Parents upset as Troy school board votes to change middle school math track

TROY, Mich. (FOX 2) - Some parents are unhappy about the upcoming changes to the middle school math track in Troy.

The school board voted to do away with the honors track for math in favor of a single track for all students. 

Dozens of parents and some students spoke against the changes at a school board meeting Tuesday.

"You will be telling them that they do not have unique needs, and you'll be telling them that a one size fits all curriculum is all that they are worthy of," one person said.

More than 2,800 parents signed a petition echoing similar concerns about going to single track model, saying they would like to see more data to prove that it works. 

"Without a strong foundation in middle school, SATs and high school become more detrimental not only on the student's life but also on their mental health," another person said at the meeting.

The district says proposed changes to the 6th and 7th-grade math structure are designed for preparation for all students in advanced mathematics in high school and beyond.

Some parents are willing to give this new approach a try.

"I think it’s absolutely appropriate to allow for the growth and development that happens in middle school before setting a student's path for high school," a parent in support of the change said.

A group of middle school teachers also spoke in favor of the change before the board voted to approve it.