| In 2003, the Los Angeles schools implemented a new | | | | differentiate a college-bound student from those |
| policy of graduation requirements. The intention was | | | | planning to attend technical schools or directly enter |
| to graduate Los Angeles schools students that were | | | | the workforce, algebra is now the cause of many |
| better-educated and groomed for college and | | | | Los Angeles schools students giving up and dropping |
| high-level jobs. Requirements included graduates to | | | | out.According to Los Angeles schools Superintendent |
| pass one year of algebra and one of geometry, or | | | | Roy Romer, algebra is now the reason for more |
| equivalent coursework.Though the intention was | | | | student dropouts than any other subject. The |
| good and the Los Angeles schools policy should work | | | | frustration of consistently failing algebra gives a |
| in theory, the reality is giving a much different and | | | | sense of hopelessness. More and more students are |
| more dismal picture. Los Angeles schools students are | | | | giving up the hope of a high school diploma from the |
| unprepared to meet the new demands and are failing | | | | Los Angeles schools as futile. |
| algebra by the thousands. Coursework that used to | | | | |