Students
Board Policy No. 5123
Policy adopted: February 6, 2020

PROMOTION/ACCELERATION/RETENTION 

The Governing Board expects students to progress through each grade level within one school year. To accomplish this, instruction should accommodate the variety of ways that students learn and include strategies for addressing academic deficiencies when needed.

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 Superintendent or designee may recommend a student for acceleration into a higher grade level.  The student’s maturity level shall be taken into consideration when making a determination to accelerate a student.

Teachers 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:  (Education Code 48070.5)

1.      Between grades 2 and 3

2.      Between grades 3 and 4

3.      Between grades 4 and 5

4.      Between the end of the intermediate grades and the beginning of the middle school grades

As early as possible in the school year, the Superintendent or designee shall identify students who should be retained and who are at risk of being retained in accordance with law, Board policy, administrative regulation, and the following criteria.

Students at risk shall be identified using the following indicators of academic achievement: District formative and summative assessments, grades, standards-based report cards, and the state’s standardized testing and reporting program and the minimum levels of proficiency recommended by the State Board of Education.

The teacher’s decision to promote or retain a student may be appealed in accordance with AR 5123 - Promotion/Acceleration/Retention.

When any student in grades 2-8 is retained or recommended for retention, the Superintendent or designee shall offer programs of direct, systematic, and intensive supplemental instruction in accordance with Education Code 37252.2 and Board policy.

Legal Reference:

EDUCATION CODE

37252-37253.5 Supplemental instruction

41505-41508  Pupil Retention Block Grant

46300  Method of computing ADA

48011  Promotion/retention following one year of kindergarten

48070-48070.5 Promotion and retention

48431.6  Required systematic review of students and grading

56345  Elements of individualized education plan

60641-60648  Standardized Testing and Reporting Program

60850-60859 Exit examination

REPEALED EDUCATION CODE FOR CATEGORICAL PROGRAMS

37252.8  Supplemental instruction for students at risk of retention

CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5

200-202 Admission and exclusion of students