Does Amboy Junior High School have a math problem? For a group of parents of seventh grade students, the answer equals yes.

The Amboy School Board on Thursday night heard from a group of parents of seventh grade students. Those parents voiced concern and disappointment that the district has eliminated the eighth grade Algebra I class. The parents also expressed concern that the district did not inform parents or students that the class was discontinued.

“In this world of opportunities, why can’t we keep something that benefits students with continued education and motivates them to learn more? How can we continue to educate future doctors, nurses, teachers, accountants, business owners and give them at least the same opportunities we had, if not more,” said Angie Dallam, parent of a seventh grade student.

Dallam said her older child, now in high school, had the opportunity to take Algebra I in eighth grade, which allowed him to continue to move into advanced math classes in high school.

“The other student of mine is a seventh grader who is a strong math and science student. He will not have the same opportunities as his brother,” Dallam said.

Joshua Nichols, Amboy superintendent, said the math curriculum was changed to address learning gaps.

“We used to have kids from fourth grade come over and they would skip straight to sixth grade math. We were seeing gaps later; they had missed fractions or missed a component of something. So we just put everybody in the same math so everybody got the same curriculum. What that takes away is the option to take Algebra I as an eighth grader and this is the first group that has done that,” Nichols said.

Nichols said students can take Algebra I as freshmen and then double up on math classes in high school to make up for not taking Algebra I in eighth grade. Students can also opt to attend Sauk Valley Community College’s dual-enrollment program while still in high school where they could take advanced math classes, but only if placement tests indicate they are ready.

Tina Eller, a former teacher at Amboy High School and parent of a former Amboy student, said the option to double up likely won’t be feasible for most students for many reasons.

“I taught in three different school districts and doubling up rarely comes to fruition for many reasons: changes in staff adjusting the flow of course offerings, classes being offered at the same time, usually resulting in a student taking a graduation requirement class instead of an elective, and because of limited singleton classes, student numbers in the higher-level classes are low and then not offered, in a given year,” Eller said.

Eller also said that by discontinuing the option for students to take Algebra I as eighth graders, the district could be lowering standards and expectations for all students.

“Don’t lower the standards you are expecting your students to reach,” Eller said. “Not offering an ‘advanced’ track for students in math equals one more way that we are giving in to doing the easiest thing for the majority of the student population. Don’t leave your advanced students with the feeling that school doesn’t mean anything to me or this is so easy that I’m no longer interested in school because I’m not being challenged.”

Amboy School Board President Katie Pratt said the changes to the math curriculum and discontinuing the advanced offerings for eighth graders are at the top of the board’s radar. Pratt told the parents that one of the biggest challenges for the district is having and keeping math teachers.

“We have to make adjustments and move with what we have at the time,” Pratt said. “Our resources dictate that and I’m not just talking about finances, I’m talking about people resources as well.”

Board member Drew Montavon echoed the challenges the board and the district have had with finding and keeping math teachers who can teach at the higher levels.

“That is one of the hardest things, to find good math teachers and keep them here for the long term, to get a teacher who can teach pre-calculus and calculus, finding someone who can do that and who will stay here, is a challenge,” Montavon said.

Nichols agreed that finding teachers who can teach lower-level math and also advanced math classes also was a major reason for the shift in curriculum.

“We’ve had high turnover in our staff in general and math has always been one of those positions that has been difficult to fill so it’s always making sure that you have a math teacher who can do it. We have had turnover in math at the junior high level and that creates a struggle to fill,” Nichols said.

Board member Nichole Stenzel said offering students who would be pursuing advanced classes the option to double up could be penalizing higher-achieving students.

“I feel when we say ‘double up, other kids have done it,’ it’s a punishment to the kids. It feels like a punishment to the kids who want to move faster or who can. Most kids, 99 percent, don’t want to sit and take two math classes in one semester. It’s hard,” Stenzel said.

Board member Elsa Payne, who also has a child in seventh grade, echoed Dallam’s concerns that parents were not made aware that their students would not be able to take Algebra I.

“I hear you and I see you and I stand with you in your disappointment. I assumed there was going to be Algebra I this eighth grade year. You said you didn’t know as a parent and you are correct. I didn’t know as a board member that there wasn’t going to be an Algebra I,” Payne said.

Janet Crownhart, Amboy High School principal, said that discussions are continuing about the situation.

“Mr. Full (Andrew Full, Amboy Junior High School principal) and I have had numerous discussions over the last few weeks regarding this topic. There’s nothing we can speak on tonight. We are going to continue to discuss it and see what we can make happen. We can’t guarantee anything at this point,” Crownhart said.

Pratt also said the board is continuing to discuss the matter as a high-priority item.

“Unfortunately, we don’t move as quickly as lots of people want us to move,” Pratt said. “We’re not saying no to this. There is not a definite answer to provide tonight.”