Guidelines for Promotion and Retention, Grades K-8

The following guidelines are to be used in conjunction with state law as a reference by staff in considering students for promotion/retention.

KINDERGARTEN

Ordinarily, a student who shows sufficient physical, social, emotional, and intellectual maturity to have a successful experience in grade one should be promoted.

GRADE 1

Ordinarily, a student who reads fluently and with comprehension on a primer level and has mastered the beginning arithmetic concepts clustered under grade one should be promoted to grade two.

GRADE 2

Ordinarily, a student who has reading and skill acquisition which enable the student to obtain an understanding of vocabulary and experiences that are met in the first grade reader and the first part of the second grade reader and has mastered the basic math objectives clustered under grade two should be promoted to grade three.

GRADES 3-5

Ordinarily, a student who has mastered the basic skills assigned to the appropriate grade level in mathematics and integrated language arts will be promoted.

GRADES 6-8

Ordinarily, it is expected that students in these grades will master the assigned skills and concepts in language arts, social studies, math, and science and have demonstrated satisfactory effort in all other subjects. Students who fail to achieve the basic objectives of two or more of the major academic subjects listed above will be considered for retention. The student should pass language arts and mathematics to be promoted.

The major references available to staff in determining the degree to which students possess the listed characteristics for promotion are: (1) assessed performance on criterion-referenced testing as recorded on skills record cards, (2) performance on standardized tests, (3) report card grades, (4) teacher-parent/legal guardian input, and (5) attendance.

Regular class attendance and participation in instructional activities is considered vital to students meeting the school system’s academic standards. It is expected that a student will be in school everyday unless he/she is ill or a serious family situation, such as a funeral requires his/her absence.

The educational program for a retained student for the following school year is to be structured in a way that will offer a greater chance for learning success. The revised program should reflect a comprehensive analysis of those educational factors that might have contributed to the retention. The retained student may be placed with same teacher(s) for the following year if this is deemed appropriate. Guidance staff and other ancillary personnel should be utilized to support retained students as needs and circumstances dictate.

If a student is considered for retention (end of year) but is promoted, the reasons for promotion shall be documented.

Approved 4/28/1981
Amended 1/18/2000
Effective 7/1/2000