Pick a below average student and set the learning curve in your class to stay at his level.
LA Unified School District.
He's like a pace car. Before the actual race a car that can't compete because it doesn't meet the standards required of a race car leads the race cars around the track. It goes nice and slow. No one can advance or runs any risk of an accident or being overtaken or cut off and doesn't have a chance to win.
Stopping Algebra for students is picking the slowest student as the pace car for the race of life. And in this analogy there are no qualifying runs.
Can't have a student putting up marks higher than his fellow students.