5410 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

Mayfield City 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 building administrator recommends 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 building administrator.

To implement Board policy, the following procedures and guidelines are to be utilized.

Elementary Level

A.	Criteria

	1.	To be promoted the student must satisfactorily complete the majority of the academic subjects.

	2.	Upon failure to complete the majority of the academic subjects, the following criteria shall be considered:

		a.	current level of achievement


		b.	potential for success at the next level

		c.	emotional, physical, and social maturity

B.	Suggested Time Line for Elementary Grade Assignment Changes

	1.	Before Parent/Teacher Conference: Principal will review grade placement procedures with teachers.

	2.	October-January: Teacher should inform parents of student progress.

	3.	Early March: Teacher will notify principal, if an alternative grade placement or retention is being considered.

	4.	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.

	5.	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.

Middle School Level

A.	Criteria

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

B.	Suggested Time Line for Middle School Grade Assignment

	1.	Before Parent/Teacher Conferences: Principal will review, with teachers, grade placement procedure.

	2.	October-January: Teacher should indicate concern to parents and should initiate documentation. Any concerns should be reflected on report cards.

	3.	Early March: Teacher will notify principal, if an alternative grade placement or retention is being considered.


	4.	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.

	5.	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:

	Less than 5 credits = Freshman

	5 credits to less than 10.5 credits = Sophomore

	10.5 credits to less than 15.5 credits = Junior

	15.5 credits or more 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 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:

	A.	notification must first be provided to parents of the possibility that a child may be retained;
	B.	documented efforts to remediate the student's difficulties will be provided to the building principal.