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The 2007 Standards - Changes in the Minnesota Law.


Minnesota law requires all students to complete an algebra I credit by the end of 8th grade. Do the 8th grade standards and benchmarks fully outline the content for algebra I?

The 8th grade standards and benchmarks encompass the material that is normally mastered in an algebra I course.  Additional material should also be included in 8th grade mathematics, in preparation for high school.  For example, it is common to begin work with quadratic functions in algebra I, but mastery is not expected until algebra II, so quadratic functions are not emphasized in the 8th grade standards and benchmarks.  On the other hand, some material that is likely to be introduced in 7th grade or earlier, such as the square root, is expected to be first mastered in 8th grade.  Therefore square roots are included in the 8th grade standards and benchmarks, rather than in an earlier grade.



Minnesota law requires algebra II or its equivalent for graduation from high school.  (Minn. Stat. § 120B.023, subd. 2(B)(2) (2006).)  Do the 9-11th grade standards and benchmarks fully outline the content for algebra II?

Some algebra II material is introductory in nature and lays the foundation for future courses.  Students are not expected to master such material.  For example, logarithms are usually introduced in algebra II, but mastery of the fundamentals of logarithms is not expected until precalculus or college algebra.  For this reason, logarithms are not mentioned in the 9-11th grade standards and benchmarks.