Math: 9th Grade Placement

Stronger foundation before moving on can support more life-long success in Math. A strong foundation in Algebra is more important than enrollment in Calculus. Nurturing your student’s interest, confidence, and strong understanding of the mathematics covered in the AGS sequence is more important than simply having them take the highest level of math possible.

A strong foundation of preparation empowers students to stay motivated, achieve at high levels, and remain engaged in their pursuit of advanced math opportunities through accelerated placements. When a student’s 8th grade math grades are not strong, repeating the course might help strengthen their foundation and experience more success in math in 9th grade and beyond. 

Another consideration is your student’s overall GPA and high school transcript. On one hand, repeating a course can bolster a student’s confidence, skill set, and long-term success in higher level courses. This may ultimately lead to higher grades and deeper understanding. On the other hand, families may worry about appearing “behind” in a competitive academic environment if a student is not on the most accelerated math track early on. 

Any student in BSD who repeats a level of math AGS 1 or higher in 9th grade is still on grade level and can still get to accelerated courses in their HS math pathway. By ensuring mastery of fundamental math skills now, students are more likely to maintain a strong GPA in upper-level courses and stay motivated as they encounter increasingly challenging material.

While some may assume that it is always better to take a more advanced course than a grade-level course, determining whether or not a student is in the best course to support their post high school goals is more complicated. Is the student building a deep and enduring understanding of math in their course? Are they experiencing success and are they motivated to push themselves to continue learning more advanced skills and topics? How do they approach challenges in math? 

A student may be well served by taking Algebra 1 in 9th grade when they can deepen and extend their understanding of the math taught in the course. By strengthening their skills and understanding, they are setting themselves up for success in future math classes and post high school opportunities.

BSD High School guidance encourages 8th graders in middle school accelerated classes to advance to the next course when they demonstrate strong success in their current coursework, ensuring they are well-prepared for continued achievement.

The goal is to ensure students transition successfully to high school and are well-prepared for future math coursework. This transition often involves adjusting to a new school community, peers, and teachers. Since middle school courses do not appear on student transcripts, 9th grade is the final opportunity for a student to revisit a foundational level of math without the repetition being recorded on their high school transcript.

Students who take and successfully complete Geometry in 9th grade are on an accelerated pathway that may enable them to earn college credit while in high school. Each BSD high school offers a different set of higher level courses. Courses considered to be college level may be labeled as Dual Credit, Advanced Placement (AP), or International Baccalaureate (IB). A student who takes and passes Geometry in 9th grade may be able to earn more college credit during their math pathway.

Placements have been based on each student’s grades and external assessments (OSAS, Star Math Assessment, and PreACT). A district committee convened this year and determined that students enrolled in AGS 1 or higher math courses should enroll in the next course in their sequence provided they were experiencing success in their current course as evidenced by a letter grade of “A” or “B.” After reviewing additional evidence for students, teachers may have made some changes to final course placements.

If you believe that your child would benefit from a different course next year please contact your school principal.

To understand the next couple of years of your student’s math course sequence see the table below.

Find your high school’s Academic Planning Guide or Math Pathway