For sure. I think in kiddo’s case they didn’t see geometry on his middle school transcript and assumed he wasn’t ready despite his performance on the placement test. They placed him in honors geometry, he realized he was going to be in a serious repeat situation, and he ran it up the food chain to get himself moved. He re-took the placement test (and one for a higher level class), the math dept and his advisor talked, and ultimately they decided that he should go to the honors level algebra/trig/precalc class. But that class didn’t fit his schedule, so he was supposed to stay in geometry. He was having none of that. He found a way to rework his schedule on his own. At that point, 3 weeks in to the trimester, I figure the school knew he was determined and gave in. He told me later that he had trouble catching up, but since he made such a stink about it, he would never admit it to anyone there.
Eta: I don’t think the school would have been so willing to let him try if they thought for one second his parents were pushing him to get the higher level class. They saw it was all him.