| Licking Valley 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 Assistance 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/or parents. |
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. | Failure to complete the majority of the academic subjects will cause the principal to convene the Student Intervention Team. | ||
| 2. | 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, 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. | ||
| 3. | 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 Superintendent. |
Middle School Level
| A. | Criteria |
| 1. | To be promoted, the student must successfully complete 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. |
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. | For the official records, student class placement will be determined in the following manner: |
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Less than 5.50 credits = Freshman |
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5.50 credits to less than 10.50 credits = Sophomore |
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10.50 credits to less than 15.50 credits = Junior |
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15.50 credits to 23.25 credits = Senior |
| C. | Students enrolling from schools having different graduation requirements will have their credits pro-rated for class placement. | |
| D. | 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. | ||
| E. | 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 notification must first be provided to parents of the possibility that a child may be retained.
Parents may appeal any decision to retain their child to the building principal and/or Superintendent who will conduct an informal hearing on the matter. The decision of the building principal and/or Superintendent will be final.
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.
Revised 11/07