5410 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, ACCELERATION AND RETENTION

Jennings County School Corporation

Bylaws & Policies

5410 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, ACCELERATION AND RETENTION

The JCSC Board of Education recognizes that the personal, social, physical, and educational growth of children will vary and that the child/student should be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to their needs at the various stages of their growth.

Promotion and/or Placement

	A.	Elementary
		Appropriate grade placement for an elementary school (K - 6) will be determined by the following factors:

		1.	Has demonstrated sufficient performance in relation to student learning objectives for the grade level.
		2.	Shows mastery of the State Standards for the assigned grade.
		3.	Individual performance on ISTEP+.
		4.	Has demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful experience in the next grade.
		5.	The student's attendance has not interfered with the student's academic progress.
		6.	Chronological age.
		7.	Number of times student has been retained.
		8.	Parental involvement.
		9.	Professional staff recommendation.
		10.	Other assessments deemed necessary for evaluation.

	B.	Middle School
		JCMS students will be grade level classified and/or promoted according to academic progress.
		A student entering JCMS as a seventh grader will have been promoted from the sixth grade. A seventh grade student may be promoted to the eighth grade and an eighth grade student to the ninth grade according to the following standards:

		1.	Has demonstrated sufficient performance in relation to student learning objectives for the core classes.
		2.	Shows mastery of the State Standards for the assigned class.
		3.	Individual performance on ISTEP+.
		4.	Has demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful experience in the next grade.
		5.	The student's attendance has not interfered with the student's academic progress.
		6.	If a student has not met academic criteria for being promoted and it is determined that if the student attends summer school and receives remediation and is successful, the student could be placed in the eighth grade or if presently in the eighth grade placed in the ninth grade.
		7.	Chronological age.
		8.	Number of times student has been retained.
		9.	Parental involvement.
		10.	Professional staff recommendation.
		11.	Other assessments deemed necessary for evaluation.

JCHS PROMOTION

A JCHS student must meet the following placement criteria to be promoted from one grade level or class to the next grade level or class.

	A.	The student has demonstrated sufficient performance in relation to student learning objectives for the class and received a passing grade for the class.
	B.	Shows mastery of the State Standards for the assigned class.
	C.	Individual performance on ISTEP+.
	D.	The student's attendance has not interfered with the student's academic progress.
	E.	Earned the required credits to be promoted to the next grade level.
	F.	Other assessments deemed necessary for evaluation.

A JCHS student will be classified according to progress toward graduation requirements.

	Upon reaching the ninth grade students may attain the next higher grade according to the following standards.

	Freshman - Student must have completed the 8^th grade and received promotion to the 9^th grade. (Freshmen are classified as having 0-8 credits.)

	Sophomore - Student must have completed the 9^th grade and earned no less than 9 credits. (A Sophomore is classified as having 9-17 credits.)

	Junior - Student must have attended the 9^th and 10^th grades and earned no less than 18 credits. (Juniors are classified as having 18-31 credits.)

	Senior - Student must have attended the 9^th,10^th, and 11^th grades and earned 32 credits. (Seniors are classified by having 32-48 credits.)

Students who fail courses may repeat them at the next opportunity (during the school year, summer school, evening school [where applicable or available], or correspondence study). However, graduation requirements must be met and the Graduation Qualifying Examination (GQE) passed or the GQE waiver provisions met before a student is issued a signed diploma. Graduation opportunities include the regular students and those exceptions (early graduates) provided for by the Department of Education.

Students who have met or exceeded the credit requirements for graduation but have not passed the GQE or met the GQE waiver provisions may participate in the graduation ceremonies. These students will receive a Certificate Completion rather than a diploma.

Acceleration

A student may be accelerated to a higher grade level or class when the student has demonstrated achievement and ability that exceeds the student's grade level peers and/or met and exceed the curricular requirement for that specified grade or class. A student may accelerate to the next level when the student has met the following criteria.

	A.	Has achieved and can demonstrate that s/he has the course/curricular requirements; State Standards, and is prepared to meet the requirements for the academic level or sequence of classes.
	B.	The professional staff will submit an opinion, based upon student achievement data, that the student has achieved the instructional objectives set for the present class/course and is prepared to move to the next level.
	C.	The student has proven sufficient proficiency to allow the student to accelerate in the educational/academic program.
	D.	The student demonstrates the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the grade/course to which the student will be promoted or enrolled.
	E.	The final decision will rest with the principal.

Retention

JCSC does not view or take retention of a student lightly. JCSC does not believe retention should be used as a punishment, to motivate children academically, as a replacement for special education or limited English proficiency services, and/or to red shirt a student for athletic purposes. Retention is to be approached with extreme care and based on several indicators. The following criteria/indicators should be used when considering retention for a student.

Assessment strategies will include:

		1.	The student's performance indicates that the student, in relation to student learning objectives for the grade level/class, has failed to demonstrate the knowledge, ability, and/or skills of the learning objectives of the class or grade level. This information will be documented.
		2.	The student has failed to master the grade level or class specific State Standards. This information will be documented.
		3.	Individual performance indicates the student has failed the English Language Arts and the Math sections on ISTEP+.
		4.	Completion of the Light's Retention Scale Survey will be completed and includes such factors:

			a.	Social adjustment
			b.	Physical maturity
			c.	Attendance
			d.	Primary language
			e.	Learning disability
			f.	Gender
			g.	Parent involvement

	B.	Professional Staff Assessment includes teacher(s), counselors and principal(s).
	C.	The student should not be retained more than one (1) time in grades K - 6 and only one (1) time in grades 7 - 8 unless there are strong negating circumstances that would dictate retention.
	D.	Seventh and Eighth grade students may be retained if they failed two (2) or more core classes or have failed one (1) or both the math and language sections of ISTEP+.
	E.	Other assessments deemed necessary for evaluation.
	F.	Principal assessment and recommendation will be the final word.

The decision to place or retain a student will be based upon consideration of all the above factors, and a final decision will be made by the principal after consulting with the teacher(s), counselors, and other appropriate support personnel. Alternative education placement will be considered when a student is more than two (2) grade levels behind in grade placement.

Final determination of a student's eligibility for promotion, grade placement, and participation in remediation will be made at the discretion of the principal.