News Flash: "Children Willing to Consume Gummy Bear Snacks Daily"

My 2 year-old is mildly obsessed with gummy bears. So when I came across a report titled Xylitol gummy bear snacks: a school-based randomized clinical trial I had to skim it. Given my experience with children and gummy bears, I was not really taken aback by the following finding: "Parents are accepting and children willing to consume gummy bear snacks daily."

But I hope some day I can publish a paper with a figure as great as their Figure 1:

More on the California Algebra 1 Testing Requirement

The California Department of Education (CDE) set up a webpage with information on the new Algebra 1 testing requirement for 8th graders. It includes press releases, op-ed pieces, a research report, and more.

Coincidentally (?), the CDE just released the 2008 state testing results. Over 210,000 California 8th graders took the General Math CST in 2008 (meaning they were in a pre-Algebra course in 8th grade) and just under 250,000 took the Algebra 1 test. Of those who took the General Math test, only 31% scored proficient or advanced and 41% scored below basic or far below basic.

Would they have been better off taking Algebra 1 instead?