ELEMENTARY PROMOTION/RETENTION AND PLACEMENT DECISIONS FOR AT-RISK STUDENTS

Review of and compliance with decision and documentation process relating to students identified as at-risk of retention.

Brief Explanation:

This circular and accompanying attachments contain important information related to student promotion/retention and placement/articulation. It is essential that site administrators, teachers, and counselors carefully review all of the attached materials to ensure that the promotion/retention and student placement processes outlined in the Blueprint for Student Success are followed consistently throughout the district. Please discard all related materials from previous years.

Attachment		Document(s)
1		Procedure No. 4755: Promotion/Retention and Placement/Articulation, K-6 (Elementary)
2		Promotion/Retention Cut-points
		Attachment 2.1
		Attachment 2.2
3		Student Placement Guidelines: Literacy (Elementary Exit Grade)
		Attachment 3.1
		Attachment 3.2
		Attachment 3.3
		Attachment 3.4
4		Student Placement Guidelines: Mathematics (Elementary Exit Grade)
		Attachment 4.1
		Attachment 4.2
5		Student Placement Guidelines: Special Education/504
6		"Teacher Decision to Promote or Retain" Forms
		Grade 1
				2001-2002 Promotion/Retention Form
				2001-2002 Promotion/Retention Form Directions
				Parent Letter
		Grades K & 2-5
				2001-2002 Promotion/Retention Form
				2001-2002 Promotion/Retention Form Directions
				Parent Letter
		Grades 5-6
				2001-2002 Promotion/Retention Form
				2001-2002 Promotion/Retention Form Directions
				Parent Letter
7		"Secondary Placement Recommendation" Form
8		"Learning Contract for At-risk Students"

Description of Attachments

Following is a brief description of each attachment and highlighted information:

Attachment 1 provides a copy of the district procedure outlining steps related to identification, monitoring, and promotion/retention/placement decisions for at-risk students in elementary grades (K-6):

• The district-established retention grade is Grade 1. District guidelines strongly discourage retention at other elementary grades, although retention may be considered at any grade if the student has not met the criteria and has not participated in the required support and intervention opportunities. The classroom teacher makes the decision concerning student promotion/retention in Grades 1-6. Retention at Kindergarten can only occur with the permission of the parent/guardian.
  
  
• Parents/guardians must be notified about the promotion/retention/placement decision. It is the school's responsibility to communicate with parents/guardians.

Attachment 2 provides the cut-points that identify students who are above/at/close to, below, or significantly below grade level. Please note that the retention cut-points for Grade 1 fluent English students and for English Learners at all grade levels have been revised.

• Performance cut-points were established to provide common, districtwide criteria to identify students for support/intervention and determine which students will be promoted/retained.
  
  
• There are separate cut-points in literacy for English-speaking students and for English learners.
  
  
• There are cut-points in mathematics for the exit grade level (Grade 5 or 6).

Attachments 3-5 relate to student placement at middle-level schools. These are provided to assist "exit grade" teachers in completing the "Teacher Decision to Promote or Retain" form. Teachers or site administrators should respond to parental questions regarding student promotion/retention at the exit grade level. Parental questions regarding student coursework at the middle-level entry grade should be referred to the middle/junior high school.

Attachment 6 provides copies of the "Teacher Decision to Promote or Retain" forms, which were initially distributed via Administrative Circular No. 105. This form must be completed for each at-risk student (each student with a Learning Contract). Please note that the classroom teacher makes the final decision about student promotion or retention. (See Procedure 4755, pages 6-7.)

• There are separate forms for Grade 1, Grades K and 2-4/5, and Grade 5/6 (exit grade only).
  
  
• For Grade 1 students who are candidates for retention, the promotion/retention/placement decision should be discussed with the parent/guardian during a conference. There is also an appeal process for parents/guardians who disagree with the teacher's decision to promote or retain. (See Attachment 1: Procedure 4755 for a description of the appeal process.)
  
  
• A new "Teacher Decision to Promote or Retain" form must be completed at the end of the summer session for students who attend summer school.
  
  
• "Teacher Decision to Promote or Retain" forms (NCR) in English were distributed to schools in April. The Spanish Versions were delivered in May. Blackline masters in other languages, as well as additional English or Spanish forms, may be ordered from the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability Department at (619) 725-7165.

Attachment 7 provides a sample of the form to use when a staff member or parent/guardian request a review of the student's placement in middle-level coursework.

• A placement review conference may be convened for a student if there is a belief that the assessment results do not accurately reflect the student's academic performance. These are expected to be exceptional circumstances. For students exiting the elementary level, the conference should ideally include both the elementary teacher and site administrator, and the middle-level counselor and site administrator/designee.
  
  
• "Secondary Placement Recommendation" forms (NCR) were distributed at the end of April.

Attachment 8 provides a copy of the Learning Contract form for your reference. A "Teacher Decision to Promote or Retain" form must be completed for each student that received a Learning Contract during the 2001-2002 school year.

Questions may be directed to the Standards, Assessment, and Accountability Department at (619) 725-7166.