Placement guide, math
Which level of Math with Confidence should my child start?
How Math with Confidence levels line up with school grades, how to choose a level without a placement test, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Levels are named by grade and the author says they are roughly on grade level with most public-school programs, so the grade usually is the level. The series was released one grade a year and finished with Sixth Grade on Jun 16, 2026: as of Nov 2026 it covers K to 6 only, with no seventh grade planned, so pages that say 'K-2 only' or 'more grades coming' are out of date. Third Grade and up come as an Instructor Guide plus Student Workbooks Part A and Part B; the two parts are halves of one year, not two levels.
Math with Confidence has no formal placement test, so the level comes from the publisher's guidance below. If you are not sure where your child really is, check their level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
Math with Confidence levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Second Grade Math with Confidence | 2 | Numbers to 1,000, adding and subtracting 3-digit numbers with regrouping, measuring length, 3-D solids, fractions to eighths, money, graphs, telling time; 32 weeks of 4 core lessons plus 1 optional |
| Third Grade Math with Confidence | 3 | Place value and adding and subtracting to 10,000, multiplication and division facts to 10 x 10, two-step word problems, area and perimeter, simple fractions, elapsed time and measurement; 16 units, 144 lessons |
| Fourth Grade Math with Confidence | 4 | Place value to millions, factors and primes, multi-digit multiplication, long division by one digit, fractions and mixed numbers with like denominators, decimals to hundredths, angles, line plots, averages; 16 units, 144 lessons |
| Fifth Grade Math with Confidence | 5 | Order of operations, long division by two digits, all four operations with fractions and decimals, volume, coordinate grid, triangles and quadrilaterals, mean and median; 16 units, 144 lessons |
| Sixth Grade Math with Confidence | 6 | Exponents, fraction and decimal operations, ratios and rates, percent, simple equations with variables, integers, coordinate plane, area, volume and surface area, statistics and data displays; 16 units, 139 lessons. Final level of the series |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How to choose a Math with Confidence level
- There is no test.
- The author publishes a readiness checklist for each grade, a bare-minimum list of skills the child should have before starting, for example for Fourth Grade: place value to 10,000, multi-digit adding and subtracting with the standard method, multiplication and division facts recalled within about 3 seconds, two-step word problems, area and perimeter of rectangles, and simple fractions.
- The default is the level that matches the child's age-based grade, including for children leaving public school.
- If in doubt, choose the lower level.
If your child lands between two levels
If the child knows everything on the list except fluent facts, start the level anyway and add 5 minutes of daily facts practice. Each book opens with several weeks of easy review that can be condensed, or taught two lessons a day, for a child who knows it. End-of-unit Checkpoints (K-2) and Unit Wrap-ups (3-6) show whether to spend more time on a unit or move on. If a child is constantly frustrated or in tears, the author advises putting the book away and using the level below.
Problems parents often run into
- Parents of quick learners report the program feels too easy and skip or combine lessons.
- Parents coming from Singapore Dimensions describe a gentler pace with simpler word problems and fewer daily problems.
- The opening review unit looks so easy that parents doubt the placement; the author says it is deliberate.
- It is not independent work: even in grades 5 and 6 the parent teaches 10-15 minutes and the Instructor Guide holds games and explanations not printed in the workbook.
- The series ends at Sixth Grade, so every family has to choose a new program for pre-algebra.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Switching to Math with Confidence from another program
- Coming from public school or for afterschooling, the author says to use the level that matches the child's current grade, and that switching from Math with Confidence back to a public-school program should be smooth.
- The author describes it as a middle-of-the-road program in difficulty, so children from more demanding programs rarely need to drop a level, while children with weak facts may need extra facts practice.
- After Sixth Grade, the author says most children are ready for a standard pre-algebra course, but to check that program's placement test first; finishing Sixth Grade in seventh or eighth grade still leaves time to reach Algebra 2.
When you don't need a whole level
A placement test answers one question: which book. If your child is mostly on track but shaky in one area, say fractions or paragraph writing, a full lower level means months of review they do not need. Practising just the gaps is faster, and keeps them in the book that fits the rest of their skills.
Questions parents ask
How long is a Math with Confidence lesson?
Pilot-family averages: 20-30 minutes in grade 2, 25-35 minutes in grades 3 and 4, 30-45 minutes in grades 5 and 6, of which 10-15 minutes is parent-led instruction
Is it bad if my child places below their grade?
No. Programs pace topics differently, so a lower level often reflects the order things were taught, not how able a child is. What matters is starting where the work makes sense.
Do I need a placement test at all?
If you are switching programs or your child has had a hard year, yes. Starting too high is the most common reason a new curriculum stalls in the first month.
Keep reading
Curriculum finder
Match math and reading programs to your child, your faith and your state.
Which level of Saxon Math?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Teaching Textbooks?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Dimensions Math?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Which level of Math Mammoth?
Levels, grades and how to place.
Math with Confidence vs The Good and the Beautiful Math
How they differ, and which child each suits.
Math with Confidence vs Math Mammoth
How they differ, and which child each suits.
Sources
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/how-to-choose-the-right-level-of-math-with-con
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/math-with-confidence-homeschool-math-curriculu
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/second-grade-math-with-confidence/
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/third-grade-math-with-confidence/
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/fourth-grade-math-with-confidence/
- kateshomeschoolmath.com/fifth-grade-math-with-confidence/
Know where they stand before you buy the book.
About forty minutes at home, math and reading & writing, grades 3 to 10. The report is ready as soon as the test finishes.
Test your child, $9.99 →or with the ten-week workbook, $19.99This page is Point of Progress's own research, compiled in November 2026 from publishers' websites, placement materials and parent reviews. Publishers update their products, levels, placement tests and prices from time to time, so please verify all information with the provider before you buy. Point of Progress is independent and is not affiliated with any publisher named here.