Diploma and Utah's new math requirements

This information only pertains to those who plan on or may use the Utah Public system for graduation and to obtain a Utah high school diploma. Due to the requirements, this means that the decision to receive a diploma must be made much earlier than has been in the past.  Previously many parents could make that decision in 11th grade.  But now it is suggested before you start your 9th grade year.  And pretty much, it is a done deal decision.  I personally make that decision come 7th grade because we prepare our children to take advantage of the available associates degree through high school.

To graduate the math requirement is no longer a number of credits but rather include State Standards Math 1, 2, and 3. 9th grade requires State Standards math 1 (SSM1). 10th grade requires SSM2. 11th grade SSM3 or other options listed below. 

In a nutshell:

If your student’s graduating class is 2015, they can complete the Algebra 1,

Geometry, Algebra 2 (or instead of Algebra 2, an approved applied or advanced course off the list on the chart).

If your student would graduate in 2016 or later, they need to complete Secondary 1, Secondary 2, Secondary 3

(or instead of Secondary 3 an approved applied or advanced course off the list on the chart)

http://www.schools.utah.gov/CURR/gradinfo/Home/High-School-Requirements-by-Year/FoundationAppliedorAdvancedCourses-030513.aspx

Here are the math standards to make sure students that are interested can pass the competency exams when it should come available February 2014. Just a note, passing off tests currently have a consequence of disqualifying a student from the Regents scholarship.

http://schools.utah.gov/CURR/mathsec/Core/Secondary-I.aspx

Methodology is not mandated but the standards are.

I asked whether the traditional Saxon Math series of Algebra 1, Algebra 2 and Geometry could fulfill the requirements.

Diana Suddreth of the Utah State Office of Education states, While the state does not mandate curriculum, it does set standards, and it is the responsibility of the schools to choose curricula to support teachers as they instruct in the standards. The Saxon Math series you describe does an incomplete job of addressing the standards and does so out of order. Teachers can reorganize the material and supplement the material, but they must be teaching the standards for Secondary Math I, II, and III as those are the graduation requirements. The Secondary Math sequence is not a check off. The courses must be taken and the standards must be addressed.

Thanks to Martha Rassmussen, she found this update. SSM1 and SSM2 must be on the transcript but SSM3 can have other classes replace it. See this link to the pdf:

http://schools.utah.gov/CURR/mathsec/Core/Pathways.aspx

According to Mrs. Suddreth, USOE, states:
“The AAF courses listed on this pdf are the courses students may take to fulfill the third mathematics requirement (after Secondary I and II are complete) upon parent request. They do not replace Secondary I and II which are firm in the graduation requirements. Please note that many of the courses have pre-requisites, sometimes including Secondary III.

If you consider the pathways in rows, you can see that the AAF courses line up with (and replace) either Secondary III or Precalculus. There are no courses that replace Secondary I and II.

The pathway describes the trajectory for most students; however, students who are advanced and move through the courses more quickly may meet the graduation requirement by taking Calculus, which fulfills the secondary mathematics graduation requirement regardless of how many credits are earned.”

Here is the link to all the state standards.  The pdf is only 1900 pages.  Leave it to bureaucracy.

http://www.schools.utah.gov/CURR/imc/Reviewer-Portal/State-Core-Standards-by-Subject.aspx