Two ladders, ten levels each.
Your child has a separate level in Math and in Reading & Writing, set by readiness, not by grade. Below is what each level covers, in plain words. The grade shown is only where most children start.
These descriptions are a draft that our teachers are still confirming.
Math
Level 1: See & Count
Around PreK–K
A child at this level is learning that numbers tell how many. They count small groups, say the number that comes next, tell which of two numbers is bigger, and begin adding and taking away with numbers up to 10. Most children are in PreK or Kindergarten.
Skills: Counting objects up to 10; Counting forward and back; Which number is bigger or smaller; One more, one less; Adding within 10; Taking away within 10; Pairs that make 10.
Level 2: Number Sense
Around G1
Children now add and subtract within 20, see that a two-digit number is tens and ones, skip count by 2s, 5s and 10s, and solve short story problems. This is the usual level for first grade.
Skills: Adding within 20; Subtracting within 20; Tens and ones; Finding the missing number; Add and subtract story problems; Skip counting by 2s, 5s, 10s; Comparing two-digit numbers.
Level 3: Place Value
Around G2
Children carry and borrow with two- and three-digit numbers, understand place value to 1,000, skip count by 5s, 10s and 100s, and meet equal groups as the first step to multiplication, along with halves, thirds and fourths. Usual level for second grade.
Skills: Adding two-digit numbers with carrying; Subtracting three-digit numbers; Place value to 1,000; Skip counting by 5s, 10s and 100s; Equal groups (early multiplication); Ordering numbers to 1,000; Halves, thirds and fourths.
Level 4: Multiply & Fractions
Around G3
Children learn the multiplication and division facts, find a missing factor, compare fractions, take a fraction of a group, round to the nearest 10 or 100, and find perimeter. Usual level for third grade.
Skills: Multiplication facts; Division facts; Missing factor; Comparing fractions; Fractions of a group; Perimeter; Multiplication story problems; Rounding to the nearest 10 or 100.
Level 5: Reasoning with Numbers
Around G4
Children multiply bigger numbers, do long division, build equivalent fractions, add fractions with like denominators, work with factors and primes, and find the area of a rectangle. Usual level for fourth grade.
Skills: Multiplying bigger numbers; Long division; Equivalent fractions; Adding and subtracting fractions with like denominators; Decimal place value; Factors and prime numbers; Area of a rectangle.
Level 6: Bridge to Algebra
Around G5
Children add fractions with different denominators, add and subtract decimals, use order of operations, find a percent of a number, find the volume of a box and evaluate simple expressions. Usual level for fifth grade.
Skills: Adding fractions with different bottoms; Percent of a number; Volume of a box; Evaluating expressions; Adding and subtracting decimals; Order of operations.
Level 7: Pre-Algebra
Around G6+
Children solve two-step equations, work with ratios, proportions and percent problems, add and subtract negative numbers, simplify expressions and find the area of triangles. This level follows the BY Pre-Algebra curriculum. Usual level for sixth grade.
Skills: Solving two-step equations; Ratios and proportions; Adding and subtracting negative numbers; Percent problems (discounts); Simplifying expressions; Area of triangles.
Level 8: Algebra 1
Around G7+
Children solve equations with letters on both sides, find the slope of a line, solve systems of equations, use the laws of exponents and solve quadratics by factoring. This level follows the BY Algebra 1 curriculum. Usual level for seventh grade.
Skills: Equations with letters on both sides; Slope of a line; Systems of equations; Laws of exponents; Solving quadratics by factoring.
Level 9: Geometry
Around G8+
Children use the Pythagorean theorem, find angles in triangles and polygons, work with circles, similar triangles and right-triangle trigonometry. Usual level for eighth grade.
Skills: Pythagorean theorem; Angles in triangles and polygons; Circles: area and circumference; Similar triangles; Right-triangle trigonometry.
Level 10: Algebra II
Around G9+
Children work with exponents and logarithms, complex numbers, the number of solutions of a quadratic, composing functions and arithmetic sequences. This is the top level in the framework; there is no Level 11. Usual level for ninth grade and above.
Skills: Exponents and logarithms; Complex numbers; Number of solutions of a quadratic; Composing functions; Arithmetic sequences.
Reading & Writing
Level 1: Sounds & Letters
Around PreK–K
A child at this level is learning the building blocks of reading: beginning and ending sounds, rhymes, letter names, matching words to pictures and the first sight words. Most children are in PreK or Kindergarten.
Skills: Beginning sounds; Ending sounds; Rhyming words; Letter names; Matching words to pictures; Sight words.
Level 2: Learning to Read
Around K–G1
Children read short stories, remember the details, put events in order, tell how a character feels, work out a word from the sentence, and begin to write with capital letters and end marks. Usual level for first grade.
Skills: Sight words; Remembering details in a story; What happened first, next, last; How a character feels; Word meaning from the sentence; Capital letters and end marks (writing).
Level 3: Fluent Reading
Around G2
Children find the main idea and key details, describe a character, explain cause and effect, and write complete sentences. Usual level for second grade.
Skills: Main idea; Key details; Character traits; Cause and effect; Word meaning from the sentence; Complete sentences (writing).
Level 4: Reading to Learn
Around G3
Children find the main idea, make inferences, separate fact from opinion, use context for word meaning, and use verbs correctly in their own sentences. Usual level for third grade.
Skills: Main idea; Reading between the lines; Cause and effect; Word meaning from context; Fact versus opinion; Verbs in sentences (writing).
Level 5: Deeper Comprehension
Around G4
Children name the theme, support an inference with evidence, read figurative language, name how a nonfiction text is organized and how a character changes, and use commas to join sentences. Usual level for fourth grade.
Skills: Theme or lesson; Inference with evidence; Figurative language; Nonfiction text structure; How a character changes; Commas and joining sentences (writing).
Level 6: Evidence & Analysis
Around G5
Children check the supporting evidence, see how a writer answers the other side, follow transitions and structure, explain a narrator's point of view, work out words from Greek and Latin roots, and write with the right conjunctions, tense and commas. Usual level for fifth grade.
Skills: Supporting evidence; Answering the other side; Transitions and structure; Word meaning from Greek and Latin roots; Conjunctions, tense and commas (writing); Point of view.
Level 7: Argument & Theme
Around G6
Children judge evidence, trace how a theme builds, notice tone and word choice and structure, write precise, concise sentences, and use pronouns clearly. Usual level for sixth grade.
Skills: Judging the evidence; How a theme builds; Tone and word choice; Structure and contrast; Precise and concise wording (writing); Pronouns and clear sentences (writing).
Level 8: Analytical Writing
Around G7–8
Children use evidence from the text, explain an author's choices, judge whether an argument's reasoning and evidence hold up, explain suspense and dramatic irony, and write a thesis and organized paragraphs. Usual level for seventh and eighth grade.
Skills: Using evidence from the text; Author's choices; Evaluating an argument's reasoning and evidence; Suspense and dramatic irony; Figurative language and meaning; Thesis and organization (writing).
Level 9: Literary Analysis
Around G9+
Children read for irony, point of view, tone and mood, a theme across a passage and weak or false reasoning, and revise their writing for style. Usual level for ninth and tenth grade.
Skills: Irony; Point of view and perspective; Tone and mood; Theme across a passage; Revising for style (writing); Evaluating an argument.
Level 10: Research & Rhetoric
Around G11+
Children analyze rhetorical effect, explain how word choice and sentence structure shape a text, weigh audience and purpose, separate claims from counterclaims, learn advanced vocabulary, and cite and paraphrase sources. Top level in the framework; there is no Level 11. Usual level for eleventh and twelfth grade.
Skills: Rhetorical effect; Word choice and sentence structure; Audience and purpose; Claims, reasons and counterclaims; Advanced vocabulary in context; Citing and paraphrasing (writing).