| Mt. Pleasant Public Schools |
| Bylaws & Policies |
5410 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION
The Board of Education recognizes that the personal, social, physical, and educational growth of children will vary and that they should be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to their needs at the various stages of their growth.
It shall be the policy of the Board that each student be moved forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his/her own development.
Such pattern should coincide with the system of grade levels established by this Board and the instructional objectives established for each.
A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when s/he has:
| A. | completed the course requirements at the presently assigned grade; | |
| B. | in the opinion of the professional staff, achieved the instructional objectives set for the present grade; | |
| C. | demonstrated sufficient proficiency to permit him/her to move ahead in the educational program of the next grade; | |
| D. | demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the next grade. |
At the elementary and intermediate grade levels, prior grade placement and chronological age will be the key factors used in determining initial placement. Final placement will be determined by the building principal after receiving appropriate input from the classroom teacher, specialized staff (when appropriate), and the parent(s) - subject to review by the Superintendent as per the School Code of 1976.
At the high school level, any request for transfer credits must be accompanied by either 1) an official transcript forwarded by an approved private or public school or 2) an affidavit signed by both the parent(s) and the supervising teacher (if other than a parent) specifying that instruction was provided under the direct supervision of a certified teacher, and that the equivalent of a minimum of 180 days/900 hours of instruction were provided. It is the responsibility of the principal or his/her designee to grant specific course credit, based upon his/her interpretation of the sending school's official record - subject to review by the Superintendent. The student may be requested to demonstrate course mastery before credit is awarded or a graduation requirement is waived. In no instance will the District be obligated to award credits to students transferring from nonapproved private or home school programs.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines for promotion, placement, and retention of students which:
| A. | ensure students who are falling seriously behind their peers or who may not be promoted receive the special assistance they may need to achieve the academic outcomes of the District's core curriculum; | |
| B. | require the recommendation of the relevant staff members for promotion, placement, or retention; | |
| C. | require that parents are informed in advance of the possibility of retention of a student at a grade level; | |
| D. | assure that efforts are made to remediate the student's difficulties before s/he is retained; | |
| E. | assign to the principal the final responsibility for determining the promotion, placement, or retention of each student. |
M.C.L.A. 380.132(4)(d), 380.248(d)
Revised 10/17/94