Mathematics

5th to 6th Grade Math Placement

The Laguna Beach Unified School District encourages all students to enroll in challenging, standards-based academic courses where they can be successful. Within the LBUSD math pathways, there are multiple acceleration points for students who have demonstrated mastery that exceeds the grade level math standards. The accelerated pathways compact the multiple grade levels of mathematics standards into a shorter time frame (e.g., Math 6, 7, and 8 in two years), and do not skip math courses or standards.

In an effort to identify students who may be successful within an accelerated math pathway, all 5th grade students will take an end-of-year benchmark test, assessing mastery of the 5th and some 6th grade California State Mathematics Standards. This assessment serves as one of three criteria for placement in 6th grade mathematics. The other criteria include math grades and the CAASPP SBAC Mathematics score.

Additional information regarding the end-of-year benchmark for 5th grade students:

Your student will take the end-of-year math benchmark assessment in their assigned classroom in the last trimester.
The resulting score will provide your student’s 6th grade teacher with valuable information regarding areas of strength and growth that will help to guide instructional practice next year.
In late June, all students will receive a notification letter showing assessment results as well as which math course your student will be placed in for 6th grade.
Parents may submit a waiver request for their student to take the compacted Math 6 and Math 7 course for the accelerated math pathway if they do not meet the above criteria, although this is not recommended. Information on the waiver process will be provided in the notification letter in late June.

All courses in LBUSD middle school mathematics pathways are designed to prepare students for rigorous coursework in high school in preparation for college and career. Furthermore, all middle school math courses and pathways allow for students to take AP Calculus and/or AP Statistics by their senior year. Please read on for more information regarding California State Mathematics Standards and Frameworks as well as additional Parent Resources.

Middle School Math Placement - 7th and 8th grades

In the spring, Laguna Beach USD will begin the process of determining 7th and 8th grade student math placement for the upcoming academic year. As part of this rigorous process, multiple measures will be used to determine appropriate math placement including, end of course assessments, math grades, and state test results.

At the end of May, parents of 6th and 7th graders will receive an informational letter regarding the middle school math placement process and pathways. If you have questions regarding middle school math placement or the math pathways, please contact your child's principal.

High School Math Placement

Students will be placed into high school mathematics courses based on multiple measures, including math semester grades, final exam scores, and teacher input. Students may also be placed in math support classes based on these multiple performance measures. For a complete listing of available LBHS math courses and prerequisites, please refer to the LBHS Course Catalog.

MATH STANDARDS AND FRAMEWORKS

California Common Core State Standards - Mathematics

The State Board of Education adopted the Mathematics Framework on November 6, 2013. At its meeting on September 11, 2019, the State Board of Education (SBE) released a revised schedule or significant events for the 2021 Revision of the Mathematics Framework, originally approved by the SBE on May 8, 2019. The Mathematics Framework Executive Summary highlights essential information and guidance in the Mathematics Framework and is intended to introduce a wealth of information and support for teachers, administrators, and parents/guardians.

The brochures below provide insights into what students will learn and highlight progression through the grade levels.

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PARENT RESOURCES

The California Common Core Standards Parent Handbook, created in consultation with the California PTA, gives parents and guardians an introduction to California's CCSS and a summary of what students are expected to learn as they advance from kindergarten through grade eight (K–8).

The California State PTA website provides downloadable guides by grade level to assist parents in learning more about how you can support your child’s learning and other helpful information.