Switching from Math-U-See to Saxon Math: which level to check first
Find the last Math-U-See level your child worked in to see where to look in Saxon Math, how strong the evidence is, and the free placement test to give next.
In short
No publisher we found publishes a direct Math-U-See to Saxon Math crosswalk, so we place both programs on one shared grade scale from each publisher's own level guidance. Finishing Gamma in Math-U-See points to Math 5/4 in Saxon Math, or Math 3 if the placement test shows gaps (Supported by parent reports). Evidence across all 13 Math-U-See levels: 7 Supported by parent reports and 6 Unverified. The placement test is the real answer.
Checked Oct 17, 2026. Built from the same table as our math switch helper and methodology page.
Saxon placement tests (hosted by Sonlight)
Place by skill, not grade. Saxon K to 3 books work differently from 5/4 and up, so a switch at that point is a bigger change.
Math-U-See to Saxon Math, level by level
| Last Math-U-See level | Finished it: look first at | About halfway: look first at | Evidence | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primer | Math 1 If the test shows gaps: Math K | Math K | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Alpha | Math 2 If the test shows gaps: Math 1 | Math 1 If the test shows gaps: Math K | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Beta | Math 3 If the test shows gaps: Math 2 | Math 2 If the test shows gaps: Math 1 | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Gamma | Math 5/4 If the test shows gaps: Math 3 | Math 3 If the test shows gaps: Math 2 | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Delta | Math 6/5 If the test shows gaps: Math 5/4 | Math 5/4 If the test shows gaps: Math 3 | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Epsilon | Math 7/6 If the test shows gaps: Math 6/5 | Math 6/5 If the test shows gaps: Math 5/4 | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Zeta | Math 8/7 If the test shows gaps: Math 7/6 | Math 7/6 If the test shows gaps: Math 6/5 | Supported by parent reports | Open in the helper |
| Pre-Algebra | Algebra 1/2 If the test shows gaps: Math 8/7 | Math 8/7 If the test shows gaps: Math 7/6 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Algebra 1 | Algebra 1 If the test shows gaps: Algebra 1/2 | Algebra 1/2 If the test shows gaps: Math 8/7 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Geometry | Algebra 2 If the test shows gaps: Algebra 1 | Algebra 1 If the test shows gaps: Algebra 1/2 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Algebra 2 | Advanced Mathematics If the test shows gaps: Algebra 2 | Algebra 2 If the test shows gaps: Algebra 1 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| PreCalculus | Calculus If the test shows gaps: Advanced Mathematics | Advanced Mathematics If the test shows gaps: Algebra 2 | Unverified | Open in the helper |
| Calculus | Past Calculus, the last level | Calculus If the test shows gaps: Advanced Mathematics | Unverified | Open in the helper |
Greyed rows are Unverified: we found no publisher or parent source for at least one side, so treat that level as a guess and rely on the placement test.
Why these levels
Math-U-See: Math-U-See says its levels are skills, not grades, and Cathy Duffy notes it does not follow other programs' grade order. The typical grades shown come from its topic list (Gamma multiplication, Delta division, Epsilon fractions, Zeta decimals). Parent placement reports fit them from Primer to Zeta: one family used Primer in kindergarten, multiplication in third grade, division in fourth and Epsilon in fifth; two first graders placed into Alpha; a child leaving Saxon 6/5 placed between Epsilon and Zeta. We found no parent reports for Pre-Algebra and above, so those stay Unverified. Sources: Math-U-See placement page: skills-based, levels are not grades, Math-U-See curriculum sequence (topics by level), Cathy Duffy Reviews: Math-U-See does not correlate to grade levels, Parent video (Our Homeschool Table, Feb 2025): Math-U-See Primer in kindergarten, multiplication in third grade, division in fourth, Epsilon in fifth, Parent video (Heavenly Homeschool, Jul 2023): finished The Good and the Beautiful Math K, Math-U-See placement put her in Alpha for first grade, Parent video (At the Starlings, Jan 2022): first grader placed in Math-U-See Alpha, kindergartner in Primer, Parent video (Brittany Olga, Jan 2023): after Saxon 6/5 and part of 7/6, Math-U-See placement fell between Epsilon and Zeta; placed in Epsilon.
Saxon Math: Saxon's placement guide puts most fourth graders in Math 5/4, seventh graders in 8/7 and eighth graders in Algebra 1/2. Sources: Saxon placement tests and guide (Sonlight), Saxon middle grades placement test (PDF), Homeschool Picks, quoting Cathy Duffy on Saxon and Teaching Textbooks levels.
A match is only as strong as its weaker side. Confirmed by publisher means both publishers state the level we used, not that they confirmed the pairing. Supported by parent reports means at least one side rests on reviewers or parents. Unverified means we found no source for at least one side.
How to make the switch
- Note the last Math-U-See level your child worked in and whether they finished it.
- Find it in the table above and note the evidence level.
- Give the Saxon Math placement guidance on a calm day, without helping. Follow the publisher's instructions for scores near a cutoff.
- Compare the Saxon Math level's scope and sequence with what your child already covered.
- Use free samples or trial lessons for a week before buying the full level.
- Check the sale timing before you buy. When Saxon Math usually goes on sale. When Math-U-See usually goes on sale.
Going the other way? See Saxon Math to Math-U-See. Comparing more programs, or not sure a switch will help? The math switch helper starts with that question.
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Questions parents ask
Does Saxon Math have a placement test?
Saxon placement tests (hosted by Sonlight): https://www.sonlight.com/pages/saxon-placement-tests. Place by skill, not grade. Saxon K to 3 books work differently from 5/4 and up, so a switch at that point is a bigger change.
Is Gamma in Math-U-See the same as Math 5/4 in Saxon Math?
Not exactly. Programs teach topics in different orders. On our scale, a child who finished Gamma in Math-U-See is at about the point where Math 5/4 in Saxon Math begins, so that is the level to check first. Evidence level: Supported by parent reports. No publisher publishes a crosswalk between these two programs.
Why might my child place differently in Saxon Math?
How we placed Math-U-See: Math-U-See says its levels are skills, not grades, and Cathy Duffy notes it does not follow other programs' grade order. The typical grades shown come from its topic list (Gamma multiplication, Delta division, Epsilon fractions, Zeta decimals). Parent placement reports fit them from Primer to Zeta: one family used Primer in kindergarten, multiplication in third grade, division in fourth and Epsilon in fifth; two first graders placed into Alpha; a child leaving Saxon 6/5 placed between Epsilon and Zeta. We found no parent reports for Pre-Algebra and above, so those stay Unverified. How we placed Saxon Math: Saxon's placement guide puts most fourth graders in Math 5/4, seventh graders in 8/7 and eighth graders in Algebra 1/2.
Should we switch at all?
Often a pacing change in the program you own works first: slow down, review, skip ahead or trim problems. A switch makes the most sense when the format or content does not fit your child or family. The switch helper walks through this first.
When does Saxon Math usually go on sale?
No published sale dates, discounts or free trials were found on the brand's own site when we checked. Details and sources: https://homeschoolhaul.com/sale-calendar/saxon-math/
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