Advanced/Honors Criteria

Advanced ELA (Grades 3-5)

Students who qualify for Advanced English Language Arts (ELA) will meet with their team’s Advanced ELA teacher for class during the ELA block. Advanced ELA curriculum includes learning activities that add to and extend beyond the core ELA curriculum, particularly in the areas of reading, writing, and word study. Advanced ELA students read and analyze an additional extended text each quarter, which generally has greater text complexity and occasionally more mature or complex themes than the core extended text. Advanced ELA students will engage in more reading and writing opportunities throughout each quarter, as pacing is faster in the Advanced ELA curriculum. Grade weights in Advanced are the same as in core classes. This is not a weighted course.

ELA Advanced Placement Criteria Grade 3 

Students must meet all 3 criteria to be placed into Advanced ELA for Grade 3

• Grade 2 FastBridge Reading Assessment 90% or above on any one school benchmark (Fall, Winter, Spring)
• Grade 2 ELA Outcome Assessment “A” Average for all Outcome Assessments
• Grade 2 Teacher Rating Scale for Advanced Learners (this is not a teacher recommendation)

ELA  Advanced Placement Criteria Grades 4th & 5th 

Students who meet one of the following options will be placed into Advanced ELA in Grades 4/5 

• Option 1: IAR ELA Performance Level 5

• Option 2: FastBridge Reading Assessment 85% or above on any one school benchmark percentile (Fall, Winter, Spring) and ELA Outcome Assessment “A” average

Advanced Mathematics (Grade 5)

Students who qualify for Advanced Mathematics will meet with the Math Enrichment teacher every day during their math block. The Advanced Math curriculum includes all of the present grade level standards in addition to standards that are taught one grade level above. This is a fast paced, accelerated course that is challenging and rigorous. Students will be expected to think in depth about mathematical concepts and apply skills to real world problems. Grade weights in Advanced are the same as in core classes. This is not a weighted course.

Advanced Math Placement Criteria Grade 5

Students who meet one of the following options will be placed into Advanced Math in Grade 5 

• Option 1: IAR Math Performance Level 5

• Option 2: FastBridge Math Assessment 85% or above on any one school benchmark percentile (Fall, Winter, Spring) and Math Outcome Assessment “A” average

Honors ELA (Grades 6-8)

Students who qualify for Honors English Language Arts (ELA) will meet with their team’s Honors ELA teacher every day during the ELA period. Honors ELA curriculum includes learning activities in reading, writing, speaking, listening and word study that add to and extend beyond the core ELA curriculum. In addition, Honors ELA students will read an additional extended text each quarter, which generally has greater text complexity and occasionally more mature or complex themes than the core extended text. Honors ELA students will engage in more reading and writing opportunities throughout each quarter, as pacing is faster in the Honors ELA curriculum. Grade weights in Honors are the same as in core classes. This is not a weighted course.

Honors ELA Placement Criteria Grades 6th, 7th & 8th 

Students who meet one of the following options will be placed into Honors ELA in grades 6/7/8 

• Option 1: IAR ELA Performance Level 5

• Option 2: FastBridge Reading Assessment 85% or above on any one school benchmark percentile (Fall, Winter, Spring) and ELA Outcome Assessment “A” average

Honors Math (Grades 6-8)

Students who qualify for Honors Mathematics will meet with their team’s Honors Mathematics teacher every day during the Mathematics Block. The Honors Mathematics curriculum includes all of the present grade level standards in addition to approximately one quarter of the next grade level's standards. All current grade level standards will be covered in the first three quarters of the year and the next grade level standards will be covered in fourth quarter. With the increased rigor and pacing, Honors Mathematics students are expected to prove, justify, and expand their in-depth understanding well beyond rote memorization. It is expected that students in an Honors Mathematics course are working at an ‘Exceeds’ level on all classroom, district, and state assessments and assignments. Grade weights in Honors are the same as in core classes. This is not a weighted course.

Honors Math Placement Criteria Grades 6th, 7th & 8th 

Students who meet one of the following options will be placed into Honors Math in grades 6/7/8

• Option 1: IAR Math Performance Level 5

• Option 2: FastBridge Math Assessment 85% or above on any one school benchmark percentile (Fall, Winter, Spring) and Math Outcome Assessment “A” average

Advanced Honors Identification Process

The identification process for District 157-C takes many factors into account in order to determine eligibility for Advanced/Honors placement. Multiple indicators of a student’s academic performance are considered. The chart below outlines the different options for Advanced/Honors placement in ELA and Math and which criteria will be considered. All criteria is reviewed at the end of each school year. 

Once a student is placed in an Advanced or Honors class, that student will remain in the same placement for the remainder of his/her time at 157-C, unless parents request otherwise.