Algebra classes for parents.

The Baltimore County Public Schools recently helped parents become more involved when it invited them to take a refresher algebra course. The invitation was in response to the fact that Maryland's current freshman class will have to earn one credit in algebra/data analysis and pass the state assessment in that subject. "The classes were very successful," says Charles Herndon, a district spokesman. Nearly 40 adults attended each of the three sessions, which covered everything from graphing calculators to the importance of high school assessments. "We wanted to let parents know how different math is than when they were students," says Herndon.