Math Placement

Mathematics instruction is guided by the California Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for mathematics. Courses at our comprehensive middle and high schools use College Board’s Springboard curriculum for Math 6 through Algebra 2.

Refer to the Middle School Math Placement Guide (English | Spanish) for information on secondary math courses, pathways, and placement. San José Unified’s math course placement process is intended to place students in the math course that challenges and supports them at their optimal instructional level. Each student’s placement in middle school math courses is responsive to the student’s mastery-based readiness for course material. Student performance is reviewed each year using multiple data points and placement adjusted accordingly.  

Students cannot skip or take concurrent math courses, as our courses are sequenced to be built on skills and content from previous courses. San José Unified does not accept courses completed at a non-San José Unified program for middle school math acceleration purposes.  

We encourage families to read the guide and also browse the middle school math placement criteria and the process (English | Spanish) document and view Board Policy 6152.1 - Placement in Mathematics Courses to see the policies that govern our math placement processes.