Board Policy 5410 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

5410 - PROMOTION, PLACEMENT, AND RETENTION

The Board of Education 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.

Columbus City Schools advocates policies and programs that promote effective curriculum and instruction essential to improving student achievement. Best practices are characterized by:

1. a clear academic focus with well-defined high standards, expectations, and a challenging curriculum;

    

2. a safe and orderly environment;

    

3. small class size in the early grades to maximize opportunities for flexibility in instruction and individual student attention;

    

4. a strong, comprehensive team of teachers, administrators, support staff, and parents;

    

5. instructional strategies in a variety of settings that maximize time focused on learning and academic achievement;

    

6. system-wide frequent monitoring of individual student performance based on benchmark assessments;

    

7. early interventions that provide immediate assistance to students;

    

8. staff development that supports all aspects of instruction; and

    

9. adequate resources from both the District and the community.

It is the Board's intent that each student be moved forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his/her own development.

Such pattern should coincide with the system of grade levels established by this Board and the instructional objectives established for each.

The promotion and retention provisions of this policy shall be in compliance with the terms of Ohio's Third Grade Reading Guarantee (Policy 2623.02).

Promotion:

A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when s/he has:

1. completed the course and State-mandated requirements at the presently assigned grade;
    

2. in the opinion of the professional staff, achieved the instructional objectives set for the present grade;

    

3. demonstrated sufficient proficiency to permit him/her to move ahead in the educational program of the next grade;

    

4. demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the next grade.

Retention:

In grades K-8, a student will be retained if s/he:

1. has been truant more than ten percent (10%) of the required attendance days; and

    

2. has failed two (2) or more required curriculum subjects, unless it is determined that the student is academically prepared to be promoted to the next grade level by the Principal and the teacher(s) of the subjects failed.

In grades 9-12, a student will not receive credit in a course if s/he has been truant more than ten percent (10%) of the required attendance days, unless the Principal and the teacher agree that the student is academically prepared to receive credit. Each year, students must earn at least five (5) credits, four (4) of which must be in the required curriculum, to be promoted to the next grade level. Of the four (4) required, one (1) must be in mathematics and one (1) in English at each grade level.

A student may be retained at his/her current grade level when s/he has, in the opinion of the professional staff, failed to achieve the instructional objectives set forth at the current grade level that are requisite for success at the succeeding grade level.

Building principals shall identify and report any student to be retained within two (2) weeks after the close of the academic year. Any student who successfully completes an approved remediation program prior to the beginning of the next school year in order to comply with the above requirements may then be promoted to the next grade level. Such promotion shall be processed at the building level provided they occur no later than the second full week of the subsequent school year.

Any student transferring to the District in grades 9-12 who does not provide an official transcript at the time of enrollment shall be classified as "Not Determined" (ND). The Superintendent shall develop guidelines regarding the placement of such students.

Should an error occur in the retention or promotion of any student for reasons including, but not limited to, procedural errors or misinterpretation of a student’s transcript, the building administrator shall request a correction to the appropriate grade placement on a form developed by the Superintendent. The principal shall sign the required form once completed. A copy of the completed form shall be placed in the student’s cumulative folder.

A student may be placed at the next grade level when retention would no longer benefit the student.

The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines for promotion, placement, and retention of students that:

1. require the recommendation of the relevant staff members for promotion, placement, or retention;

    

2. require that parents are informed in advance of the possibility of retention of a student at a grade level;

    

3. assure that efforts will be made to remediate the student's difficulties before s/he is retained;
    

4. assign to the principal the responsibility for determining the promotion,

   placement, or retention of each student;

    

5. provide parents the opportunity to request the promotion, placement, or retention of their child;

    

6. provide parents the opportunity to appeal the decision about their child's promotion, placement, or retention.

Definitions

Truant - a truant is any student who is absent from school or class without expressed knowledge and permission from a parent/guardian or school official.

Unexcused absence – an unexcused absence is any absence that is not preceded by notification and/or followed by a note from a parent, guardian, or physician in a case of personal illness, family emergency, or other situations as defined by the Ohio Revised Code and/or District procedures.

Academically Prepared - academically prepared means meeting the following Columbus City Schools educational standards:

1. individual school requirements

    

2. District grade-level benchmarks

    

3. State student learner competencies

Required Curriculum – In grades 9-12, required curriculum means the core courses that include English, mathematics, science, social studies, health, and physical education. One (1) technology course and one (1) academic elective course will be considered to be part of the core required curriculum.

Effective 11/17/15

© Neola 2012

Legal

R.C. 3313.608, 3313.608(D), 3313.609, 3313.647, 3324.10 A.C. 3301-35-02(B)(5)