Math placements for incoming 7th graders
As you begin to plan for your student’s 7th grade year, we would like to inform you of the math courses that are offered for seventh graders. Most students will take standard 7th grade math to establish a strong foundation for the math courses they will take throughout their secondary math careers. However, we recognize that some of our students need advanced opportunities in mathematics and, therefore, offer two other possibilities: 7th grade accelerated math and middle school algebra. A description of the 7th grade math placement recommendation process, content for each of these courses, and the possible tracks of our secondary mathematics pathways are described below.

7th grade math placement recommendation process
At the middle school level, making appropriate and responsible placement decisions for our students is critical for their future success in mathematics. For this reason, we have worked to develop a placement process using sound criteria and measures of student aptitude and performance to make placement decisions that are in the best interest of the student. Each middle school has developed a data team that will look at data sets for each student. The following data will be used to recommend the best placement for each student’s learning:

• 6th grade winter STAR math score
• 6th grade fall STAR math score
• 5th grade SBA math score

The data teams also receive feedback from 6th grade teachers that may be used in placing students in a math course that best fits their learning needs.

All families will be sent letters stating their student’s placement to the assigned math level by the middle of May. Students who are transferring to the Snohomish School District for the 2023-2024 school year should contact their middle school for placement information (see phone numbers below).

Secondary mathematics possible pathways
The table below shows the possible pathways for math courses depending upon the levels of math taken in middle school. Each pathway satisfies the minimum standards for high school graduation and college entry.

Math class content descriptions

• 7th grade math - This course will cover the core content as outlined by the Washington State Learning Standards, which include ratios and proportional relationships, rational number operations, algebraic expressions and equations, angle measure/surface area/volume, statistics and probability. This course has vital concepts that serve as a foundational basis for all future math courses.
• 7th grade accelerated math - This course is an acceleration course that will prepare the student for Algebra the following year. It is based upon vital 7th and 8th grade Washington State Learning Standards for Math: in addition to the 7th grade concepts noted above plus linear equations, systems of equations and functions; properties and relationships in geometric figures; patterns of association in bivariate data. Course pace is particularly rigorous to accommodate all necessary concepts and students are expected to be self-motivated.
• Middle school algebra I - This course will cover the core content for the remaining 8th grade standards and all high school Algebra 1 standards. The topics for this course are outlined by the Washington State Learning Standards for Math: Exponents, rational and irrational numbers; linear, exponential and quadratic functions; polynomial operations; solving systems of equations/inequalities; interpreting categorical and quantitative data. This course has advanced rigorous academic content that qualifies for a high school math credit and will appear on the student’s high school transcript.

If you have questions or need clarification about your child’s placement, those questions may be referred to the middle school principals.

Advanced Math Placement Timeline (2022-2023 school year)

• 1st Friday in March - Teaching & Learning Services provides placement data to the middle school placement data teams.
• 7th Grade Orientation (March) -  Middle schools hand out parent/guardian letter which describes the process of determining 7th grade math placement recommendations.
• 3rd Friday in March - Middle schools send placement recommendation decisions to Teaching & Learning Services.
• 2nd Friday in April - Teaching & Learning Services will communicate to 6th grade teacher's placement decisions.  
• 3rd Friday in April - 6th grade teacher feedback forms returned to Teaching & Learning Services.
• 1st Friday in May- Placement letters mailed home to families.

Resources

• Click here to view the link to the Common Core State Standards for Math.