| Newton 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 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. | ||
| C. | 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. | ||
| D. | 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 classroom teachers, counselors and other support staff, and building principal.
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
| A. | Criteria for Consideration | |
| When the Student Intervention Team is convened, the following criteria shall be considered: |
| 1. | current level of achievement | ||
| 2. | potential for success at the next level | ||
| 3. | emotional, physical, and social maturity |
| B. | Time Line for Elementary Grade Placement 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. | ||
| 5. | May-June: Decision on placement or retention is made and student Grade Placement Recommendation is completed. |
Seventh and Eighth Grade
| A. | Criteria | |
| To be promoted the student must successfully complete a majority of the required academic subjects. | ||
| B. | Time Line for Middle School Grade Placement |
| 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. | ||
| 5. | May-June: Decision on placement or retention is made and student Grade Placement Recommendation is completed. |
High School Level
Criteria
| A. | For the official records, student class placement will be determined in the following manner: | |
| Less than 5 credits = Freshman | ||
| 5 credits to less than 10 credits = Sophomore | ||
| 10 credits to less than 15 credits = Junior | ||
| 15 or more credits = Senior | ||
| B. | All incoming students will be informed of these requirements at the time of admission. | |
| C. | 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). |
Revised 8/11/06