SMUSD Math Pathways
(based on the 2013 CA Math Standards)
SMUSD Math Pathways:
Middle school students follow either
the CA CCSS-M Aligned Standard
Pathway or, for appropriate
incoming 7th grade students, the
Accelerated Math 7/8 Pathway that
represents a compression of 3 years
of mathematics into 2.
What the Changes Mean
6th 2015-2016
7th 2015-2016
8th 2015-2016
9th 2015-2016
Standard
Pathway
CA
Math 6
CA
Math 7
CA
Math 8
(Intermediate
Algebra/
Geometry)
Algebra 1
10th 2016-2017
11th 2017-2018
12th 2018-2019
Geometry
Honors
Algebra 2
Honors
AP Calc AB
Includes Enhanced
(+) Standards
Includes Enhanced
(+) Standards
Geometry
Algebra 2
Math-Analysis
Pre-Calc
AP Stats
Discrete
This course sequence represents a
Geometry
Algebra 2
AP Calc AB
AP Calc BC
Accelerated
departure from past practice when
Honors
Honors
Math 7/8
most students took Algebra by 8th
{Options:
Includes Enhanced
Includes Enhanced
Accelerated
Accelerated
Pathway
grade. Beginning in 2014-15, most
CA
(+) Standards
(+) Standards
AP Stats
th
Math 7/8
Algebra
8 grade students took Math 8,
Discrete
Accelerated
th
(CA Core 7 and
(CA 8B and
which embodies the new 8 grade
AP
Calc AB}
Math 6
Math-Analysis
8A)
Algebra 1)
CA math standards adopted in 2013.
Geometry
Algebra 2
Pre-Calc
This is a course that did not exist
Aligned to new
Aligned to new
AP Stats
under the old standards and
standards in 2016standards in 20172017
2018
prepares students for a more
challenging Algebra 1, Geometry
and Algebra 2 sequence at high school. In fact, Math 8 includes standards from the “old” Algebra 1 and “old” Geometry. The California Framework for Mathematics (2013)
helps explain the change: “Algebra 1 is a course that, prior to CA CCSS-M, has been taught in 8th grade to an increasing number of students. That same course name will be
the default for ninth grade for most students who moving forward will complete the CA CCSS-M for grade eight – a course that is more rigorous and demanding than the
earlier versions of Algebra 1.” It also says, “Today’s students, who are similar to those who may have previously been able to master Algebra 1 in grade eight, may find the
new CA CCSS-M for grade eight significantly more difficult. This provides the opportunity to strengthen conceptual understanding by encouraging students – even strong
mathematical students – to meet the CA CCSS-M grade standards while enrolled in grade eight.”
In all grades, students will still be developing procedural fluency and solving problems in a traditional way. They will also be using quantitative reasoning to explain their
mathematical thinking, examining different ways to solve problems and completing challenging performance tasks that ask them to read, write and complete complex real world
problems.
Students moving from 6th grade into 7th may choose to take Accelerated Math 7/8. This demanding sequence compresses three years of standards into two years. Students
experience all the 7th grade standards and much of the 8th grade standards during their 7th grade year. In their 8th grade year, students experience the rest of the 8 th grade
standards and all of Algebra 1. Once in high school, students may move into Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra 2 that include enhanced standards. SMUSD will offer a range
of choices to students beyond Algebra 2 including Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB and BC, Math Analysis, AP Statistics and Discrete Math.
Revised 6/1/15