Advanced Math Placement

  • Advanced Math Philosophy:

    In elementary school, all math classes follow a Concrete, Pictorial, and Abstract approach to learning. This approach provides students with an opportunity to explore abstract mathematical concepts deeply. This exploration leads to a higher level of understanding that will promote problem-solving skills and lead to later mathematics success.

    In middle school, all of our math courses have an accelerated pace. For example, in 7th-grade, students cover two years of content in one year. This acceleration process prepares our students to complete 9th-grade Algebra by the time they leave 8th grade.

    Students who are ready for instruction in the next grade-level are considered for Advanced Math, which begins in fourth-grade. Students in fourth-grade Advanced Math are completing the fifth-grade course, students in fifth-grade Advanced Math are completing the sixth-grade course, and so on.  

On This Page

  •  

    Advanced Math Placement:

    All third through sixth-grade students are considered for placement into Advanced Math. The Department of Student Learning reviews the scores from the NWEA Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Math Assessment and Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) Quantitative Assessment to determine the students who will be considered for Advanced Math Placement. Arlington Heights District 25 considers students who score at or above the 85th percentile on the MAP Math Assessment or a Standard Age Score of 130 or above on the CogAT Quantitative assessment. 

    Advanced Math Placement Criteria:

    Advanced Math class placement is determined by evaluating the following criteria:

    1. NWEA Math MAP Score: Arlington Heights District 25 will use the fall, winter, and spring administration of NWEA MAP as a universal screener. For students in third through sixth grade, the higher of the three scores will be used to help determine placement into advanced classes. 
    2. CogAT Quantitative Score: Arlington Heights District 25 administers CogAT Quantitative in the fall to all third and fifth-grade students as a universal screener. The most recent score is used when considering students for placement into advanced classes. CogAT will also be administered to students new to the district in fourth through sixth-grade. 
    3. Renzulli Scale for Advanced Math: Teachers in Arlington Heights District 25 complete the Renzulli Scale for students who score the 85th percentile or higher on the Math MAP and/or Standard Age Score of 130 or higher on the CogAT Quantitative assessment. The Renzulli Scale is used to gather information about the characteristics of students in the classroom. Students who have already qualified based on their performance on MAP and CogAT will not require a Renzulli Scale.
    4. District 25 Advanced Placement Test: Arlington Heights District 25 administers the District 25 Advanced Placement Test in spring for students who score the 85th percentile or higher on the Math MAP and/or a Standard Age Score of 130 or higher on the CogAT Quantitative assessment.  This test measures specific knowledge in the area of math to determine student readiness for the grade-level accelerated advanced placement program. Students who have already qualified based on their performance on MAP, CogAT, and/or Renzulli Scale will not require a District 25 Advanced Placement Test.

    Advanced Math Placement Matrix:

    Qualification for Advanced Math requires a minimum of 6 points using a combination of the evaluation criteria on the matrix below:

    This is a table that shows the advanced math evaluation criteria.

    For any additional questions, please contact Lisa Szydlowski, Math Coordinator, at lszydlowski@sd25.org.

     

    ADVANCED MATH FAQ

    Updated 2/17/2023