Raymond School District #14
Bylaws & Policies
 

5410.01 - GRADE PROMOTION

Beginning September 1, 2002, promotion from fourth to fifth grade and from eighth to ninth grade shall be determined for each student based on the following criteria:

 A.Fourth to Fifth Grade Achievement Criteria
  To be promoted from fourth to fifth grade a student must score at the basic level or above on the Third Grade Reading Comprehension Test. Students must also earn satisfactory report card grades for the fourth grade academic year in four (4) of the six (6) core academic subject areas including, Math, Social Studies, Science, Reading, Language Arts and Spelling. Students who are promoted based on the aforementioned criteria are still required to take the fourth grade Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination.
 B.Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination
  Results of the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination will be used if a fourth grade student is not promoted based on achievement criteria. A student may be promoted from fourth to fifth grade based on scores of basic or higher in reading and on three (3) of the five (5) remaining sub-tests on the fourth grade Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination. The WKCE is required to be administered to all fourth grade students.
 C.Other Criteria
  The school (teacher, guidance counselor, team representative, principal, and other relevant staff) will meet to review other criteria as evidence of academic growth. This will be done if a student does not meet the achievement criteria or the WKCE criteria. The other criteria to be reviewed will include, but will not be limited to other standardized testing, district assessments, classroom assessments, portfolios, etc.
 D.Grade Advancement Committee
  A grade advancement committee, including parents, teachers, guidance counselor, and other relevant staff will meet to formulate a recommendation for promotion if a student does not meet the achievement criteria, the WKCE criteria or the "other criteria" conditions. The task of this team is to collect and review evidence of academic growth over time as well as other relevant data that would indicate evidence of academic growth. Criteria may include overall achievement in school, chronological age, emotional maturity, health status and history, mental ability, physical maturity, probable grade advancement benefits to the student, social development or adjustment, peer relationships, prediction of success or failure at the next educational level, completion of required school work, prior retention, intellectual ability, and participation in summer school or other intervention programs.
 E.Exceptions
  Students with disabilities and Limited English Proficient students, as defined by state and federal laws, may be exempt from all or portions of the WKCE based on the student’s Individual Education Plan or their score on the Limited English Proficient survey. In such cases, the district, based on the recommendation of the IEP team, will use an alternative assessment identified in the student’s IEP or the state’s assessments for LEP students to determine whether or not the student shall be promoted to the next grade level.
  The IEP team recommendation shall prevail in all cases in promoting a student to the next grade level regardless of whether a fourth grade student with a disability does not meet the aforementioned promotion criteria.
  Pursuant to Wisconsin statute, 11.30(2)(b)(3), a student’s parent or guardian shall have the right to excuse their student from taking the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination for purposes of determining grade promotion. The student will be promoted based on academic performance, other criteria or based on the recommendation of the grade advancement committee if a student is excused from the WKCE.
 F.Appeals Process
  The student and/or parent/guardian may petition, in writing, the principal of the school to approve the student’s advancement to the fifth grade in the event a student does not meet the academic performance requirements, the WKCE requirements, other criteria, or does not receive the grade advancement committee recommendation for advancement. The petition must be made within twenty (20) days of the Grade Advancement Committee’s recommendation. The petition should be directed to the District Administrator and should include reasons why the student and parent/guardian believe the student should be advanced. The petition should also include specific examples illustrating the student’s potential for success in fifth grade. A committee, including the parents and at least three (3) school personnel who are familiar with the student’s work and are professionally licensed by the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and the District Administrator shall meet within ten (10) days of the petition being received. The committee will review the petition and determine whether or not the student will be advanced from the fourth to the fifth grade.
  If the parents are not satisfied with the decision of the committee, they may appeal the decision, in writing, to the Board of Education within twenty (20) days. The Board will review the decision within thirty (30) days or, where appropriate, at its next regularly scheduled meeting.
 G.Eighth to Ninth Grade Achievement Criteria
  To be promoted from eighth to ninth grade, a student shall achieve a grade point average of 1.00 or higher on a 4.2 grade point scale in Math, Science, Social Studies, English, Reading, and Specials for grades five (5) through eight (8). The students’ GPA will be based on the report card letter grades in classes where grades are assigned in the fifth through the eighth grades. Students who are promoted based on achievement are still required to take the eighth grade Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination.
 H.Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination
  Results of the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination will be used if an eighth grade student is not promoted based on achievement criteria. A student may be promoted from the eighth to the ninth grade based on scores of basic or higher in reading and on three (3) of the five (5) remaining sub-tests on the eighth grade Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination. The WKCE is required to be administered to all eighth grade students.
 I.Other Criteria
  The school (teacher, guidance counselor, team representative, principal, and other relevant staff) will meet to review other criteria as evidence of academic growth. This will be done if a student does not meet the achievement criteria or the WKCE criteria. The other criteria to be reviewed will include, but will not be limited to other standardized testing, district assessments, classroom assessments, portfolios, etc.
 J.Grade Advancement Committee
  A grade advancement committee, including parents, core academic teachers, guidance counselor, principal or designee and other relevant staff will meet to formulate a recommendation for promotion if a student does not meet the achievement criteria, the WKCE criteria or the "other criteria" conditions. The task of this team is to collect and review evidence of academic growth over time as well as other relevant data that would indicate evidence of academic growth. Criteria may include overall achievement in school, chronological age, emotional maturity, health status and history, mental ability, physical maturity, probable grade advancement benefits to the student, development or adjustment, peer relationships, prediction of success or failure at the next educational level, completion of required school work, prior retention, intellectual ability, and participation in summer school or other intervention programs.
 K.Exceptions
  Students with disabilities and Limited English Proficient students, as defined by state and federal laws, may be exempt from all or portions of the WKCE based on the student’s Individual Education Plan or their score on the Limited English Proficient survey. In such cases, the district, based on the recommendation of the IEP team, will use an alternative assessment identified in the student’s IEP or the state’s assessments for LEP students to determine whether or not the student shall be promoted to the next grade level.
  The IEP team recommendation shall prevail in all cases in promoting a student to the next grade level regardless of whether an eighth grade student with a disability does not meet the aforementioned promotion criteria.
  Pursuant to Wisconsin statute, 11.30(2)(b)(3), a student’s parent or guardian shall have the right to excuse their student from taking the Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination for purposes of determining grade promotion. The student will be promoted based on academic performance, other criteria or based on the recommendation of the grade advancement committee if a student is excused from the WKCE.
 L.Appeals Process
  The student and/or parent/guardian may petition, in writing, the principal of the school to approve the student’s advancement to the ninth grade in the event a student does not meet the academic performance requirements, the WKCE requirements, other criteria, or does not receive the grade advancement committee recommendation for advancement. The petition must be made within twenty (20) days of the Grade Advancement Committee’s recommendation. The petition should be directed to the District Administrator and should include reasons why the student and parent/guardian believe the student should be advanced. The petition should also include specific examples illustrating the student’s potential for success in ninth grade. A committee, including the parents and at least three (3) school personnel who are familiar with the student’s work and are professionally licensed by the State of Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction, and the District Administrator shall meet within ten (10) days of the petition being received. The committee will review the petition and determine whether or not the student will be advanced from the eighth to the ninth grade.
 

If the parents are not satisfied with the decision of the committee, they may appeal the decision, in writing, to the Board of Education within twenty (20) days. The Board will review the decision within thirty (30) days or, where appropriate, at its next regularly scheduled meeting.