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Grade-Level Placement for the 2027–28 School Year

2027-28 School Year

Beginning with the 2027–28 school year, newly applied and accepted students in grades 1–8 at Peak Charter Academy will complete a grade-level placement assessment during the registration process.

The assessment helps us understand each student’s foundational skills, including reading and math readiness so we can determine the grade level where they can best learn, grow, and succeed.

2026-27 School Year

The Grade-Level Placement Model begins with the 2027–28 school year. Students who currently attend Peak Charter Academy, as well as students who apply for the 2026–27 school year, will not be required to complete a grade-level placement assessment.

Currently enrolled students will continue to follow the promotion and retention criteria outlined in the 2026–27 Parent and Student Handbook.

Helping Students Start at the Right Level

Room to Advance

The Grade-Level Placement Model gives students who are ready the chance to move ahead.

Opportunities to Move Ahead

Academic advancement: Students who show they are ready in their grade-level placement assessment may move ahead a grade.

Advanced learning within grade level: Students who are ready to go beyond grade-level work can take part in targeted small-group instruction and other personalized learning opportunities.

Early identification of advanced learners: The assessment helps Peak Charter Academy spot students who are ready for more from the very start.
 

A Supportive Experience

For students who benefit from extra support, teachers work closely through small-group instruction to help strengthen essential skills, stay engaged in learning, and make steady progress toward grade-level success.

New Peak Students Applying for 2027–28: What to Expect

1. Apply

Apply to Peak Charter Academy for the 2027–28 school year.
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2. Assess

When accepted, your child will complete a grade-level placement assessment at Peak to help us understand their reading and math readiness.
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3. Discuss

Peak school leadership will talk with your family about your child’s assessment results and academic readiness.
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4. Place

School leadership will use the assessment results and family discussion to determine the grade level that best supports your child’s learning needs.
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Grade Level Placement Model FAQ

Who does the Grade-Level Placement Model apply to, currently or newly enrolled students?

Beginning next Fall (2027), newly applied and accepted students in grades 1–8 will complete a grade-level placement test during the registration process.

Currently enrolled students will continue following the promotion and retention criteria outlined in the 2026–27 Parent and Student Handbook.

Do currently enrolled students need to take a grade-level placement test?

No, currently enrolled students will not be required to take a grade-level placement test.

What if I want my child to take a grade-level placement test?

Currently enrolled students cannot take a grade-level placement test to move grade levels. However, at the end of the year, they can take tests to enroll in advanced courses for the next school year.

For currently enrolled students, is grade-level placement mandatory?

No, currently enrolled students will continue following the promotion and retention criteria outlined in the 2026–27 Parent and Student Handbook.

For newly applied students, is grade-level placement mandatory?

While it is mandatory, decisions will not be taken lightly and will be determined utilizing a grade-level placement test upon submission of an application. School leadership will work closely with families to discuss all aspects of a student’s proficiency – including reading and math readiness – to make a grade-level placement decision in the best interest of the child.

What if my child is accepted for one grade, but is placed in a different one after taking the grade-level placement test?

We want to ensure all students receive the instruction and support appropriate for their learning needs. If your student is accepted into one grade level, but is placed into a different one, your student will be added to the waitlist, with preference, for the grade level they placed into.

How and where would my child take the grade-level placement test?

Families will work with school leadership to schedule a grade-level placement test, which will be proctored at the school. Placement tests must be taken by the paperwork deadline outlined in the family’s acceptance email.

What if I apply my child to a Grade-Level Placement Model school and an NHA school with the traditional model but grade placements are different?

Each school makes its own, independent grade-placement decision. Traditional school placement is based on a student’s birth date and last grade completed. Other factors, such as a previous school’s retention decision, are also considered. Grade-Level Placement Model schools use additional placement criteria, including assessment results.

For example, if you apply for fourth grade at both a traditional school and Grade-Level Placement Model school, and the Grade-Level Placement Model school places your child in third grade after testing, your child will remain accepted or waitlisted for fourth grade at the traditional school.

What if my child enrolls at Peak and then transfers to a different NHA school that uses the traditional model?

Once a student enrolls at Peak, their grade placement decision will follow them if they transfer to a different NHA school. For example, if a student is placed into and enrolls in third grade at Peak and they move to a different NHA school, the new school will honor the third-grade placement.

Why are you implementing a Grade-Level Placement Model based on reading and math proficiency?

Using a Grade-Level Placement Model approach helps us identify specific learning gaps that can be addressed by placing a student in the grade level most appropriate for their learning needs.

We know that if a student is not reading at grade level, they will struggle in all subjects. We also know that math proficiency is just as important because it builds a foundation for future skill building and learning.

For example, up to third grade, students are learning to read. After third grade, they are reading to learn. Not reading on grade level can decrease a student’s overall academic achievement now and through high school and beyond.

What are you doing to help my child if they are below grade level?

We will continue to utilize our accelerated intervention model and small group instruction to help improve your child’s grade-level proficiency. The assessments we use to determine progress toward identified individual goals will remain the same, including NHA® Interims, NWEA, and state testing, among other common assessments.

Students with an IEP, Section 504 Plan, and English Learners will continue to receive the special education and related services, accommodations, and specialized language services outlined in their IEPs, Section 504 plans, or ILPs. We will continue to ensure we meet our obligation to identify and evaluate children who may need special education and related services.

What are you doing to ensure children who are placed in a lower grade now, or who are retained, do not age-out of school?

There are high school enrollment age limits, so this is certainly a consideration. School leadership will work closely with families to discuss what grade level and other learning options are most appropriate for the student’s needs.

If my child requires special education or English Language services, will delivery of those services be impacted by the Placement Model?

No, special education or English Language services will be implemented as written in a student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP) or Individualized Learning Plan (ILP).

What does this mean for students who are advanced learners?

Advanced course work will be available through our EXCEL-ERATE program, specialized instruction, and/or virtual programming based on the individual needs of the student.

How do you ensure safety, especially for younger learners, in a mixed-age classroom?

We strive to Behave with Care and set the same expectations for our students. Your child’s well-being is at the center of everything we do, including ensuring their safety, and that they feel cared for, loved, and supported.

Do students who are placed below their age-appropriate grade level struggle socially?

We know that students who are placed in the grade level that best aligns with their learning needs develop more self-confidence, both academically and socially. This tends to positively impact classroom culture because students are more comfortable in their day-to-day interactions with their peers and teachers.

How will the Grade-Placement Model impact classroom culture?

As students build confidence academically and socially, classroom culture tends to be positively impacted. Students are more comfortable in their day-to-day interactions with their peers and teachers. They also use our Moral Focus™ virtues to guide those interactions. Virtues that encourage students to use wisdom, compassion, and respect, to name a few.

What are you doing to ensure the Placement Model is successful?

The school is being supported throughout this change by its management company, National Heritage Academies® (NHA®).