PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

po5410.01Adopted May 1, 2002Revised October 7, 2025

5410.01 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

The Board recognizes that the personal, social, physical, and educational growth of children will vary and that they should be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to their needs at the various stages of their growth.

The Board shall provide for the placement, acceleration, and progression of students through adopted student progression plans.  The District student progression plan includes the standards for evaluating each student’s performance, including how well s/he masters the performance standards approved by the State Board of Education. A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when s/he has demonstrated sufficient proficiency to permit him/her to move ahead in the educational program of the next grade.

Parents may request student participation in Academically Challenging Curriculum to Enhance Learning (ACCEL) options, including whole-grade promotion, midyear promotion or subject matter acceleration. If the parent selects one of these ACCEL options and the student meets eligibility and procedural requirements in the student progression plan, the student will have the opportunity to participate in the ACCEL option.

No student may be assigned to a grade level based solely on age or other factors that constitute social promotion. (F.S. 1008.25(6)(a)).

Progress Monitoring Plans and Remediation

Each student must participate in the Statewide, standardized assessment program that is required by F.S. 1008.22. Each student who does not achieve a Level 3 or above on Statewide, standardized English language arts assessment; the Statewide, standardized mathematics assessment; of the Algebra I end-of-course (EOC) assessment must be evaluated to determine the nature of the student’s difficulty, the areas of academic need, and strategies for providing academic supports to improve student’s performance.

Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the end-of-year comprehensive progress monitoring assessment administered pursuant to F.S. 1008.25(9)(b)2. is the Statewide standardized English Language Arts assessment for students in grades 3 through 10 and the Statewide standardized Mathematics assessment for students in grades 3 through 8.

A student who is not meeting the District or State requirements for satisfactory performance in English language arts and mathematics must be covered by one (1) of the following plans:

  1. a Federally required student plan such as an individual education plan;
  2. a schoolwide system of progress monitoring for all students, except a student who scores Level 4 or above on the English language arts and mathematics assessments may be exempted from participation by the principal; or
  3. an individualized progress monitoring plan.

Any student who has a substantial deficiency in reading and/or mathematics as described in F.S. 1008.25 must be covered by a Federally required student plan, such as an IEP or an individualized progress monitoring plan, or both, as necessary. The individualized progress monitoring plan shall be developed within forty-five (45) days after the results of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring system become available.  The plan shall, at a minimum, include the following:

  1. the student’s specific, identified reading or mathematics skill deficiency;
  2. goals and benchmarks for student growth in reading or mathematics;
  3. a description of the specific measures that will be used to evaluate and monitor the student’s reading or mathematics progress;
  4. for a substantial deficiency in reading, the specific evidence-based will receive;
  5. strategies, resources, and materials that will be provided to the student’s parent to support the student to make reading or mathematics progress; and,
  6. any additional services the student’s teacher deems available and appropriate to accelerate the student’s reading or mathematics skill development.

Substantial Deficiencies in Reading/Characteristics of Dyslexia and Parental Notification

Any student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provided by the District who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills and any student in kindergarten through grade 3 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading or the characteristics of dyslexia, based upon screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or assessment data; statewide assessments; or teacher observations must be provided intensive, explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading interventions immediately following the identification of the reading deficiency or the characteristics of dyslexia to address his or her specific deficiency or dyslexia. A Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program student is deemed to exhibit a substantial deficiency in early literacy skills based upon the results of the midyear or final administration of the coordinated screening and progress monitoring required pursuant to Florida law.

The District shall implement reading intervention programs approved by the Florida Department of Education in addition to the comprehensive core reading instruction that is provided to all students in the general education classroom. Dyslexia-specific interventions, as defined by rule of the State Board of Education, shall be provided to students who have the characteristics of dyslexia. The reading intervention programs implemented by the District shall do all of the following:

  1. provide explicit, direct instruction that is systematic, sequential, and cumulative in language development, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, as applicable.
  2. provide daily targeted small group reading interventions based on student need in phonological awareness, phonics, including decoding and encoding, sight words, vocabulary, or comprehension.
  3. be implemented during regular school hours.

A school may not wait for a student to receive a failing grade at the end of a grading period or wait until a plan under this policy is developed to identify the student as having a substantial deficiency in reading and initiate intensive reading interventions. In addition, a school may not wait until an evaluation conducted pursuant to F.S. 1003.57 is completed to provide appropriate, evidence-based interventions for a student whose parent submits documentation from a professional licensed under F.S. Chapter 490 which demonstrates that the student has been diagnosed with dyslexia. Such interventions must be initiated upon receipt of the documentation and based on the student’s specific areas of difficulty as identified by the licensed professional.

A student’s reading proficiency must be monitored and the intensive interventions must continue until the student demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by the District, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the Statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment. Determination of whether a student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program has a deficiency in early literacy and kindergarten through grade 3 has a substantial deficiency in reading shall be in accordance with State Board of Education guidelines. 

The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in reading, as described in the above paragraph, must be immediately notified in writing of the following:

  1. that their child has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in reading, including a description and explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact nature of the student's difficulty in learning and lack of achievement in reading;
  2. a description of the current services that are provided to the child;
  3. a description of the proposed intensive interventions and supports that will be provided to the child that are designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency;
  4. the student progression requirements and that if the child's reading deficiency is not remediated by the end of grade 3, the child must be retained unless the student is exempt from mandatory retention for good cause;
  5. strategies, including multisensory strategies and programming, through a read-at-home plan for parents to use in helping their child succeed in reading;

    The read-at-home plan must provide access to the resources identified in F.S. 1008.25.
  6. that the Statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment is not the sole determiner of promotion and that additional evaluations, portfolio reviews, and assessments are available to the child to assist parents and the School District in knowing when a child is reading at or above grade level and ready for grade promotion;
  7. the District's specific criteria and policies for a portfolio as provided in F.S. 1008.22 and the evidence required for a student to demonstrate mastery of Florida's academic standards for English language arts;

    Schools must begin collecting evidence for a portfolio when a student in grade 3 is identified as being at risk of retention of upon the request of the parent, whichever occurs first.
  8. the District's specific criteria and policies for midyear promotion;

    Midyear promotion means promotion of a retained student at any time during the year of retention once the student has demonstrated ability to read at grade level.
  9. information about the student's eligibility for the New Worlds Reading Initiative under F.S. 1003.485 and the New Worlds Scholarship Accounts under F.S. 1002.411 and information on parent training modules and other reading engagement resources available through the initiative.

After initial notification, schools shall apprise the parent at least monthly of the student's progress in response to the intensive interventions and supports. Such communication will be in writing and explain any additional interventions or supports that will be implemented to accelerate the student's progress if the interventions and supports already being implemented have not resulted in improvement. Upon the request of the parent, the teacher or school administrator shall meet to discuss the student's progress.  The parent may request more frequent notification of the student's progress, more frequent interventions or supports, and earlier implementation of the additional interventions or supports described in the initial notification.

To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score a Level 2 or higher on the Statewide standardized English language arts assessment required under F.S. 1008.22 for grade 3. If a student’s reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of grade 3, as demonstrated by scoring Level 2 or higher on the Statewide standardized assessment required under F.S. 1008.22 for grade 3, the student must be retained.

A student who has been retained in third grade due to a reading deficiency shall be promoted mid-year if the student has demonstrated mastery of the State-mandated requirements in reading.

A student may be eligible for a waiver of retention criteria for acceptable good cause as outlined in the student progression plan. A student may be retained at the same grade level/course(s) when the student has not demonstrated satisfactory mastery of the State-mandated requirements in the required subject areas. Parents must be informed in advance of the possibility of retention of a student at a grade level.

Reading instruction hereunder shall align with the requirements of F.A.C. 6A-6.053.

Substantial Deficiencies in Mathematics/Characteristics of Dyscalculia and Parental Notification

Any student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program provided by the District who exhibits a substantial deficiency in early mathematics skills and any student in kindergarten through grade 4 who exhibits a substantial deficiency in mathematics (based on the criteria in F.A.C. 6A-6.0533) or the characteristics of dyscalculia based upon screening, diagnostic, progress monitoring, or assessment data; Statewide assessments; or teacher observations must:

  1. immediately following the identification of the mathematics deficiency, be provided systematic and explicit mathematics instruction to address their specific deficiencies through either:
     
    1. daily targeted small group mathematics intervention based on student need; or
    2. supplemental, evidence-based mathematics interventions before or after school, or both, delivered by a highly qualified teacher of mathematics or a trained tutor.
  2. the performance of a student receiving mathematics instruction under Paragraph A must be monitored and instruction must be adjusted based on the student’s need.

A school may not wait for a student to receive a failing grade at the end of a grading period or wait until a plan under this policy is developed to identify the student as having a substantial deficiency in mathematics and initiate intensive mathematics interventions. In addition, a school may not wait until an evaluation conducted pursuant to F.S. 1003.57 is completed to provide appropriate, evidence-based interventions for a student whose parent submits documentation from a professional licensed under F.S. Chapter 490 which demonstrates that the student has been diagnosed with dyscalculia. Such interventions must be initiated upon receipt of the documentation and based on the student’s specific areas of difficulty as identified by the licensed professional.

The mathematics proficiency of a student receiving additional mathematics supports must be monitored and the intensive interventions must continue until the student demonstrates grade level proficiency in a manner determined by the district, which may include achieving a Level 3 on the Statewide, standardized Mathematics assessment. Determination of whether a student in a Voluntary Prekindergarten Education Program has a deficiency in early mathematics skills or a student in Kindergarten through grade 4 has a substantial deficiency in mathematics will be made in accordance with State Board of Education guidelines. 

The parent of any student who exhibits a substantial deficiency in mathematics, as described in the above paragraph, must be immediately notified in writing of the following:

  1. that their child has been identified as having a substantial deficiency in mathematics, including a description and explanation, in terms understandable to the parent, of the exact nature of the student’s difficulty in learning and lack of achievement in mathematics;
  2. a description of the current services that are provided to the child;
  3. a description of the proposed intensive interventions and supports that will be provided to the child that are designed to remediate the identified area of mathematics deficiency;
  4. strategies, including multisensory strategies and programming, through a home-based plan the parent can use in helping their child succeed in mathematics. The home-based plan must provide access to the resources identified in F.S. 1008.25; and,
  5. information about the student's eligibility for the New Worlds Scholarship Account under F.S. 1002.411 and the District's tutoring services provided by the New Worlds Tutoring Program under F.S. 1008.366.

After the initial notification, the school shall apprise the parent at least monthly of the student’s progress in response to the intensive interventions and supports. Such communications must be in writing and must explain any additional interventions or supports that will be implemented to accelerate the student’s progress if the interventions and supports already being implemented have not resulted in improvement. The parent shall also be consulted in the development of a plan to address the deficiency as required under F.A.C. 6A-6.0533 which shall include, but is not necessarily limited to, interventions and progress monitoring. Upon the request of the parent, the teacher or school administrator shall meet to discuss the student's progress.  The parent may request more frequent notification of the student's progress, more frequent interventions or supports, and earlier implementation of the additional interventions or supports described in the initial notification.

The District shall incorporate into a home-based plan provided to the parent of a student who is identified as having a substantial deficiency in mathematics the resources compiled by the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Center for Mathematics and Science Education Research. The resources will be made available online in an electronic format or, at the request of a parent, in a hardcopy format.

Mathematics instructions hereunder shall align with the requirements of F.A.C. 6A-6.0533.

Middle Grades Promotion

In order for a student to be promoted to high school from a school that includes middle grades 6, 7, and 8, the student must successfully complete the following courses:

  1. Three (3) middle grades or higher courses in English Language Arts (ELA).
  2. Three (3) middle grades or higher courses in mathematics.
     
    1. Each school that includes middle grades must offer at least one (1) high school-level mathematics course for which students may earn high school credit. Successful completion of a high school level Algebra I or Geometry course is not contingent upon the student’s performance on the Statewide standardized end-of-course (EOC) assessment.
    2. To earn high school credit for Algebra I, a middle grades student must take the Statewide standardized Algebra I EOC assessment and pass the course, and in addition, a student’s performance on the Algebra I EOC assessment constitutes thirty percent (30%) of the student’s final course grade.
    3. To earn high school credit for a Geometry course, a middle grades student must take the Statewide standardized Geometry EOC assessment, which constitutes thirty percent (30%) of the student’s final course grade, and earn a passing grade in the course.
  3. Three (3) middle grades or higher courses in social studies.
     
    1. One (1) of these courses must be at least a one (1) semester civics education course that includes the roles and responsibilities of Federal, State, and local governments; the structures and functions of the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government; and the meaning and significance of historic documents, such as the Articles of Confederation, the Declaration of Independence, and the Constitution of the United States.
    2. Each student’s performance on the Statewide standardized EOC assessment in civics education required under F.S. 1008.22 constitutes thirty percent (30%) of the student’s final course grade.
    3. A middle grade student who transfers in from out of country, out of state, a private school, a personalized education program, or a home education program after the beginning of the second term of grade 8 is not required to meet the civics education requirement for promotion from the middle grades if the student's transcript documents passage of three (3) courses in social studies or two (2) year-long courses in social studies that include coverage of civics education.
  4. Three (3) middle grades or higher courses in science.
     
    1. Successful completion of a high school level Biology I course is not contingent upon the student's performance on the Statewide, standardized EOC assessment required under F.S. 1008.22.
    2. However, to earn high school credit for a Biology I course, a middle grade student must take the Statewide, standardized Biology I EOC assessment, which constitutes thirty percent (30%) of the student's final course grade, and earn a passing grade in the course.
  5. One course in career and education planning to be completed in grades 6, 7, or 8, which may be taught by any member of the instructional staff. The course must be Internet-based, customizable to each student, and include research-based assessments to assist students in determining educational and career options and goals. The course must result in a completed personalized academic and career plan for the student, which must use, when available, Florida online career planning and work-based learning coordination system. The course must teach each student how to access and update the plan and encourage the student to access and update the plan at least annually as the student progresses through middle school and high school. The personalized academic and career plan must emphasize the importance of entrepreneurship and employability skills; and must include information from the Department of Economic Opportunity's economic security report under F.S. 445.07 and other State career planning resources.
     
    1. The required personalized academic and career plan must inform students of high school graduation requirements, including a detailed explanation of the following:
       
      1. requirements for earning a high school diploma designation under F.S. 1003.4285 and the career and technical education pathway to earn a standard high school diploma under F.S. 1003.4282;
      2. requirements for each scholarship in the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship Program;
      3. State university and Florida college system institution admission requirements;
      4. available opportunities to earn college credit in high school, including Advanced Placement courses;
      5. the International Baccalaureate Program;
      6. the Advanced International Certificate of Education Program;
      7. dual enrollment, including career dual enrollment;
      8. work-based learning opportunities, including internships and pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship programs; and,
      9. career education courses, including career-themed courses, and course sequences that lead to industry certification pursuant to F.S. 1003.492 or 1008.44.
    2. The course may be implemented as a stand-alone course or integrated into another course or courses.

Notification of Acceleration, Academic, and Career Planning Options

At the beginning of each school year, the District shall notify students in or entering high school and the students' parents, in a language that is understandable to students and parents, of the opportunity and benefits of the following:

  1. advanced placement, International Baccalaureate, Advanced International Certificate of Education, and dual enrollment courses;
  2. career and professional academies;
  3. career-themed courses;
  4. the career and technical education pathway to earn a standard high school diploma under F.S. 1003.4282;
  5. work-based learning opportunities, including internships and apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs;
  6. foundational and soft-skill credentialing programs under F.S. 445.06;
  7. Florida Virtual School courses;
  8. options for early graduation under F.S. 1003.4281; and,
  9. guidance on accessing and using Florida's online career planning and work-based learning coordination system and the contact information of a certified school counselor who can advise students and parents of the options set forth hereinabove.

Retention of Students with Disabilities

Retention and assignment of a student with disability will be determined by the student’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) Team and follow the requirements of Florida law. The assignment of and services to be provided to a student with a disability will be documented on the student’s IEP. Extended school year services may be provided for any student who would severely regress in his/her skills and overall functioning as demonstrated by supporting documentation and determined necessary by the student’s IEP team.

Revised 11/16/10
Revised 7/22/14
Revised 12/10/18
Revised 3/12/24
Revised 10/15/24
Revised 4/22/25
Revised 10/7/25

© Neola 2025