Beginning with the class of 2018, students in Texas are no longer required to take Algebra II to graduate.

Critics of the new policy worry that the state is lowering academic expectations. Junior Robert Scott says the change will cause a learning gap.

“It’ll split the school between people who know Algebra II, who are going to have more success later on in a higher education versus those who are going to be stuck behind and less likely to get a college degree,” Scott said.

Despite the change, college entry exams will continue to test skills learned in Algebra II. Math teacher Dorothy Houck expects students to struggle on the SAT and ACT if they opt out of the course.

“I think we’re going to see a drop in SAT scores if students take the SAT without having taken the class,” Houck said.

However, the change could be good news for some students. For those who will expect to enter the workforce immediately after graduation, taking vocational classes instead of advanced math can better prepare them for their career. Houck says the new policy would benefit those who don’t plan on attending a traditional four year college or university.

“If you’re going to be in the technical world as a mechanic or a repairman, you don’t need to know how to draw a parabola or solve a log problem,” Houck said. “So for those students who who have no interest in going to college…it’s a good thing for them.”

Sophomore Haley Barr estimates that because Algebra II is challenging, most of her class will avoid taking the course. Though the change is expected to improve graduation rates statewide, Barr says it won’t help with rigorous admission requirements.

“I guess that would make the state look better, but getting into college would be harder,” Barr said.

Even if college-bound students avoid Algebra II in high school, they’re still required to take it in a university course.

“What most students don’t realize is when you take a remedial class in college, you’re paying full tuition for that but it doesn’t count for your college [degree],” Houck said. “So you’re paying a lot of money to get to where you should have been when you went to college in the first place.”

Some of the other classes no longer needed for graduation include English IV, Physics, and Speech. Required courses depend on the individual student’s chosen endorsement.