[nunez]

> If they are lagging behind: make one monolithic math course that everyone enrolls in. Institute mentoring. The older kids help the younger. Remove any negative consequences of just trying (that is to say no one will fail)- use only positive incentives. Maybe a scholarship fund for kids who help others.

This is called an "integrated classroom" which is part of the "differentiated learning" pedagogy [1].

It has been around for a very long time.

Many schools have incorporated it into their curricula.

It is extremely difficult to build a successfully integrated classroom. The kids who need more help will slow down the kids who need less, which can decrease performance in both groups.

Educators with integrated classrooms need to construct several variations of a single lesson plan to mitigate this.

Given that education is amongst the lowest-paying professions in the US (less well-paying than restaurant work, after tips!), and given that many schools have been stripped of funding and other resources that can help alleviate this potential burden, I hope you can see why implementing this suggestion is easier said than done.

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Differentiated_instruction