Regulation IHE-R(0): Promotion and Retention

Promotion and Retention

PROMOTION AND RETENTION OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 1-8.

It is the policy of the DeKalb County Board of Education to comply with the requirement of the Georgia Promotion, Placement, and Retention law (O.C.G.A. §§ 20-2-282 through 20-2-285) and the criteria established and in effect by the State Board of Education Rule (160-4-2-.11). As of the date of this regulation, those laws and criteria require the following:

1. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADES 1-8

2. Each school principal shall distribute student data from the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments to teachers prior to the beginning of each school year. Each teacher shall use data to focus instruction on identified student academic performance in grades 1-8.

3. Each school principal or designee shall establish a student support team for each student in grades 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7 who does not achieve grade level on reading and/or mathematics sections of the criterion-referenced assessments. The student support team shall:

4. Determine whether each student shall be retained or promoted based on a review of the overall academic achievement of the student as well as the student’s Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade performance where applicable;

5. Develop an accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction plan for each student who does not achieve grade level on the reading and/or mathematics sections as reported by the Georgia Milestones End-ofGrade Assessments; and

6. Develop a plan of continuous assessment during the subsequent school year in order to monitor the progress of the student.

7. Students shall be tested in accordance with requirements specified in State Board Rule 160-3-1-.07 Testing Programs – Student Assessment.

8. The school principal or designee shall annually notify parents or guardians that placement or promotion of a student into a grade, class, or program will be based on the academic achievement of the student on criterion-referenced assessments and other criteria established in this policy.

9. REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADES 3, 5, AND 8

10. Promotion of a student shall be determined as follows:

11. No third grade student shall be promoted to the fourth grade if the student does not receive a grade level reading determination of “On/Above Grade Level” on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments and meet promotion standards and criteria established in this policy for the school that the student attends.

12. No fifth grade student shall be promoted to the sixth grade if the student does not receive a grade level reading determination of “On/Above Grade Level” on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessment and attain an achievement level of “Developing Learner”, “Proficient Learner”, or “Distinguished Learner” on the mathematics section of the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessment and meet promotion standards and criteria established in this policy for the school that the student attends.

13. No eighth grade student shall be promoted to the ninth grade if the student does not receive a grade level reading determination of “On/Above Grade Level” on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessment and attain an achievement level of “Developing Learner”, “Proficient Learner”, or “Distinguished Learner” on the mathematics section of the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessment and meet promotion standards and criteria established in this policy for the school that the student attends.

14. The school principal or designee may retain a student who performs satisfactorily on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments but who does not meet promotion standards and criteria established in this policy.

15. When a student does not perform at grade level in grades 3, 5, or 8 on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments specified in section (a) above, then the following shall occur:

16. Within ten calendar days, excluding weekends and holidays, of receipt of the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments individual student scores, the school principal or designee shall notify in writing by first-class mail the parent or guardian of the student regarding the following:

17. The student’s below-grade-level reading designation and/or the mathematics achievement level on the Georgia Milestones End-ofGrade Assessments;

18. The specific retest(s) to be given the student and testing date(s);

19. The opportunity for accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction based on the student’s performance on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments; and

20. The possibility that the student might be retained at the same grade level for the next school year.

21. The student shall be given an opportunity for accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction in the applicable subject(s) prior to the retesting opportunity; and

22. The student shall be retested with appropriate section(s) of the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments or an alternative assessment instrument that is appropriate for the student’s grade level as provided for by the State Board of Education and this board.

23. When a student does not perform at grade level on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments in grades 3, 5, and 8, and also does not perform at grade level on a second opportunity to take the assessment, then the following shall occur:

24. The school principal or designee shall retain the student for the next school year except as otherwise provided for in this policy.

25. The school principal or designee shall notify in writing by first-class mail the parent or guardian of the student and the teacher(s) regarding the decision to retain the student.

26. The notice shall describe the option of the parent or guardian or teacher to appeal the decision to retain the student;

27. The notice shall describe the composition and functions of the placement committee; it shall describe the option of the parent or guardian, teacher(s), or principal to invite individuals who can provide information or facilitate understanding of the issues to be discussed to attend the placement committee meeting; and

28. The notice shall include the requirement that the decision to promote the student must be the unanimous decision of the placement committee comprised of the parent or guardian, teacher(s), and principal or designee.

29. If the parent or guardian or teacher(s) appeals the decision to retain the student, then the school principal or designee shall establish a placement committee to consider the appeal.

30. The placement committee shall be comprised of the principal or designee, the student’s parent or guardian, and the teacher(s) of the subject(s) of the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments or the alternative assessment instrument on which the student failed to perform at grade level.

31. The principal or designee shall notify in writing by first-class mail the parent or guardian and teacher(s) of the time and place for convening the placement committee.

32. The placement committee shall review the overall academic achievement of the student in light of the performance on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments or the alternative assessment instrument and promotion standards and criteria established in this policy for the school that the student attends, and make a determination to promote or retain.

33. The decision to promote must be the unanimous decision of the placement committee and must determine that if promoted and given accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction during the next year, the student is likely to perform at grade level by the conclusion of the school year.

34. The placement committee shall prescribe such additional assessments as may be appropriate in addition to assessments administered to other students at the grade level during the year.

35. The placement committee shall provide for a plan of continuous assessment during the subsequent school year in order to monitor the progress of the student.

36. A plan for accelerated, differentiated, or additional instruction must be developed for each student who does not achieve grade level performance in grades 3, 5, or 8 on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments specified in section.

37. above whether the student is retained, placed, or promoted for the subsequent year.

38. A student who is absent or otherwise unable to take the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments in language arts and/or mathematics on the first administration or its designated make-up day(s) shall take the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments in language arts and/or mathematics on the retest administration day(s) or an alternative assessment instrument that is appropriate for the student’s grade level as provided for by the State Board of Education and this board. Placement or promotion of these students shall follow the same procedures as students who do not achieve grade level on the first administration of the assessment.

39. A student’s failure to take the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments in grades 3, 5, and 8 in language arts and/or mathematics on any of the designated testing date(s) or an alternative assessment instrument that is appropriate for the student’s grade level as provided for by the State Board of Education and this board shall result in the student being retained. The option of the parent or guardian or teacher(s) to appeal the decision to retain the student shall follow the procedure set forth in this rule.

40. For students receiving special education or related services, the Individualized Education Plan Committee shall serve as the placement committee.

41. PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADES 9 – 12

Students who enter the ninth grade in 2005-06 and beyond are required to complete three hundred sixty hours (24 units) in order to meet the requirements for graduation. The requirements for promotion are as follows:

1. to the tenth grade, 90 hours (6 units), three (3) of which must be core courses and three (3) elective courses*;

2. to the eleventh grade, 180 hours (12 units), six (6) of which must be core courses and six (6) elective courses*;

3. to the twelfth grade, 270 hours (18 units), nine (9) core courses and nine (9) elective courses*.

*Core Courses: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Languages

1. DEFINITIONS.

2. Accelerated instruction – challenging instructional activities that are intensely focused on student academic deficiencies in reading and/or mathematics. This accelerated instruction is designed to enable a student who has not achieved grade level, as defined by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, to meet grade- level standards in the shortest possible time.

3. Additional instruction – academic instruction beyond regularly scheduled academic classes designed to bring students not performing on grade level, as defined by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, to grade level performance. It may include more instructional time allocated during the school day, instruction before and after the school day, Saturday instruction, and/or summer/inter-session instruction.

4. Differentiated instruction – instructional strategies designed to meet individual student learning needs.

5. Grade level – standard of performance, as defined by the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments.

6. Placement – the assignment of a student to a specific grade level based on the determination that such placement will most likely provide the student with instruction and other services needed to succeed and progress to the next higher level of academic achievement.

7. Placement committee – the committee established by the local school principal or designee to make placement decisions concerning a student who does not achieve proficiency on the Georgia Milestones End-of-Grade Assessments. This committee shall be comprised of the principal or designee, the student’s parent or guardian, and the teacher(s) in the content area(s) in which the student did not achieve grade level on the Georgia Milestones Endof-Grade Assessments.

8. Promotion – the assignment of a student to a higher grade level based on the student’s achievement of established criteria in the current grade.

9. Retention – the re-assignment of a student to the current grade level during the next school year.