Policy – Category 5000
BP 5006 – Student Promotion and Retention
toward passing the examination which is a requirement for high school graduation. These programs shall also be offered to 12th grade students who were enrolled in 12th grade the previous school year. § 37252.5 discusses programs to be offered to students retained in grades 2-9. These programs should be direct, systematic, and intensive supplemental instruction. To develop interventions for students, the LEA shall involve both parents and teachers. The curriculum of this intensive program should include reading and written expression instruction in the areas of phonemic awareness, systematic explicit phonics and decoding, word attack skills, spelling and vocabulary, explicit instruction in reading comprehension, writing, and study skills. For those students scoring low in mathematics skills, a systematic and intensive program shall be delivered in this area as well. The classroom teacher is responsible for the decision to retain or promote a student based on the criteria outlined in the local school district policy. When a student has one or more teachers, the LEA shall designate which ones will be responsible for the decision. If the student meets or exceeds the criteria, the student will be promoted to the next grade. If the student does not meet the criteria, the teacher can select to promote the student based on in-class and other district-wide measurements. If the teacher decides to promote the student, he/she would present a written statement that includes the reason that retention is not warranted and recommendations for interventions to attain an acceptable level of performance. If the final recommendation to promote is based on successful completion of a district intervention program, the student shall be reassessed at the end of the program and the decision to promote or retain would be made at that time. The decision of the teacher shall be discussed with both the parent and principal prior to the decision being finalized. For parents that do not agree with the decision to retain their student, the LEA shall have an established appeal process. The burden of proof is on the part of the party appealing the teacher’s decision. For students exhibiting high academic achievement, the Superintendent or designee may recommend that a student be accelerated to a grade higher than their current placement. The student’s emotional and social growth would be taken in account prior to a decision of this nature being made on behalf of the student.
2.0
Students with Special Needs
AB 1626 makes no reference to the issue of students with special needs as they relate to retention and promotion. The Individualized Education Program (IEP) document continues to be the critical process in determining the expected level of performance and achievement. Therefore, retention and promotion issues should be topics of discussion at the student’s annual IEP meeting. Promotion or retention should be based on the level of
BP 5006 – Student Promotion and Retention
Page 6
Desert Mountain Special Education Local Plan Area (DMSELPA) (rev. 11/07)
Made with FlippingBook interactive PDF creator