West Clermont Local School District
Administrative Guidelines
 

5410 - PROMOTION, 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.

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, building principal, and parents.

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

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

Elementary Level

 

A.

Criteria

   
 

1.

To be promoted the student must satisfactorily complete the majority of the academic subjects.

   
 

2.

Failure to complete the majority of the academic subjects will cause the principal to convene the Student Intervention Team.

   
 

3.

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

     
 

B.

Time Line for Elementary Grade Assignment Changes

   
 

1.

October-January: Teacher should inform parents of student progress.

   
 

2.

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.

   
 

3.

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.

   
 

4.

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 Director of Human Resources.

Middle School Level

 

A.

Criteria

   
 

1.

To be promoted the student must successfully complete ( x) a majority of the required academic subjects.

   
 

2.

Failure to complete the majority of the academic subjects will cause the principal to convene the Student Intervention Team.

     
 

B.

Time Line for Middle School Grade Assignment

   
 

1.

October-January: Teacher should indicate concern to parents and should initiate documentation. Any concerns should be reflected on report cards.

   
 

2.

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.

   
 

3.

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.

   
 

4.

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 Director of Human Resources.

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.

Students enrolling from schools having different graduation requirements will have their credits pro-rated for class placement.

     
 

C.

All incoming students will be informed of these requirements at the time of admission. No credit will, however, be awarded for the course(s) that were skipped.

     
 

D.

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.

Retention – All Levels

Retention may be a necessary outcome in those circumstances where a student demonstrates an inability to perform work sufficient for promotion to the next grade. Retention must be based on the recommendation of the Student Intervention Team with the concurrence of the building administrator.

A student may be placed at the next grade level when retention would no longer benefit the student. Prior to making the decision to retain a student in a grade level consistent with the criteria set forth in Board policy:

 

A.

notification must first be provided to parents of the possibility that a child may be retained;

     
 

B.

documented efforts to remediate the student's difficulties will be provided to the building principal.

Parents may appeal any decision to retain their child to the Superintendent who will conduct an informal hearing on the matter. The decision of the Superintendent will be final.

Parents may request that their child be retained at a grade level. Such requests shall be considered in accordance with retention criteria set forth in Board policy.

In the case of a student who has been truant for ten percent (10%) or more of the required school days and has failed at least two (2) courses of study, retention may occur unless the principal and the teachers of the failed subjects determine that the student is academically prepared to be promoted.

© Neola 2008