The Tustin Unified School District follows the traditional Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry sequence, not the Integrated Math used by Irvine Unified. Families transferring from Irvine often equate Math II with Geometry and miscount the placement year. At Tustin High School, the math route is largely set in middle school: the district’s two accelerated courses, Math 6 A and Math 7 A, decide whether a student can take Algebra 1 in grade 8. This page covers middle school acceleration, grade 9 placement, three math routes, grade recommendations for each course, and the requirements for AP Calculus.
Math Acceleration in Tustin Unified School District Middle Schools
The district middle school course catalog states that Math 6 A combines all of 6th grade math with the first half of 7th grade math, and Math 7 A combines the second half of 7th grade math with all of 8th grade math, which lets students take Algebra 1 in grade 8. Math 6 A requires showing competency in all precursor skills on the grade 5 year-end math test and a history of success in math; continuing to Math 7 A requires passing the Math 6 A year-end test, strong course grades and teacher recommendations. Students who accelerate commit to four years of high school math.
| Middle school route | Grade 6 to 8 courses |
|---|---|
| Standard route | 6th Grade Math, 7th Grade Math and 8th Grade Math, then Algebra 1 in grade 9 |
| Accelerated route | Math 6 A (grade 6 math plus the first half of grade 7 math), Math 7 A (the second half of grade 7 math plus grade 8 math) and Algebra 1 in grade 8, then Geometry or Geometry Honors in grade 9 |
How Grade 9 Math Placement Works at Tustin High School
Tustin Unified School District uses the traditional Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry sequence, not the Integrated Math used by Irvine Unified. District grade 7 and 8 math is 7th Grade Math and 8th Grade Math; accelerated students take Math 6 A and Math 7 A in grades 6 and 7 and Algebra 1 in grade 8. Grade 9 math depends on the student’s grade 8 course and grade, and the district course catalog gives the following placement recommendations.
| Situation in grade 8 | Grade 9 math |
|---|---|
| 8th Grade Math in grade 8 | Algebra 1 or Algebra 1 Honors |
| Algebra 1 completed in grade 8 with an A | Geometry Honors; the course description says students who earn an A in Algebra 1 normally continue in Geometry Honors |
| Algebra 1 completed in grade 8 with a B or C | Geometry; the district recommends a C or better in Algebra 1 |
Three Math Routes at Tustin High School
Standard route (8th Grade Math in grade 8)
- Grade 9: Algebra 1 or Algebra 1 Honors
- Grade 10: Geometry; the district recommends a C or better in Algebra 1
- Grade 11: Algebra 2/Trigonometry; the district recommends a C or better in Geometry
- Grade 12: Pre-Calculus, AP Statistics, or grade 11-12 math electives such as Data Science and Statistical Reasoning
Honors route (Algebra 1 completed in grade 8 with an A)
- Grade 9: Geometry Honors; the district recommends an A in Algebra 1
- Grade 10: Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors; the district recommends an A in Geometry
- Grade 11: Pre-Calculus Honors; the district recommends a B or better in Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors
- Grade 12: AP Calculus BC (B or better in Pre-Calculus Honors), AP Calculus AB or AP Statistics
College-prep route (Algebra 1 completed in grade 8, standard courses)
- Grade 9: Geometry
- Grade 10: Algebra 2/Trigonometry
- Grade 11: Pre-Calculus; the district recommends a C or better in Algebra 2/Trigonometry
- Grade 12: AP Calculus AB (B or better in Pre-Calculus), AP Statistics or Applied Calculus
All three routes follow the district course catalog’s placement recommendations, and actual placement is set by the counselor. The district course catalog lists courses such as Pre-Calculus and Algebra 2/Trigonometry as open to grades 9 through 12 but does not describe how students who complete Geometry in grade 8 continue; families in that situation should confirm with a counselor.
Tustin High School Routes into AP Calculus and Grade Recommendations
| Course | Grades and placement recommendation |
|---|---|
| Geometry Honors | Grades 9-11; the district recommends an A in Algebra 1, and the course description says students who earn an A in Algebra 1 normally continue in Geometry Honors. Not a UC-approved honors course |
| Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors | The district recommends an A in Geometry. Not a UC-approved honors course |
| Pre-Calculus Honors | The district recommends a B or better in Algebra 2/Trigonometry Honors; a UC-approved honors course |
| Pre-Calculus | The district recommends a C or better in Algebra 2 or Algebra 2/Trigonometry |
| AP Calculus AB | Grades 10-12; B or better in Pre-Calculus, or C or better in Pre-Calculus Honors |
| AP Calculus BC | Grades 10-12; B or better in Pre-Calculus Honors |
| AP Statistics | Grades 11-12; C or better in Pre-Calculus or Algebra 2/Trigonometry |
| Applied Calculus | Grades 11-12; C or better in Pre-Calculus; not an AP course |
| AP Precalculus | Listed as an online course on the UC A-G list and not in the district course catalog; confirm with a counselor whether it is offered |
The grade recommendations form a chain: an A in Algebra 1 is recommended for Geometry Honors, an A in Geometry for Algebra 2/Trig Honors, a B or better in Algebra 2/Trig Honors for Pre-Calculus Honors, and a B or better in Pre-Calculus Honors for AP Calculus BC. On the honors route, a drop in grades in any year can lead to a recommendation to move back to the standard course the next year.
Tustin High School Math Honors Courses and UC Weighting
The school transcript grades every honors course on the 5-point scale, but UC weights only the honors courses it approves. Among Tustin High School math courses, Algebra 1 Honors, Geometry (H) and Algebra 2/Trig Honors are not on the UC-approved list; Pre-Calculus (H), AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Statistics and AP Precalculus are.
UC counts only courses taken in grades 10 and 11. On the honors route, Algebra 2/Trig Honors in grade 10 falls inside UC’s window yet adds no weight, while Pre-Calculus Honors in grade 11 does. For honors-route students, then, UC weighting in math begins only in grade 11.
Tustin High School Engineering and Computer Science Courses
Engineering and computer science courses at Tustin High School are concentrated in the T-Tech engineering academy, using the Project Lead The Way (PLTW) engineering curriculum. Their UC A-G areas differ, so they can be scheduled to fill different A-G requirements.
- PLTW Introduction to Engineering Design: the first T-Tech course, UC A-G area d
- Introduction to Product Design & Engineering: the second T-Tech course, UC A-G area g
- PLTW Principles of Engineering: the third T-Tech course, UC A-G area d
- PLTW Engineering Design and Development: the T-Tech capstone course, UC A-G area d
- AP Computer Science Principles and PLTW Computer Science Principles: UC A-G area d
- Explorations in Data Science: grades 11-12, UC A-G area c (mathematics)
AP Computer Science A is not on the school’s UC A-G list. The district course catalog opens AP Computer Science Principles to grades 11 and 12, but the course does not appear on the 2026 AP exam schedule, so students who want it should confirm with a counselor during course selection whether a section runs that year.
Tustin High School Math Course List
Mathematics
| Course | Level | Grades | Prerequisites / Conditions / Notes | UC A-G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AP Calculus AB | AP | 10-12 | B or better in Pre-Calculus, or C or better in Pre-Calculus HTranscript abbreviations: calculus ab (ap), calculus ab ap | c |
| AP Calculus BC | AP | 10-12 | B or better in Pre-Calculus HTranscript abbreviations: Calculus BC (AP) | c |
| AP Precalculus | AP | — | —Listed as an online course on the UC A-G list; not listed in the district course catalog; Transcript abbreviations: AP Pre Calculus | c |
| AP Statistics | AP | 11-12 | C or better in Pre-Calculus or Algebra 2/TrigonometryTranscript abbreviations: ap statistics, Statistics (AP), statistics AP | c |
| Algebra 1 Honors | Honors | 9-12 | —Weighted on the district 5-point scale but not on the UC honors list, so UC does not weight it; Transcript abbreviations: Algebra 1 H | c |
| Algebra 2/Trig Honors | Honors | 9-12 | An A in GeometryWeighted on the district 5-point scale but not on the UC honors list, so UC does not weight it; Transcript abbreviations: Alg 2/Trig H | c |
| Geometry (H) | Honors | 9-11 | An A in Algebra 1Weighted on the district 5-point scale but not on the UC honors list, so UC does not weight it; Transcript abbreviations: geometry h | c |
| Pre-Calculus (H) | Honors | 9-12 | B or better in Algebra 2/Trigonometry HUC-approved honors course, weighted in UC admission; Transcript abbreviations: pre calculus (h), pre calculus h, PRE-CALCULUS H | c |
| Algebra 1 | CP | 9-12 | —Transcript abbreviations: algebra 1, Algebra 1 S1, Algebra 1 S2 | c |
| Algebra 2/Trig | CP | 9-12 | C or better in GeometryTranscript abbreviations: Alg 2/Trig, Alg 2/Trig S1, Alg 2/Trig S2 | c |
| Algebra I | CP | 9-12 | —Transcript abbreviations: Algebra 1, Algebra 1 S1, Algebra 1 S2 | c |
| Applied Calculus | CP | 11-12 | C or better in Pre-CalculusTranscript abbreviations: Applied Calc | c |
| Explorations in Data Science - Youcubed Adaptable Curriculum | CP | 11-12 | —Transcript abbreviations: Data Science | c |
| Geometry | CP | 9-12 | C or better in Algebra 1Transcript abbreviations: Geometry, Geometry A, Geometry B, Geometry S1, Geometry S2 | c |
| Geometry | CP | 9-12 | C or better in Algebra 1Transcript abbreviations: geometry | c |
| Pre-Calculus | CP | 9-12 | C or better in Algebra 2 or Algebra 2/TrigonometryTranscript abbreviations: Pre Calculas S1, pre calculus, Pre Calculus S1, Pre Calculus S2 | c |
| Statistical Reasoning | CP | 11-12 | —Transcript abbreviations: Stats Reasoning | c |
Tustin High School Math Pathway: Frequently Asked Questions
Irvine families ask: does Tustin High School use Integrated Math or the traditional algebra and geometry sequence?
Tustin High School uses the traditional sequence. The Tustin Unified School District teaches high school math in the order Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2/Trigonometry and Pre-Calculus, not the Integrated Math used by Irvine Unified. The district graduation requirement is 20 math credits through at least Geometry; the UC and CSU A-G requirement is three years of math through Algebra 2 or Algebra 2/Trig, with four recommended.
How is grade 9 math placement decided at Tustin High School, for Irvine families planning ahead?
Tustin High School follows the district's placement recommendations, which are based on multiple prior academic data points, including local assessments, state assessments and grades earned. Students who take 8th Grade Math in grade 8 take Algebra 1 in grade 9; for students who complete Algebra 1 in grade 8, the district course catalog states that students who earn an A normally continue in Geometry Honors, and a C or better leads to Geometry. The district course catalog does not publish assessment cutoff scores.
How do Tustin Unified middle schools accelerate math so a student from an Irvine family can take Algebra 1 in grade 8?
The Tustin Unified School District uses two accelerated middle school courses, Math 6 A and Math 7 A, which compress grade 6 to 8 math into two years so students take Algebra 1 in grade 8 before moving on to high schools such as Tustin High School. Math 6 A requires showing competency in all precursor skills on the grade 5 year-end math test, and continuing to Math 7 A requires passing the Math 6 A year-end test with strong grades and teacher recommendations. The district states that students who accelerate commit to four years of high school math. Students transferring from districts such as Irvine Unified are placed by a counselor based on their own courses and grades.
What does a student from an Irvine family need to take AP Calculus BC at Tustin High School?
Tustin High School follows the district course catalog, which opens AP Calculus BC to grades 10 through 12 with a placement recommendation of a B or better in Pre-Calculus Honors; AP Calculus AB calls for a B or better in Pre-Calculus, or a C or better in Pre-Calculus Honors. Following the district's placement recommendations, a student who completes Algebra 1 in grade 8 and stays on the honors route takes Pre-Calculus Honors in grade 11 and AP Calculus BC in grade 12.
Irvine families should know: are Geometry Honors and Algebra 2/Trig Honors at Tustin High School weighted by UC?
Tustin High School grades Geometry Honors and Algebra 2/Trig Honors on the 5-point scale on its transcript, but neither is a UC-approved honors course, so UC counts them as standard courses; the same is true of Algebra 1 Honors. The math courses UC weights are Pre-Calculus Honors, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Statistics and AP Precalculus.
