2025-26 SJN Grade 9-12 Course Level Placement Guidelines - Honors and AP Placement

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum

Course level placement guidelines for SJN students for 2025-26, detailing how freshmen (Grade 9) and Grades 10-12 are assigned to College Prep, Honors, or Advanced Placement. The document specifies subject-by-subject benchmark criteria using course performance requirements plus standardized assessment measures such as HSPT, PSAT, preACT, SAT, and ACT percentiles or averages. It also includes Geometry-related math placement rules and science/social studies eligibility benchmarks, plus graduation requirements and departmental head contacts.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages6

Reading Time15 min

AccessFree to download

Grade 9 Course Level Placement Guidelines

Freshmen: Expected Courses

Honors criteria by subject

Grade 10-12 Course Level Placement Guidelines

Placement principles and role of recommendations

English benchmarks

Math benchmarks

Science benchmarks

Social Studies benchmarks

SJN – Grade 9 Course Level Placement Guidelines Freshmen students can expect to take the following courses: English 1 Algebra (or Geometry, see below) Theology Biology World History Spanish Health/PE Students will be placed in College Prep level courses unless meeting the below criteria, by subject, for Honors. PSAT, preACT, or other standardized assessment data may be considered as available. | Honors English I | HSPT Verbal 80% or greater
HSPT Reading 80% or greater HSPT Language 80% or greater | | --- | --- | | Honors Biology | | | Honors World History | | | Honors Algebra 1 | HSPT Quantitative-60% or greater HSPT Math-60% or greater
Passing score on the SJN Math Subject Test | | Geometry | For students who have successfully completed high school Algebra I Passing score on the SJN Math Subject Test. | | Honors Geometry | For students who have successfully completed high school Algebra IHSPT Quantitative-80% or greater
Passing score on the SJN Math Subject Test | | Honors Spanish I | Passing score on SJN Spanish Subject Test | | Honors Spanish II | For students who have successfully completed high school Spanish I Passing score on SJN Spanish Subject Test | 2025-26 SJN-Grades 10-12 Course Level Placement Guidelines • Students should meet each listed benchmark to be considered for Honors or AP courses. • Recommendation from a teacher/departmental committee, with consideration given to a student’s work ethic and motivation, may impact placement decisions. ENGLISH H = Honors CP = College Prep AP = Advanced Placement N/A = Not Available BENCHMARKS LEVEL/ COURSE English II (10) English III (11) Language (11) English IV (12) Literature (12) COLLEGE PREP Passing grade in English I Passing grade in English II N/A Passing grade in English III N/A HONORS - 80th percentile or higher on mostrecent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H English I or 90% average in CP English I - 80th percentile or higher on mostrecent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H English II or 90% average in CP English II N/A - 80th percentile or higher on mostrecent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H English III or 90% average in CP English III N/A AP N/A N/A - 85th percentile or higher on most recent PSAT/PreACT* - 90% average in H English II - 85th percentile or higher on most recent SAT/ACT* - 90% average in H English II or 90% average in AP Language * percentile in applicable subcategories Graduation Requirement: Passing grades in (4) years of English Department Head: Denise Szedelyi, [DSzedelyi@sjnceltics.org](DSzedelyi@sjnceltics.org) MATH H = Honors LEVEL/ COURSE Geometry CP = College Prep AP = Advanced Placement N/A = Not Available BENCHMARKS COLLEGE PREP Passing grade in Algebra I HONORS - 80th percentile or higher on mostrecent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H Algebra I or 95% average in CP Algebra I AP N/A Algebra II Passing grade in Geometry - 80th percentile or higher on most recent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H Geometry or 95% average in CP Geometry N/A Pre-Calculus Statistics College Algebra College Liberal Arts Math Calculus (AB) Calculus (BC) N/A Passing grade in Algebra II or College Algebra Passing grade in Algebra II Passing grades in Algebra I and Geometry N/A N/A - 80th percentile or higher on mostrecent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H Algebra II or 95% average in CP Algebra II - 80th percentile or higher on mostrecent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H Algebra II or 95% average in CP Algebra II N/A N/A N/A N/A - 80th percentile or higher on most recent PSAT/PreACT* - 85% average in H Algebra II or 95% average in CP Algebra II or 85% average in H Pre-Calc N/A N/A N/A 85% average in H Pre-Calculus PSAT Math-85% or greater 85% average in AP Calc (AB) w/ Score of 3+ on AP exam * percentile in applicable subcategories Graduation Requirement: Passing grad

FAQs

How are Grade 9 students placed into College Prep, Honors, or other levels?

Placement is generally based on College Prep level by subject unless Honors criteria are met. Available standardized assessment data such as PSAT or preACT may be considered for Honors.

What benchmarks qualify students for Honors English II and English III?

Honors English II requires an 80th percentile or higher on the most recent PSAT/preACT and either an 85% average in Honors English I or a 90% average in College Prep English I. Honors English III follows the same 80th percentile PSAT/preACT requirement and either an 85% average in Honors English II or a 90% average in College Prep English II.

What are the math placement benchmarks for Honors Algebra I and Honors Geometry?

Honors Algebra I requires an 80th percentile or higher on the most recent PSAT/preACT and either an 85% average in Honors Algebra I or a 95% average in College Prep Algebra I. Honors Geometry requires completion of high school Algebra I, an 80th percentile or higher on the most recent PSAT/preACT, and a passing score on the SJN Math Subject Test.

Sep 15, 2026

Uploaded by Callum