Your child's levels grow as they practice, and your dashboard always shows where they are now. After every Growth Check, I also send you an email with your child's levels. It might say your child is performing at the High 2nd Grade level, up from High Kindergarten at the start. So what does that mean? Here's what I'd want to know as a parent.
Every area of math gets its own level
Math isn't one skill. So we took everything children learn in elementary math, Pre-K to 5th grade, from the learning standards schools teach from, and grouped it into four areas. Your child has a level in each one:
- Numbers & Place Value. Counting, what numbers mean, and how bigger numbers are built from tens and hundreds, then fractions and decimals.
- Problem Solving. Adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing, and using them to solve story problems and find patterns.
- Measurement & Data. Measuring length, time, money, area, and volume, and sorting and graphing information.
- Geometry. Naming, building, and comparing shapes, then lines, angles, and points on a grid.
So your child might be at High 2nd Grade in Numbers & Place Value and at 1st Grade in Geometry. That's normal, and it's good news. It means practice meets your child where they are in each area: appropriately challenged where they're strong, and appropriately supported where they're still growing. The overall level in your email is the big picture across all four.
What a level like “High 2nd Grade” means
Each grade has three levels. “Early 2nd Grade” is the kind of math children usually meet at the start of 2nd grade, “2nd Grade” is the middle of the year, and “High 2nd Grade” is the math that wraps the year up. Our Grade Glossary shows what children learn in each area, grade by grade.
A level is an estimate of the kind of math your child is working on now. It isn't:
- a school grade,
- a test score, or
- a prediction of your child's report card.
Your child's level in any area can be above their own grade or below it, and either is fine. Your first grader working on 2nd grade math is ready for a stretch. Your third grader reviewing prior learning is building the confidence that makes the next step easier.
Why a level goes up, stays put, or dips
Growth in math rarely moves in a straight line. Here's what each change usually means:
- It went up. Your child has grown into harder math. Celebrate it!
- It stayed put. Your child is building a skill that takes a little longer. That's how learning works, and the next Growth Check is another chance to level up.
- It dipped. A Growth Check never lowers a level. Between checks, the level on your dashboard follows your child's recent practice, so it can dip a little if a skill gets rusty. It never drops below what your child showed on their last Growth Check. It isn't your fault, and it isn't your child's, and a little practice in that area is a great next step.
How you can help
All you need to do is keep it positive and keep it going:
- Celebrate the growth. Praise the practice and effort that got your child there, rather than how smart they are. In a well-known set of studies, children praised for their effort enjoyed hard problems more, and did better after a setback, than children praised for being smart.
- Keep practicing. I recommend 5 minutes of practice a day. It doesn't have to be every single day: a few five-minute sessions a week is great too. Research on how often children should practice backs short, regular sessions over long, occasional ones.
- Check the report. After each Growth Check, open the report attached to the email for the skills your child has mastered and the ones to work on next. Any time in between, your dashboard shows your child's current levels.
Questions parents ask
What does “High 2nd Grade” mean?
Your child is working on the kind of math that wraps up 2nd grade. “Early 2nd Grade” is the start of the year, and “2nd Grade” is the middle. Learn more about what children learn in each grade →
Is my child behind if their level is below their grade?
No. A level is an estimate of the math your child is working on now, not a judgment. Reviewing prior learning builds the confidence that makes the next step easier.
Is this the same as my child's grade at school?
No. It isn't a school grade, a test score, or a prediction of a report card. It's a picture of the kind of math your child is ready for.
Why are my child's levels different in each area?
Most children are stronger in some areas than others. Having a level in each one means practice can meet your child where they are in every area.
Can a level go down?
A Growth Check never lowers a level. Between checks, a level on your dashboard can dip a little if a skill gets rusty, but never below what your child showed on their last Growth Check. A little practice in that area is a great next step.
How often will I get an update?
Your dashboard shows your child's levels any time, and they grow as your child practices. Every five days of practice, your dashboard also offers a Growth Check, and you get a new report after each one. Learn more about Growth Checks →
Research behind this guide
- Mueller, C. M., & Dweck, C. S. (1998). Praise for intelligence can undermine children's motivation and performance. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 75(1).
- Barzagar Nazari, K., & Ebersbach, M. (2019). Distributing mathematical practice of third and seventh graders: Applicability of the spacing effect in the classroom. Applied Cognitive Psychology, 33(2).