After completing Saxon Math 7/6, every student should do Saxon Math 8/7 next. Then if they complete Saxon Math 8/7 successfully, they are ready to take on Algebra 1 next.
If a student struggled in 8/7, had trouble nailing down the concepts, is lacking confidence or you determine, for whatever reason, they are not ready to tackle Algebra 1, they should take Algebra 1/2 next.
Algebra 1/2 was written to act as a bridge between 8/7 and Algebra 1. It reviews the Pre-Algebra concepts of 8/7 and then begins a slow introduction to the concepts presented in Algebra 1.
Some students need the bridge but many do not. It's entirely up to you to decide!
When a student completes Algebra 1/2, they should be prepared for Algebra 1 next!