Placement, Retention, and Promotion of Students

In the spring teachers gather all available student information and place students in classes for the next year. To provide for the best possible educational setting, placement of students in a classroom is based upon a balance of academic performance, a balance of boys and girls, placement of students with special needs, consideration of parent information, and placement of students who work well together. Class placement letters are given to parents prior to “Move Up Day” in June.

When a student is not progressing at an expected level of performance, a student support team will be formed including parents, teachers, guidance counselor, and appropriate school personnel that may include principal, psychologists, special educators and other specialists. The responsibility of the Student Support Team is to make placement and program recommendations to the principal. Those recommendations will be based on available current and past assessment results, documented program interventions tried and the results of those intervention, and anecdotal information. Areas for attention by the team include:

a. attention span

b. ability to work independently

c. ability to follow directions

d. memory skills

e. sufficient mastery of basic skills in math, reading, and language

f. chronological age, above/below average for grade

g. physical and emotional maturity

h. developmental age, i.e., performance consistent with grade level

i. attendance – if the attendance of the child is a major problem, the administration shall take the appropriate action to enforce State and district attendance policy

j. test data – including assessment by the teacher and standardized test results if any are available (NHEIAP, California Achievement Tests)

k. parent input

l. other appropriate to the individual case

The team may recommend referral for special education evaluation, remedial assessment, and/or possible classroom intervention strategies. If retention is to be considered as a potential intervention, then the following additional protocols or procedures must be documented.

The following tests must be met before the Team proceeds:

the student is in the early elementary grades;

the student has good social skills and a strong self-concept;

the student has a positive relationship with the teacher;

specific classroom interventions have been implemented, have been documented, and have been unable to support new learning; and

the Student Support Team considers retention a potential program option.

If, after considering all the points made in the policy relative to retaining students, the Student Support Team still feels that retention should be considered, it will follow these procedures:

a. The Student Support Team must initiate this consideration by the beginning of the third quarter.

b. A meeting for discussion of this program option shall be called, involving the current Team, the parents, if not already active team members, the principal, and the guidance counselor. Additional specialists such as speech therapists, Chapter 1 personnel, resource room teacher, or subject area teachers may be added to the group if needed. The Team will:

Apprise the student’s parents of all the implications of the retention option.

Review all data relative to the student.

Recommend appropriate further diagnostic testing, if necessary.

Describe a program that shows how the student’s needs will be addressed through new/different methods of instruction and include an explanation of why the child’s educational needs cannot be met through a promotion or placement to the next grade.

Reach consensus on a recommendation to be forwarded to the principal. The recommendation should include the Criteria for Retention List.

CRITERIA FOR RETENTION LIST

Before formal team consideration: Date Initiated

YES NO Student is in the early elementary grades? Grade

YES NO Student has good social skills (Documentation attached)

YES NO Student has positive relationship with the current teacher?

YES NO Specific classroom interventions are documented and have

failed to support new learning? (Documentation attached)

YES NO This Student Support Team considers retention a potential

program option.

After formal team consideration: Date Completed

YES NO Data relative to the student reviewed including further

diagnostic testing completed. (List)

YES NO Parents informed of all the implications of retention.

YES NO Program description shows how the student’s needs will

be addressed through new/different methods of instruction

and explains why the child’s educational needs cannot be

met through a promotion or placement to the next grade?

YES NO ________ Consensus on a recommendation for retention was reached by the Team?

Signature and Role

Team Member: