I thought algebra was a graduation requirement for high school. WTF?
Seriously, the schools I went to you had to be in algebra 1 by 9th grade.
I hate to be that guy but: if you can’t solve an algebra 1 problem you can’t graduate college (and probably HS too).
I went to a good HS in the N.E. and I chose shop courses and wanted to also take algebra because I had a knack for math. They wouldn’t let me. I had to take more basic math because I chose shop. Wouldn’t want some blue collar guy knowing that advanced stuff ya know.