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

1. 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.

2. 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 placement team recommends and the building administrator concurs, that it is in the student's best interest to move to the next grade.

3. 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.

4. Student Intervention:

   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:

   1. classroom teachers,

   2. counselors and other support staff,

   3. building principal.

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

To implement Board policy, the following guidelines are to be utilized:

Elementary Level

1. Criteria for Consideration
   
   When the Student Intervention Team is convened, the following criteria shall be considered:
    
   1. current level of achievement
   2. potential for success at the next level
   3. emotional, physical, social maturity
2. Time Line for Elementary Grade Placement Changes
    
   1. October-January: Teacher should inform parents of student progress.
   2. Early March: Teacher will notify principal if an alternative grade placement 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 have been notified by this time, and commitment to the decision secured.
   4. May-June: Decision on placement or retention is made, and student Grade Placement Recommendation is completed.

Third Grade: IREAD-3

A student who does not pass the IREAD-3 assessment administered in third grade either during the assessment period in the school year or during the summer assessment window will first be considered for a good cause exemption.

Good cause exemptions that may be considered are:

1. a student who has been previously retained two times prior to the fourth grade;

2. the student was subject to retention and previously has been retained in grade 3 for one (1) school year;
    
3. the student has an intellectual disability or the student's IEP specifies that retention is not appropriate, and the student's case conference committee has determined that promotion to another grade is appropriate;
    
4. the student is an English learner student who has received services for fewer than two (2) years and whose Individual Learning Plan (ILP) Committee including the parent, a building level administrator or designee, a classroom teacher of service, an English learner teacher of record (if one exists), and an English learner Corporation administrator (if one exists) has determined that promotion is appropriate based on the implementation of research-based instructional practices outlined in the student's ILP;
    
5. the student received a score of proficient or above proficient in grade 3 math on the Statewide summative assessment;
    
6. the student has received intensive intervention as determined by the Indiana Department of Education in reading for two (2) or more years and was retained more than one (1) time throughout kindergarten, grade 1, or grade 2.

If the student does not qualify for a good cause exemption, the school shall make one (1) of the following determinations based on the overall academic performance of the student in all subject areas.

Retention is necessary based on the overall academic performance of the student in all subject areas. The student should be retained in third grade, reported to the state as a third grader in the subsequent school year, and the student should receive third grade instruction in all subject areas, including reading, and will participate in the IREAD-3 assessment during the school year.

Middle School Level

1.  Criteria 
   
   To be promoted the student must successfully complete a majority of the required academic subjects.

2. Time Line for Middle School Grade Placement
    
   1.  October-January: Teacher should indicate concern to parents and should initiate documentation. Any concerns should be reflected on report card.
   2.  Early March: Teacher will notify principal, if an alternative grade placement 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 have been notified by this time, and commitment to the decision secured.
   4.  May-June: Decision on placement or retention is made, and student Grade Placement Recommendation is completed.

High School Level

Criteria

For the official records, student class placement will be determined in the following manner:

Less than 14 credits = Freshman

15 credits to less than 28 credits = Sophomore

29 credits to less than 42 credits = Junior

43 credits to less than 56 credits = Senior

1. Students enrolling from schools having different graduation requirements will have their credits pro-rated for class placement.
2. All incoming students will be informed of these requirements at the time of admission.

Revised 7/9/19

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