Frequently Asked Questions

The purpose of the grade level advancement in mathematics process is to identify students who already demonstrate a deep understanding of the next grade level’s material. A student who computes quickly, but does not understand why their computations work and does not possess deep understanding of the next grade level’s material is not a good candidate for advancement.

Blue Valley has a district process for students who are currently in third grade math through seventh grade math. The process occurs each spring in order to have students set up in their math coursework for the fall.

Potentially. If a student demonstrates a deep understanding of the next grade level’s curriculum, the grade level advancement in mathematics process may be the right option. However, even if a student consistently scores 100 percent on tests at their current grade level, that does not necessarily mean they have mastered the next grade’s material. If you are considering whether advancement may be a good fit for your child, their teacher can be a valuable resource.

A student can enter the grade level advancement in mathematics process in one of two ways: through a teacher recommendation or a parent recommendation. If a teacher believes a student is a candidate, the teacher completes a Google form and the math coordinators notify the family. For a parent recommendation, families should email Terrie Farrell at tfarrell@bluevalleyk12.org to begin the process.

No. Curricula vary widely from district to district and from state to state. If a child was previously advanced in math in another district, Blue Valley will review their placement and may administer testing to determine whether grade level advancement in mathematics is appropriate here.

We provide the curricular documents, which can be found below.

We do not provide any other resources. We believe that students should not study for advancement exams, as studying for such exams only allows the student to skim the surface of the content. If a student were to pass advancement exams without possessing depth of the skipped grade’s curriculum, curricular gaps will occur.

If a student does not pass the grade level advancement in mathematics process assessments, it means they have not yet demonstrated a deep enough understanding of the next grade’s curriculum to move ahead. In that case, the family and classroom teacher will work together to provide opportunities for the student to go deeper within the current grade level’s standards.

Families are also encouraged to consider the potential mental and emotional impact of not passing the advancement exam before deciding to pursue the process.

Students who do not advance a grade level in mathematics still have opportunities for advanced coursework. In high school, all Advanced Placement (AP) math courses, including Calculus AB, Calculus BC and Statistics, are open to any Blue Valley student regardless of whether they have participated in the grade level advancement in mathematics process.

All communication is done via email. In order for a child to test, parents have to provide permission by completing the link to a Google Form, which will be sent from the district once a request is made.

The grade level advancement in mathematics process assessments measure a student’s mastery of the full curriculum for the grade level they are seeking to skip. For example, if a student is being considered to move past fourth grade math, the assessments will cover the entire fourth grade math curriculum.

A student who is in fifth grade but has advanced to take sixth-grade math will go to the feeder middle school to take sixth-grade math. This could result in the student missing some components of the fifth-grade school day, possibly including specials. For further specifics, please contact the elementary school or the feeder middle school. A student’s schedule is often impacted with the grade level advancement in mathematics process.

A student who is in eighth grade but has already taken Algebra I will go to the feeder high school to take Honors Geometry. This will result in the student missing some components of the eighth-grade school day. For further specifics, please contact the middle school or the feeder high school. A student’s schedule is often impacted with the grade level advancement in mathematics process.

Transportation for students participating in the grade level advancement in mathematics process is coordinated between the two schools involved. If an elementary student attends math at the middle school, the elementary and middle schools work together to arrange transportation. For middle school students attending math at the high school, the middle and high schools coordinate transportation.

Ideally, yes. This is why the grade level advancement in mathematics process is so thorough and detailed. Families should consider both social factors and academic coursework options before making decisions about the grade level advancement in mathematics process. It is important to weigh the potential long-term positive and negative consequences when determining if the process is right for your child. Ultimately, if a child advances and later needs to move back to their original grade level, the advancement likely should not have occurred.

Yes, but it is not generally recommended. Families should carefully consider the reasons for multiple advancements and whether the student truly wants to progress at this pace. It is important to evaluate whether the student is prepared for any social, emotional, or logistical challenges that may arise from advancing more than once.

Additionally, a student who advances twice is often taking a calculus course as a sophomore in high school. Although Blue Valley offers a multivariable calculus course, a twice-advanced student may have at least one year without calculus before college. This could present challenges for students planning to pursue math-related fields.

All screening tests are done shortly after spring break. Students that pass the screening exams have their second round of testing (battery testing) in mid to late April. All tests are given at the child’s home school during a school day.

The district testing process happens each spring. No re-testing occurs.

This is possible, but not guaranteed.

Students need to bring a writing utensil. If a student is allowed a calculator for a portion of the test, you will be notified. Otherwise, calculators are not allowed. We will provide scratch paper for all students.

The district provides only the scores from the grade level advancement in mathematics process assessments. These exams are designed to determine readiness for advancement and are not intended as diagnostic tools to identify areas where a student may need additional instruction.

No. This communication all happens between the district and the school.

After submitting the Google Form for the grade level advancement in mathematics process, a confirmation screen will appear stating that the form has been received. As long as you see this message, the district has received your submission.

The impact of participating in the grade level advancement in mathematics process varies by building. Please contact your child’s school to learn how this will affect their schedule. In most cases, a student’s schedule will be affected in some way.

Students do not lose access to any College Board–approved Advanced Placement (AP) courses. The only exception is Multivariable Calculus, which is equivalent to college Calculus III, does not provide AP credit, and is typically taken by college sophomores.

The results of the grade level advancement in mathematics process assessments are final. Advancement is a decision with significant educational impact, so students are not allowed to move ahead if there are significant gaps in their mastery of the curriculum at the current level.

In determining whether a student is ready for the grade level advancement in mathematics process, we consider both the types of errors and the patterns of mistakes a student makes. For this reason, we do not set specific score thresholds.

Students who are ready for the grade level advancement in mathematics process should not need additional practice to demonstrate mastery of grade-level standards.

For parents or students who want to become more familiar with the Blue Valley curriculum, please visit the following links:

• Elementary Curriculum
• Middle School Curriculum
• High School Curriculum

Per board policy, the grade level advancement in mathematics process at the high school level is handled within each building. Please contact your child’s high school for more information.