What is Humanities Plus?
Humanities Plus is a combination of social studies and language arts. The two classes are typically scheduled back-to-back so that students attend both classes in one block of time - a technique called "blocking" in schools. However, due to scheduling conflicts, sometimes blocks have to be split. When that happens, the groups of students stay together. Students in blocked Humanities Plus classrooms study and learn in an environment with added rigor and at an accelerated rate; the expectations are high. This is a performance-based program and students must maintain good grades to remain in the program.
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How is Humanities Plus different than the regular middle school humanities program?
Humanities Plus follows the same language arts and social studies core curriculum as regular Humanities classes, but with added rigor, additional assignment requirements, acceleration, and higher expectations. Plus students are expected to respond to open-ended higher-level questions.
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What students are best suited for Humanities Plus?
High achieving students who are self-motivated, organized, and willing to embrace a challenge are typically successful in the program. These students should love to read and write, both in class and independently. The program is not for all students and the most important consideration is that students must be appropriately placed.
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Is Humanities Plus a gifted program?
No. Humanities Plus is a performance-based program into which many of our elementary Gifted/Highly Capable students are accepted, but there are many more Humanities Plus seats available for students than there are elementary gifted seats.
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Is there more homework in Humanities Plus?
There can be more homework as a result of the higher expectations; however, surveys of former students show that the majority of students find the homework load manageable.
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Is Humanities Plus a prerequisite for AP classes in high school?
No. While the added rigor and higher expectations can be a good preparation for AP classes in high school, the Humanities Plus classes do not factor into the high school registration process and the majority of students taking AP classes in high school did not have Humanities Plus in middle school.
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How does my student apply for 6th grade Humanities Plus?
Read the complete
Humanities Plus handbook and complete and sign the registration form. Send the registration form, a short handwritten paragraph from the student explaining why he/she wants to join the program, and a copy of the March fifth-grade report card by the date indicated on the registration form to: Humanities Plus, Middle Level Education, Issaquah School District, 565 NW Holly Street, Issaquah, WA 98027.
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What if we miss the application due date?You can still submit an application with all the required information but the student's name will be placed on the Wait List. All classroom placements will be created from the original list of applicants and students applying after the due date will be placed on the wait list.
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How are student placement decisions made?
A committee of administrators and middle school counselors review the student applications and information provided and determine by rank order which students are placed into the program. Once this has been determined, we mail letters to the students and families to notify them that they have been placed in the class or on their school's wait list.
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How do I find out where my child is on the "wait list"?
The wait list is an ever-changing list. Students new to the district or applying late are placed on the list by their score ranking, thus students' position on the wait list can change. When a space becomes available, the counseling office at your middle school will contact the student and make the placement from the top of the list.
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If the classes have wait lists, why doesn't the district open up more sections?
Although we allow all students to apply to the program, many students are not suited for the added rigor, challenges, and expectations at this time in their academic career. The identification matrix does an effective job of placing the students with the greatest likelihood of success in the program. The best thing for students is to be appropriately placed. We have found that the program and students are best served when approximately twenty percent of the student population is enrolled in a Humanities Plus class.
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What criteria are used to place students in 6th grade Humanities Plus?
The placement committee ranks students using their fifth-grade trimester two (March) report card, standardized test scores in reading and writing from the fifth grade Stanford and fourth grade MSP. Each is given a point value, totaled, and ranked. The middle schools then place the top students in the Humanities Plus program.
Sample grade 6 matrix
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Does the placement committee accept teacher recommendations?
No. The committee relies on test scores and report cards which present a more uniform picture of each student.
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How does the report card section of the placement matrix work?
On the fifth grade report card there are three standard grading areas in reading. If a student receives a grade of 4 in each of these three areas they receive the full 6 points possible. This is shown as 3/3 on the matrix. If the student receives two 4s out of the possible three it shows as a 2/3 on the matrix and that student would receive 3 points.
In writing there are four standard areas on the fifth grade report card, so there are four possible 4s that a student can earn. In order to receive 6 points on the matrix in writing, a student must earn a (4) in 4/4 areas.
In social/learning skills there are nine standard areas on the fifth grade report card, so there are nine possible 4s that a student can earn. In order to receive 6 points on the matrix in writing, a student must earn a (4) in 7-9/9 areas.
Sample grade 6 matrix
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Are the same placement criteria used for MERLIN students as non-MERLIN students?
No. The scoring matrix for report card grading is used differently for the MERLIN students because they work with a more rigorous and accelerated level of curriculum and higher grading expectations- often a full grade level above. Therefore, we count the number of 3s and 4s as explained above for reading, writing and Social/Learning Skills.
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Are the same placement criteria used for SAGE students as non-MERLIN students?
Yes. SAGE students follow the same regular classroom curriculum and grading procedures as the non-MERLIN students. The SAGE students' reading and writing grades are based upon the regular grade level rubrics.
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What if my student didn't attend the Issaquah School District for elementary school?
The placement committee will take that student's elementary fifth-grade report card and any standardized test scores in reading and writing. Each is given a point value, totaled up, and ranked on the lists given to the middle schools.
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Once students are placed in Humanities Plus, do they need to apply each year?
No. Once students are in the program and
maintain the required grades they will remain in the program for their middle school years.
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What grades must students maintain in order to remain in the program?
Students must maintain a B minus grade or better in both Language Arts and Social Studies at every six week mid-trimester grade check and on each Trimester Report Card. Please read the complete
Retention Policy.
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What if my student decides he/she does not want to remain in the program?
Students should contact their counselor if they decide that they do not want to remain in the program. This is usually done at the trimester break or the end of the school year.
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Can my child enter Humanities Plus in 7th or 8th grade?
Yes, we look at their current year report card and if your child has received an A in Trimester 1 or 2 in Language Arts or Social Studies, his/her name is placed on a newly created annual "wait list". Students are given points for the number of A's received in LA and SS for both trimesters, their GPA as of the Trimester 2 report card, and their MSP scores in reading. These are then ranked and the lists are sent to the school counselors. If a space becomes available, the counselors will contact the student to see if he/she would like to move into the program.
Sample grade 7/8 matrix
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Do I have to request that my student be placed on the 7th or 8th grade wait lists?
No. Placement onto the wait list is done automatically if the student meets the above criteria unless the student is new to the Issaquah School District. If the student is new to the District and would like to be considered for the Humanities Plus wait list, please contact the office of the Associate Superintendent.
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What if my student is new to the Issaquah School District starting in 7th or 8th grade?
The placement committee will look at the student's previous year's report card and any standardized testing in reading and writing to determine placement on the wait list. If a space becomes available and the student is next on the list, the counseling office will contact the student for possible placement.
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What if I want my student to attend a different middle school?
Refer to the
in-district transfer process. Students must apply to their neighborhood middle school's Humanities Plus program unless approval to transfer to a different middle school has been granted before placements are made. Being accepted into one middle school Humanities Plus program does not mean a student will automatically transfer to another school's program if there is a change in school placement.
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