FILE: IHE
PROMOTION AND RETENTION
The Iberville Parish School Board requires student promotion and retention in Iberville Parish Schools be based upon an evaluation of each student's achievement in terms of appropriate instructional goals. Minimum parish-wide standards for promotion and retention are established in the Pupil Progression Plan and shall govern the placement of students. Students meeting the minimum standards and other criteria established in this plan shall be eligible for promotion and/or credit. Regulations set by the School Board and the Louisiana Board of Education must also be met in order to receive credit.
Students who do not satisfactorily achieve established objectives for the grade to which they are assigned shall be retained. Student retention shall be used as one procedure to provide students with additional time to master the skills required for success in the next higher grade. These students, with parental consent, will be assigned in accordance with procedures set forth in the Pupil Progression Plan, to one of several available compensatory and/or remedial programs within the regular school or summer program. These programs shall emphasize basic skills instruction for those students who have not met applicable promotional standards. Upon completion of such programs, students will be re-assessed to ensure that promotional standards have been met.
Parents will be notified in writing as soon as it becomes apparent that their child may fail or is doing unsatisfactory work in any course or grade assignment. The parents of such a child shall be offered an opportunity for a conference with the teacher and/or principal. Parents shall be able to assume that students earning satisfactory grades in the regular program are achieving within the range appropriate or acceptable for their grade level or for the course(s) in which they are enrolled.
Any student who has been retained may be assigned to the next higher grade if the principal determines that the established standards have been met subsequent to the original evaluation, and that the student will be able to benefit from instruction at the higher grade. This assignment must be approved by the Superintendent or his/her designee.
Any student who meets only minimum standards, but who has been appropriately evaluated and identified as needing remedial instruction, may be assigned to the same grade level upon the recommendation of the teacher and with the written consent of the student's parents. In other words, a student may be allowed to repeat a grade level even though the minimum standards have been met, if the teacher and the student's parents agree that this action is best for the student.
The assignment of a student to a higher grade level which results in the student skipping a grade, or part of a grade, should be made on the basis of exceptionally high achievement by the student and evidence that the student will benefit more from the instructional program at the advanced grade level. The probable long-range academic, social, and emotional effects of the decision should be considered. The principal has the responsibility for making such assignments. A student will not be accelerated without written parental consent. The parent shall be notified formally, in writing that the student is receiving an accelerated grade placement to the next higher grade and a parent conference shall be scheduled. A copy of this notification shall be placed in the cumulative guidance record and a copy maintained at the school originating the request.
The student's cumulative record and report card shall be worded "accelerated grade placement", and contain the major reason(s) for the assignment and the name of the principal who made the placement.
Any student who is having difficulty meeting promotional requirements should be referred to the School Building Level Screening Committee to determine the most appropriate program for that student.
Specially designed regular instructional programs for exceptional students shall be provided by the School Board. A determination of the appropriate programs for each exceptional student shall be determined by the school system with the aid of the School Building Level Committee, in accordance with criteria outlined in the Pupil Progression Plan.
The grade placement and/or course credit of a student transferring from another state or private school shall be determined by the principal of the receiving school. All Iberville Parish requirements, prior to the date of entry, shall be waived with the exception of the Parish and state testing requirements for graduation. Placement of transfer students shall be as outlined in the Pupil Progression Plan.
A student enrolling for a full year or more shall meet all local requirements for the year or years that the student is in attendance in the Iberville Parish School System. Course credit for grades for a student who enrolls after the 23rd day of the last grading period of a semester may be determined by the school district for which the student is transferring. In the event the transferring school will not issue a grade or credit for such a student, the receiving school principal may utilize appropriate achievement or subject level test data to determine course credit and/or grades for promotional purposes.
The Iberville Parish School Board, by a positive vote of two-thirds (⅔) of its membership, may waive any Parish standard or requirement for grade placement, retention, and/or accrual of credit toward graduation or promotion; when such waiver is determined by the School Board, after a review of the specific circumstances in question, to have the effect to furthering the Pupil Progression Plan and is further determined by the School Board to be based on "the successful completion of" an alternative at least equal to the standard or requirement as specified in the plan.
Revised: August, 1981
Ref: La. Rev. Stat. Ann. §17:24.4
Iberville Parish Pupil Progression Plan
Iberville Parish School Board