The purpose of promotions and retentions is to provide maximum consideration for the long range welfare of the student and to provide an opportunity for each student to progress through school according to his/her own needs and abilities.

It is expected that most students in the schools will be promoted annually from one grade level to another upon completion of satisfactory work, however, a student may be retained when his/her standards of achievement or social, emotional, mental, or physical development would not allow satisfactory progress in the next higher grade. Retention normally occurs before the student leaves the primary grades.

Parents/guardians who wish to appeal the decision for retention must first contact the building principal. If parents/guardians do not accept the decision at the building level, an appeal may be made in writing to the Superintendent. All appeals must be requested within two (2) weeks after the close of school.

However, consistent with state law, students with reading ability levels more than one grade level below their current grade level will not be promoted to a higher grade level until this deficiency is removed. This limitation on promotion will not apply to students receiving special education services pursuant to state law.

In compliance with state law, students who do not meet the District’s objectives in reading or any other subject area are eligible for academic improvement instruction in the subject area(s) identified at risk of failure outside the regular school day. Students in grade 3 and students in grades 4-6 who transfer in during the year must be assessed and a grade level reading ability must be determined. This determination must be made within 45 days of the end of the school year. This assessment is NOT required for students who have already been determined to be reading at or above grade level.

Students with disabilities or limited English proficiency may be exempted from the mandatory reading assessment. In addition, assessment is not required for students who have determined “prior to the beginning of any school year, to have a cognitive ability insufficient to meet the reading requirement.”