In January, the State Board of Education voted to drop Algebra II as a requirement for high school students to graduate.

Some students may like this change because they either hate math or they feel it was just too hard for them.

Removing Algebra II as a requirement for graduation was part of a major overhaul of the state’s curriculum standards in a sweeping education law passed last year by the state Legislature.

Lawmakers stated that they wanted to give school districts more flexibility in determining curriculum requirements when they eliminated Algebra II as a required course. It was part of a larger effort to give students the flexibility to focus on their careers and not just focus on college prep courses.

Many school administrators have argued that Algebra II is key for success in college and in life. But some also argue that there are plenty of high paying jobs available in Texas without a college degree or high-level math.

Algebra II would be still required for those students on the Distinguished Level of Achievement graduation plan. In December, the Austin school board approved the Distinguished plan as the default graduation plan for all students starting next year.

This means students will still have to take four years of math to graduate in Austin even though the state lawmakers said that this is not necessary.

Taking Algebra II as a class to me is pointless. Statistics would be more useful in our lives. Algebra II can be so challenging for students that it makes it difficult for them to graduate. If we would just drop Algebra II as a requirement to graduate then it would make it easier for a lot of people to graduate.

I wish school would teach us how the economy and loans work. How to manage our check books and bank accounts. I’m glad I know how to solve for “X” because that’s what we’re going to use in our everyday lives.

Unfortunately, the Austin school  district is still requiring students to take Algebra II as part of the new Distinguished Level of Achievement that next year’s freshman will use as the standard plan.

I think the school board should let students choose if they want to take Algebra II or not. The students who don’t want to take Algebra II can take statistics. This gives  students more options.