Interesting to read what the 2013 California Math Framework (which came along with Common Core being installed into our state's standards) wrote about middle school acceleration: web.archive.org/web/2014102123…. Read especially lines 195-319. This was, I think, an important line: "Slowing down instruction or restricting access to accelerated sequences may discourage and disengage some students from their progress in math, and potentially other courses as well." Meanwhile, I think it's fair to say the final version of the more recent 2023 CMF (cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/) plays both sides. e.g. Ch. 9 lines 91-98 allows for acceleration, while Ch. 8 lines 1306-1318 advocates against it. This is IMO an improvement over the first version of the CMF from 2021, which was staunchly anti-acceleration (e.g. look at Ch. 7 of that version, the 'Tracking and Acceleration' section, amongst other places). But because it tries to play both sides, unlike in 2013, ultimately the guidance feels confusing.
@minilek Here is the final PDF rather than the final draft copy. They are basically the same w/ small differences that might be meaningful to you. You will notice some pathways that delay acceleration until after 8th grade. Exactly what SFUSD did. cde.ca.gov/ci/ma/cf/docum…
@minilek Despite that key line, Berkeley swiftly took away Algebra 1 from all 8th graders at all 3 middle schools in the wake of Common Core. I am not aware of any plans to re-create a pathway that allows for Alg 1 or IM1 in 8th grade. Berkeley even used to allow Alg 1 for 7th graders.
@minilek To go along with this guidance, admins and teachers alike started discouraging students from acceleration. Telling them it will be hard and they should reconsider. Most kids that age will be demotivated when they start a class being told chances are high they will fail.