5410 - PROMOTION, ACADEMIC ACCELERATION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

Southern Local School District

Administrative Guidelines

5410 - PROMOTION, ACADEMIC ACCELERATION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

Optimal school achievement is obtained when students experience success in their daily activities and build upon successful experiences as they encounter new learning situations. All aspects of the student must be considered as grade placements are made.

DEFINITIONS

	A.	Promotion:
		Occurs when a student is doing the caliber of work (grade level) that indicates the student has met the criteria established in Policy 5410 and restated below.

B. Academic Acceleration:

Occurs when a student is not only doing the caliber of work necessary to be promoted to the next grade or enrolled in the next course in the academic sequence, but also demonstrates the ability to do the caliber of work required of students in that next grade level/subject/course. Provided the student's teacher(s) recommends it and the building administrator and parent(s) concur, the student will be permitted to skip a grade level (i.e., whole-grade acceleration), or take a subject at a higher grade level or skip a course in the usual and customary academic sequence (i.e., individual subject acceleration).

	C.	Placement:
		Occurs when a student is not doing the caliber of work that indicates the student should be promoted to the next grade. However, the Student Intervention Team recommends and the building administrator concurs, that it is in the student's best interest to move to the next grade.
	D.	Retention:
		Occurs when a student is not doing the caliber of work that indicates the student should be promoted to the next grade, based on the recommendation of the Student Intervention Team with the concurrence of the building administrator.
	E.	Student Intervention Team:

A Student Intervention Team is to be appointed by the principal each year to consider situations in which students may not be promoted to the next grade or may not graduate. Such a team should include:

		1.	classroom teachers,
		2.	counselors and other support staff,
		3.	building principal,
		4.	parents.

Final decisions on student promotion, placement, or retention rest with the building principal.

To implement Board policy, the following guidelines are to be utilized.

Elementary Level

Criteria

		1.	To be promoted the student must satisfactorily complete all of the academic subjects.
		2.	To be accelerated by skipping a grade (i.e., whole-grade acceleration), the student must not only satisfactorily complete all of the academic subjects of his/her current grade, but also demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills for all of the academic subjects of the succeeding grade(s).
		3.	Failure to complete all of the academic subjects will cause the principal to convene the Student Intervention Team.
		4.	When the Student Intervention Team is convened, the following criteria shall be considered:

			a.	current level of achievement
			b.	potential for success at the next level
			c.	emotional, physical, and social maturity

Time Line for Elementary Grade Assignment Changes

		1.	Before Parent/Teacher Conference: Principal will review grade placement procedures with teachers.
		2.	October-January: Teacher should inform parents of student progress.
		3.	Early March: Teacher will notify principal, if an alternative grade placement or retention is being considered. The Student Intervention Team may be convened by the principal.
		4.	Early April: If placement or retention is still being considered, parents should be notified by this time and commitment to the decision secured, if possible.
		5.	May-June: Decision on placement or retention is made, the student Grade Placement Recommendation is completed, and the student's parents are notified of the decision.
			If the parent(s) have not previously agreed to the decision, they should also be advised of their right to appeal the decision to the student's principal.

Middle School Level

Criteria

		1.	To be promoted the student must successfully complete a majority of the required academic subjects.
		2.	To be accelerated by skipping a grade level (i.e., whole-grade acceleration), the student must not only satisfactorily complete all of the academic subjects of his/her current grade, but also demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills of all of the academic subject of the succeeding grade(s).
		3.	Failure to complete the requirements for English, Mathematics, or Science at grade eight will result in automatic placement at the high school in appropriate English, appropriate Mathematics, or appropriate Science respectively.
		4.	Failure to complete the majority of the academic subjects will cause the principal to convene the Student Intervention Team.

Time Line for Middle School Grade Assignment

		1.	Before Parent/Teacher Conferences: Principal will review, with teachers, grade placement procedure.
		2.	October-January: Teacher should indicate concern to parents and should initiate documentation. Any concerns should be reflected on report cards.
		3.	Early March: Teacher will notify principal, if an alternative grade placement or retention is being considered. The Student Intervention Team may be convened by the principal.
		4.	Early April: If placement or retention is still being considered, parents should be notified by this time and commitment to the decision secured, if possible.
		5.	May-June: Decision on placement or retention is made, the student Grade Placement Recommendation is completed, and the student's parents are notified of the decision.
			If the parent(s) have not previously agreed to the decision, they should also be advised of their right to appeal the decision to the student's principal.

High School Level

Criteria

	A.	To earn credit for a course, the student must satisfactorily complete the requirements established in the graded course of study as well as those set by his/her teacher.
	B.	For the official records, student class placement will be determined in the following manner:

Less than 5 credits = Freshman

5 credits to less than 11 credits = Sophomore

11 credits to less than 17 credits = Junior

17 credits to 20 credits = Senior

	C.	Students enrolling from schools having different graduation requirements will have their credits pro-rated for class placement.
	D.	All incoming students will be informed of these requirements at the time of admission.
	E.	To be accelerated by skipping a grade level (i.e., whole-grade acceleration), the student must not only satisfactorily complete all of the academic subjects of his/her current grade, but also demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills of all of the academic subject of the succeeding grade(s).
	F.	To be accelerated by taking a course other than the next one in the usual and customary academic sequence (i.e., individual subject acceleration), the student must not only satisfactorily complete the course in which s/he is currently enrolled, but also demonstrate proficiency in the knowledge and skills of the next course(s) in the prescribed academic sequence.
		No credit will, however, be awarded for the course(s) that were skipped.
	G.	Failure to satisfactorily complete a course will result in no credit earned unless and until the student re-enrolls in the course and satisfactorily completes it.

Revised 7/06