order to graduate?

• The Northeastern University sociologist Michael Handel found that only 22% of U.S. workers report using math any more complicated than basic fractions and percentages in their jobs (see link in first comment). So, again, where’s the need for forcing kids to take Algebra II (or geometry and trig for that matter)?
• Technically, the Secretary of Education/the federal government doesn’t have the authority to tell states what to do with respect to their education. But they’ve done a clever workaround with this through the federal “Every Student Succeeds Act” (ESSA), which gives states federal grants if they adhere to certain educational standards.
• So they’re not explicitly telling states what to do… but they really are. It’s like telling your kid he can do whatever he wants, but if he does exactly what you want, you’ll cook breakfast, lunch, and dinner; buy groceries; pay the gas, water, and electric bills, etc.

• Ohio Revised Code Section 3301.0712(B)(2)(b) states that the geometry end-of-course exam is no longer required for students who enter ninth grade for the first time on or after July 1, 2019 subject to a waiver from the U.S. Secretary of Education (which has not been granted yet). Combined with the fact that there’s no end-of-course exam required for Algebra II, and I see this as the state quietly admitting that advanced forms of math like geometry and algebra aren’t THAT important.
• Last but not least, students are currently allowed to opt out of the Algebra II requirement if they take one unit of advanced computer science. Is this a sign that the state is willing to relax this algebra requirement?

If you also think this situation doesn’t make sense, write to your Senators, House Representatives, and Ohio Board of Education President to let them know! Check out the links below to find templates and more information for this.

• Write to your elected Representatives
• Here’s how little math Americans actually use at work
• Math Assessments in Ohio
• Ohio Board of Education members
• Ohio Revised Code on end-of-course exams
• House Bill 170 on Computer Science in high school

I’m the author of the books “You Say Soccer, I Say Football” and “Community Heroes: What a year as an AmeriCorps VISTA member taught me about community development”