This article explains how your child moves through each subject in TimeBack: where they start, how they advance, and when each subject becomes available.
How progression works
Every subject starts with placement. Your child's first test grade is set by their MAP screener. These tests find the right level for your child.
Based on the results, your child moves up to the next grade, placed into either the main (base) course for their grade or a Foundation Rebuilding (hole-filling) course if there are skills to shore up first.
After finishing a course, your child takes a mastery test. Passing (90% or higher) moves them up to the next grade. Below that, they get Foundation Rebuilding and then retest at the same grade.
For more on Foundation Rebuilding, see “Mapping and Rebuilding.”
When each subject unlocks
Math, Language, and Fast Math are available from day one. The other subjects unlock as your child meets certain milestones:
Subject | When it unlocks | Starts at |
Math | Available from day one | Kindergarten |
Language | Available from day one | Kindergarten |
Reading | Available from day one | Kindergarten |
Fast Math | Available from day one (begins with a screener) | Kindergarten |
Science | After passing the G2 Math, Reading, and Language tests, being enrolled in G3 Fast Math, and reaching age grade 2+ | Grade 3 |
Vocabulary | After passing a G2 Reading test and reaching age grade 2+ | Grade 3 |
Writing | After passing a G3 Language test and reaching age grade 2+ (turned on manually by our Academics team) | Grade 3 |
How each subject flows
Here's the path a student typically follows in each subject before moving up a grade. The apps can change as we improve the program, but the shape stays the same: work the course(s), then pass the mastery test to advance.
Math
Math builds through a specific sequence of apps that grows with the grade level:
Grade | Path to the next grade |
K–1 | Zearn → Math test → Next grade |
2 | Zearn → Math Cakes → Math test → Next grade |
3 | Zearn → Math Cakes → TimeBack → Math test → Next grade |
4 | Alpha Learn Blu → Math Cakes → TimeBack → Math test → Next grade |
5–8 | Math Academy → TimeBack → Math test → Next grade |
Reading
Grade | Path to the next grade |
K–2 | Alpha Reading Fluency → Pass Reading test → Pass Oral Fluency test → Next grade |
3–8 | Reading Strategies (MobyMax) → AlphaRead → pass Reading test → Next grade |
Language, Science, Fast Math, Vocabulary & Writing
Language:
Lalilo (K–2) · MobyMax (3–6, 8) · Egumpp (7, 9) · Edmentum (10–12) → Language test → Next grade.
Foundation Rebuilding: Freckle (3–9)
Science:
AlphaScience (3–8) · Edmentum (9–12) → Science test → Next grade.
Foundation Rebuilding: MobyMax (6–8).
Fast Math:
AlphaNumbers screener → AlphaNumbers (below K) or Math Raiders (Grade 1+, courses K–5) → complete (then it drops off the daily dashboard).
Vocabulary:
VocabLoco (3–5) · Membean (6–12).
Writing:
AlphaWrite (3–8) - supplemental, now includes essays.
Assigned after a G3 Language test is passed.