ODESSA, Texas — Senate Bill (SB) 2124 now requires schools to prepare their students for advanced mathematics, with the goal of having a higher percent of students ready for Algebra 1 in the eighth grade.
"I'm just very proud that Ector County ISD was ahead of the game," said Dr. Lilia Nanez, ECISD associate superintendent of curriculum and instruction. "Our goal was to make sure that all students had the opportunity to engage in advanced courses three years ago."
Senate Bill 2124 was established in 2023 to encourage 40% of middle schoolers to enroll in advance math classes. Ector County had the same thought in 2021.
"We changed the rule from allowing students to opt in into advanced courses. Now that rule has changed," Dr. Nanez said. "They have to opt out if they hit a certain standard on fifth grade STAAR or any STAAR exam."
"If they make meets on the test, real and truly is what it ends up being, they are automatically placed on their card, their enrollment card for next year, into the advanced class of that test," said Dr. Kristen Vesely, ECISD director of advanced academic services. "So, they meet in math, they're immediately placed in advanced math. If they [meet in] English, advanced English. So on and so forth."
Administrative staff recognize that this could be a challenge for students and teachers alike. That’s why they’ve been working closely with teachers to make this a successful transition all around.
Dr. Nanez explained that with the help of the advanced academics team and collaboration with the math team, they have been able to work with teachers weekly and sometimes even bi-weekly.
With the new curriculum, sixth graders will learn all of their required skills, plus half of the seventh grade curriculum. In seventh grade, students will finish the ladder half of the seventh grade skills and learn all of the eighth grade curriculum.
Once they reach the eighth grade, the goal is that they are fully prepared to enroll in Algebra 1. All in all, a year and a half of learning is now compacted into just one year.
"We want to make sure that all our students are life ready, career ready and college ready," Dr. Nanez said. "Doing courses like this and exposing and making sure that kids have opportunities to engage in courses like this where we compact, gets them ready for college."
As for parents wondering how this impacts their child, the door of communication and collaboration is always open.
"The biggest piece is for the parent to know they can come to the campus, and they can sit down with the counselor, or the principal and they can have an in-depth conversation on what is the benefit and what are you now doing to my child because it's really good for their kids," Dr. Vesely said.
The forward thinking of ECISD administration has truly paid off because they are above the state average with 47% of their students enrolled in advanced classes. It is just another way to inspire the next generation to get the best education they can.