Test Scores for students that have used Alpha Omega Horizons Math?

[Homeschoolmom4981]

Can someone tell me how their students have performed on standardized tests or in college after using Horizons as a large part of their math education? I'm trying to decide if I should switch from Horizons math to Christian Light Education Math. Thoughts? I have a 4th grader (she's in second book of math 3) a 2nd grader (in book 1 of math 2) and a 3 yr old. I'm also pregnant with 4th.

[8filltheheart]

6 of our kids (so far) used Horizons through the 6th grade book. (I have been using it for almost 2 decades and their pre-alg and alg are new.) Only 1 of those (my current 7th grader) had any sort of supplementary material. None of them have ever struggled with higher level math. 2 of them have pursued math heavy careers (engineering and physics). Our personal experience is that Horizons is a solid elementary math program which solidifies all the basic/essential math skills so that when they hit upper level math they are well prepared.

[Sahamamama]

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[Homeschoolmom4981]

Thanks for input

[Kuovonne]

I switched my older DD to Horizons math in fifth grade.

Before the switch (end of 4th grade), she scored in the 78% for math on the ITBS.

After a year of Horizons 5, she scored in the 65% for math on the ITBS.

 

I switched my younger DD to Horizons halfway through second grade.

Half a year before the switch (end of 1st grade), she scored 92% for math on the ITBS.

After half a year of Horizons math (end of 2nd grade), she scored 89% for math on the ITBS.

[Ali in OR]

We used Singapore math as our primary program with Horizons as a supplement basically to be prepared for standardized tests. I much prefer the instruction in Singapore but Horizons is great for continual review and for including all of the little topics that are likely to show up on those tests. Oh, and on the girls' tests last May (they only test in 3rd, 5th, 8th, and 10th in Oregon), both got every single problem correct in math. I had to tease them about it because math is so NOT their favorite subject, but they are definitely mastering the basics.

[FriedClams]

We used Horizons 1-6. During those years my kids did not supplement and rocked standardized tests. They're in Saxon now and doing extremely well. I highly recommend Horizons.

[Tess in the Burbs]

We used horizons for k-6. My son is doing Jacobs algebra in 7 th grade and getting an A. His standardized testing for math has been super high every year. Dd even higher.

 

It is a solid program. At times I thought of leaving, but having finished through 6, I can say it does well now. No regrets sticking with it.

[Mrs Twain]

We have used Horizons math K - half of 6th grade so far. My kids all score 98-99 percentile on the ITBS math portion. We are a math geek family, though, making sure the kids do lots of math fact drill. We also add in Singapore's Challenging Word Problems.

 

One of Horizons great strengths is the constant review.

 

I agree with pp that there is sometimes not enough workspace. Learning how to copy problems onto a separate piece of paper can be a helpful skill to acquire.

[FaithManor]

I have never used it. We used Singapore Math, and I kept some Rod and Staff books around for extra math problems when they needed additional work in order to cement a process as well as using some of their more agriculturally based word problems because we live in a heavy Ag environment. (I would never recommend Rod and Staff as a stand alone program.) My kids have always done very, very well in math both IRL and on standardized tests. In 7th grade, I began using college mathematics texts and found them to be far superior in instruction than regular homeschool or PS texts.

 

My niece used Horizons grades 1-6 and then needed to be placed in a magnet school. She scored two years behind her peers.

 

My friend used CLE through 8th grade and ended up regretting that. Her girls performed very poorly in algebra 1 - trigonometry, despite their high scores in CLE math. Their ACT scores in the math section were very poor. However, having used CLE through 9th grade in English, their scores in that section were quite high.

 

This is all anecdotal of course. I don't know of any comprehensive study in which there was any large scale reporting of standardized test scores for specific curricula. So all you can do is try to figure out what works well for your child.

[Wildiris]

We used Singapore math as our primary program with Horizons as a supplement basically to be prepared for standardized tests. I much prefer the instruction in Singapore but Horizons is great for continual review and for including all of the little topics that are likely to show up on those tests. Oh, and on the girls' tests last May (they only test in 3rd, 5th, 8th, and 10th in Oregon), both got every single problem correct in math. I had to tease them about it because math is so NOT their favorite subject, but they are definitely mastering the basics.

 

This is what I do also. Comparing Singapore to Horizons Math, I'd say Horizons is behind Singapore Math by at least a year maybe more. Singapore word problems are far more complex. 

[tm_burriss]

6 of our kids (so far) used Horizons through the 6th grade book. (I have been using it for almost 2 decades and their pre-alg and alg are new.) Only 1 of those (my current 7th grader) had any sort of supplementary material. None of them have ever struggled with higher level math. 2 of them have pursued math heavy careers (engineering and physics). Our personal experience is that Horizons is a solid elementary math program which solidifies all the basic/essential math skills so that when they hit upper level math they are well prepared.

 

What did you use after 6th grade? I am having a math crisis in my house right now and there are just so many options.