1-6-09

ROCKLIN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT Spring View Middle School

7th Grade Placement Process – Algebra I

Many parents are interested in the process of how incoming 7th graders are placed into Algebra I. More than 400 students enroll in Spring View Middle School from the six feeder elementary schools. The highest 36 qualifying students will be eligible for Algebra I. Each student’s math CST scores for the last two years, their score on the Algebra readiness test taken in May, and another test taken at the beginning of 7th grade which measures student mastery of the 7th grade math standards are used to determine math placement. Success in this challenging high school course depends on many factors such as the following:

• The student must consistently put forth their best effort. • The student must be willing to pursue help when needed. • The student must be consistently focused in class. • The student must produce quality work.

Additionally, past experience reflects that even students with extremely high test scores can fail to complete the course successfully, in part, due to lack of maturity. This attribute is difficult to measure prior to arriving at SVMS and therefore, the final selection for Algebra I enrollment occurs two to three weeks after school starts. During this time period, teachers observe student work habits, math abilities, and level of maturity.