BP 5123 — Promotion/Acceleration/Retention
Section: 5000 - Students
Status: Active
Adopted: 2016-05-10
Policy text
PROMOTION/ACCELERATION/RETENTION
The Governing Board expects students to progress through each grade level within one school year. Toward this end, instruction shall be designed to accommodate the variety of ways that students learn and provide strategies for addressing academic deficiencies as needed.
It is recognized that students do their best work in school when they are placed in a grade with other students of their same chronological age. Both research and experience demonstrate that neither social promotion nor retention is effective. Therefore, our instructional policies and practices will emphasize prevention of retention, and early intervention with those students who are deemed to be at risk of retention on the basis of failure to meet minimum levels of academic proficiency. Likewise, interventions shall be focused on the specific areas of reading and/or mathematics diagnosed as deficient.
Students shall progress through the grade levels by demonstrating growth in learning and meeting grade-level standards of expected student achievement.
When high academic achievement is evident, the teacher may recommend a student for acceleration to a higher grade level by following the Student Study Team process. Multiple measures, including grades, State Academic Achievement Tests, and any other multifaceted assessment instruments, shall be used to determine high academic achievement and the student’s maturity level shall be taken into consideration in making a determination to accelerate a student.
The principal or designee, with input from the teacher(s) shall identify students who should be retained or who are at risk of being retained at their current grade level as early as possible in the school year and as early in their school careers as practicable. Such students shall be identified at the following grade levels:
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Between grades 2 and 3
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Between grades 3 and 4
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Between grades 4 and 5
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Between grades 5 and 6
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Between grades 8 and 9
Students shall be identified for retention on the basis of failure to meet minimum levels of proficiency, as indicated by grades. The following other indicators of academic achievement shall also be used: Teacher observation, the results of State Academic Achievement Tests, and any other multifaceted assessment instruments. The results of these assessments, along with grades, will determine the recommendation for student support, promotion, acceleration, or retention.
Students between grades 2 and 3 and grades 3 and 4 shall be identified primarily on the basis of their level of proficiency in reading. Proficiency in reading, English language arts, and mathematics shall be the basis for identifying students between grades 4 and 5, between grades 5 and 6, and between grades 8 and 9.
If a student does not have a single regular classroom teacher, the Superintendent or designee shall specify the teacher(s) responsible for providing input into the decision to promote or retain the student.
The principal or designee’s decision to promote or retain a student may be appealed in accordance with AR 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention.
When a student in grades 2-8 is retained or recommended for retention, the Superintendent or designee shall offer an appropriate program of remedial instruction to assist the student in meeting grade-level expectations. The District also may offer supplemental instruction to a student in grades 2-6 who is identified as being at risk for retention.
Legal
EDUCATION CODE - EDC
37252-37254.1 Supplemental instruction
41505-41508 Pupil Retention Block Grant
46300 Method of computing average daily attendance
48010 Admittance to first grade
48011 Promotion/retention following one year of kindergarten
48070-48070.5 Promotion and retention
56345 Elements of individualized education plan
60640-60649 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress
CALIFORNIA CODE OF REGULATIONS