Placement guide, math
Which level of RightStart Mathematics should my child start?
How RightStart Mathematics levels line up with school grades, how its placement test works, what to do if your child lands between two levels, and the mistakes parents most often make.
The short answer. Levels are letters, not grades, and the letter runs one step ahead of the grade number. The publisher says Level A is kindergarten and Level B is first grade, so a typical third grader is in Level D, not Level C. The publisher uses levels so that a new child can start where their skills are rather than where their age would put them.
Use the publisher's own placement tool to choose the level (free, online and PDF). If you are not sure where your child really is, or the result surprises you, check the level first: it is quicker than a wrong book.
RightStart Mathematics levels and the grades they usually suit
| Level | Usually suits grade | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| Level C | 2 | Adjacent lower level. Place value to the thousands, multi-digit addition and subtraction, early fractions |
| Level D | 3 | Multiplication and division, fractions, area and perimeter, time and money, measurement, data, problem solving |
| Level E | 4 | Multi-digit multiplication and division, fractions, decimals and percents, area, geometry and measurement |
| Level F | 5 | Fraction and decimal operations, percentages, area of triangles, parallelograms and trapezoids, graphing equations and negative coordinates, probability |
| Level G | Not given by the publisher | Middle school course built around geometry: area of polygons and circles, ratios, pi, the Pythagorean theorem, statistics and probability |
| Level H | Not given by the publisher | Middle school course: negative numbers, exponents and scientific notation, repeating decimals, ratio, equations, probability, surface area and volume |
Grades are the publisher's own guide. Many children sit a level above or below, especially after switching programs.
How RightStart Mathematics placement works
- There are three options.
- The online quick check takes 2 to 3 minutes, needs no account, and gives a starting level from the parent's answers about what the child can already do.
- The PDF quick check is 15 yes-or-no questions with sample problems, and the first 'No' gives the level (for example, a child who does not know multiplication facts to 100 starts Level D).
- The PDF written tests A to F are for the child to work, with an answer key, and the publisher recommends them for children switching from another curriculum.
- On the written tests, 5 or more wrong on Test A or B, 6 or more on Test C or D, 8 or more on Test E, or 7 or more on Test F places the child in that level.
- A child who completes Test F satisfactorily is ready for Level G, followed by Level H.
Open the publisher's placement page
If your child lands between two levels
The publisher offers a phone review of the placement result with customer care, with the number shown at the end of the online questionnaire. Sample lessons, objectives and tables of contents for every level are free to download, which helps check a borderline result.
Problems parents often run into
- Parents report that the program is teacher-intensive: a parent has to sit with the child for most lessons, especially in the early levels.
- Parents report that lessons can be long and that some levels take more than a school year, which leaves children behind the grade label for a while.
- Parents report that children who start in grade 3 or later often begin a level below their grade and need time to learn the abacus strategies.
- Parents report that the card games carry much of the fact practice, so skipping them weakens the program.
Point of Progress in 20 seconds
Ready to see where your child stands?
See where they stand →Switching to RightStart Mathematics from another program
- The second edition has review lessons at the start of Levels B to F, so the first edition's transition lessons are not needed.
- Families finishing first edition Level E move on to second edition Level F.
- The publisher describes Levels G and H as a middle school curriculum. After Level E comes F, then G, then H.
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
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.
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Sources
- rightstartmath.com/take-the-placement-test/
- rightstartmath.com/placement-test/
- rightstartmath.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/RightStart-Math-Placemen
- rightstartmath.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Comprehensive-Placement-
- rightstartmath.com/faq/
- rightstartmath.com/sample-lessons/
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.