"[Eighth-grade algebra] was removed from middle schools under the rationale that many students — especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds — would benefit from having more time to master foundational math before tackling algebra in high school."

"But the plan didn’t work. The number of students enrolled in advanced high school math declined, and wide racial gaps remained. Meanwhile, many parents enrolled their children in summer and after-school math courses to keep them accelerated, often paying out of pocket. For years, San Francisco 'tried to achieve equity not by raising the floor, but by lowering the ceiling,' said Thomas S. Dee, a Stanford University economist who studied the policy with colleagues.... [Under the new plan] [a]ny eighth grader would be able to enroll in algebra, but high-achieving students would be automatically placed in the course with the ability to opt out — a policy meant to increase access for underrepresented demographic groups."

From "San Francisco Killed 8th-Grade Algebra. Now It’s Set to Come Back. The San Francisco school board approved a plan to restore algebra as an option at all middle schools, more than a decade after it was removed over equity concerns" (NYT).