No Algebra II Terrible for Texas Workforce

Current Texas law requires high school students to take Algebra II and to undergo standardized testing in it. That kind of academic rigor has made Texas a leader nationwide in college and career readiness, but now that's in jeopardy, said Michael Cohen, president of Achieve. Cohen said he understands that "people worry that if you make kids take more rigorous math, then you'll lose them." But he also asked: "What kind of technical training doesn't require some kind of advanced mathematics?" He said federal studies have found that students who complete Algebra II in high school more than double their chances of earning four-year college degrees. "It's not like people made up the idea, 'Let's all take Algebra II for the fun of it.' It was looking at what people do after they leave high school, what kind of education and training programs you want to prepare them for," said Cohen. Read the article in the Houston Chronicle...