A college-level math class at the Pasadena Unified School District is part of a district-wide effort to enroll more students in public schools.

The Math Academy, a new program that offers accelerated math classes to students at four schools, allows students in sixth to ninth grade to complete all their high school math requirements in one program.

“I’ve gotten to about trigonometry and the latest trigonometric thing that we’ve done is graphics, trig functions, and law of signs,” said 11-year-old Thomas Medolo, who will also earn college credits when he completes the academy.

Nearly half of all kids living in Pasadena attend private school, and the district says the class has attracted more families who are now cosigning for local public schools.

A district panel decides which students qualify for the academy, and eligibility is a combo of factors including test scores and teacher recommendations.

“I think people in the community anywhere in the United States would be surprised by the level of math these kids know,” said Chris Anderson, a Math Academy teacher and a former Pasadena Unified School District student.