ADMINISTRATIVE RULE 345.4
AR 345.4 - Promotion or Retention Procedure
- Academic achievement is the primary criterion for considering retention. The primary focus should be on what a student knows and is able to do in his/her core academic areas. Secondary factors that could be considered as applicable include, but are not limited to, behavior challenges, immaturity, social interactions delays, and exposure to age-appropriate instruction.
- Students who do not meet proficiency standards should receive academic and/or behavior intervention on top of their core instruction in an attempt to close any academic achievement gap in comparison to their same age peers. Students will be assessed frequently within each intervention they participate in and their progress will be reviewed by a school’s Response to Intervention (RtI) team. The Building Principal and/or Interventionist should provide an update to the parent(s)/guardian(s) on their child’s response to an intervention, including the opportunity for a face-to-face meeting reviewing data specific to their child’s progress.
- The Building Principal will notify parents in writing by April 30th of the student’s potential retention status. The Director of Instruction and Director of Pupil Services will be copied into the letter.
- If the request for retention comes from parent(s)/guardian(s) or an outside service provider, the building principal will convene the RtI Team to share the parent(s)’/guardian(s)’ concerns and to review what intervention and/or assistance has been provided to date. The Building Principal should provide the parent(s)/guardian(s) information and feedback as to the recommendations from the RtI team.
- Prior to the full RtI team meeting, the Building Principal will meet with the Director of Instruction and/or Director of Pupil Services on the student’s progress, review options, and consider recommendations for the student.
- The School’s RtI team will meet prior to May 31st to review the student’s progress in interventions, classroom progress, results on State assessments, results of district assessments, and make a recommendation for promotion, further intervention, or retention.
- The Building Principal and/or the child’s RtI team shall meet with the parents(s)/guardian(s) to share the RtI team recommendations prior to May 31st.
- Parent(s)/guardian(s) shall be notified of the final decision by the Building Principal by the end of the school year. The Director of Instruction and Director of Pupil Services will be copied into the letter. This letter should be placed in the student’s cumulative folder.
- Parent(s)/guardian(s) who wish to appeal the retention decision should contact the District Administrator in writing by June 30th. The District Administrator will meet with both the Building Principal and Parent(s)/Guardian(s) to understand the concerns and then make a decision.
