SMITH-COTTON HIGH SCHOOL

Students will be classified according to number of years of attendance at Smith-Cotton High School. In order to make normal progress toward graduation, students must acquire five (5) credits after the first year, ten (10) credits after the second year, and seventeen (17) credits after the third year. Counselors will be responsible for monitoring credits and for keeping students and parents informed of progress toward graduation.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

Nine (9) total units of credit at the seventh and eighth grade level in specified subject areas are required for promotion to the ninth grade at Smith-Cotton Junior High School. One-half credit is awarded for each semester of work in which a student receives a passing grade. Students in eighth grade may receive units of High School credit by taking a course for which an EOC is required and scoring proficient on the EOC test for that course. A student will be classified as a seventh grader automatically upon promotion from the sixth grade. If a student fails two (2) semesters of any required course during the seventh grade year, attendance and successful completion of that course or courses in summer school is required before the student can be classified as an eighth grader. The administration may place a student in some eighth grade classes while the student makes up seventh grade requirements failed the previous year. Promotion to the ninth grade is based upon the following:

Required Subjects

Six units of credit are needed from those listed below:

Elective Subjects

All additional three (3) units of credit must be earned from the elective courses offered.

Assignment to the ninth grade at Smith-Cotton Junior High School, for all students, will be at the discretion of the administration. Normally, students who fail to acquire the nine (9) credits at the Junior High School necessary for promotion to the ninth grade may be retained at the Junior High School at least one (1) year and possibly two (2).

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Promotion – The general policy of the District is to promote pupils one (1) grade each year in the elementary schools when their educational progress is consistent with the student goals and objectives at their grade level.

Retention – Students who do not make satisfactory educational progress may be retained at grade level by the principal after consultation with the teacher and parent/guardian.

Assignment – Students who are not making satisfactory educational progress at grade level may be assigned to the next higher grade by the building principal after considering student maturity and intellectual capabilities. All students requiring special education services will be assigned to special programming through District Special Education placement procedures.

Special Placement – Special promotion or assignment to any grade level above normal progression may be made within an elementary school by a building principal after securing the approval of the Assistant Superintendent in charge of Personnel and Curriculum.

Special Placement Involving Assignment to Middle School – Special placement involving assignment to the Middle School before completion of all five (5) elementary grades must be approved in a staffing session involving:

1. The elementary principal involved.
2. Assistant Superintendent in charge of Personnel and Curriculum.
3. Middle School Principal.
4. Elementary Counselor.
5. Middle School Counselor.

Parental conferences with the elementary principal will precede the staffing conference.

Retention Based Upon Reading Performance Through Grade 6:

Individualized “Reading Improvement Plans’ MUST be developed for any third-grader who was determined to be reading below second grade level, to be implemented during the fourth grade year.

Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year each reading plan MUST include a minimum of 30 hours of additional reading instruction or practice outside the regular school day during the fourth grade year. Such instruction may be provided during the summer before grade 4 or during the regular school term.

Students in grade 3 who are reading below second grade level MAY be required to attend summer school as a condition for promotion to fourth grade. Students in grade 4 who are reading below third grade will be required to have summer reading instruction and will be assessed again at the end of summer school.

Beginning with the 2002-2003 school year Reading Improvement Plans must be implemented for identified students in grades 4-6.

Beginning with the 2003-2004 school year mandatory retention in grade 4 will apply for the first time for students who are still reading below third grade level at the end of summer school and who do not qualify for an exemption.

Students in grade 4 with Reading Improvement Plans must be assessed again within 45 days of the end of the school year. Those who are still reading below third grade level shall be required to attend summer school to receive reading instruction. The reading level of these students must be assessed again at the end of summer school. At this point, if a child is still reading below third grade level, the district must notify the parents or guardians, and the child shall not be promoted to fifth grade.

Mandatory retention may only be imposed once. The law states: “No student shall be denied promotion more than once solely for inability to meet the reading standards set out in this law.” The assessment procedures MUST be repeated to monitor children’s reading progress during grades 4-6, and summer school attendance may continue to be mandatory.

Students who have Reading Improvement Plans at the end of grades 5 and 6 must be reassessed. A notation MUST be made on the permanent record of any student determined to be reading below fifth grade level by the end of grade 6. This notation may be removed at any time the child reaches his/her appropriate reading level. A comprehensive assessment plan will be put into place  to monitor the reading progress of all students.

Retention/Promotion Checklist