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#5160

SUSQUEHANNA TOWNSHIP SCHOOL DISTRICT

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17109

POLICY

PROMOTION AND RETENTION

1. Purpose                  

The Board recognizes that the personal, social, physical, and educational growth of children will vary and that they should be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to their needs at the various stages of their growth.

2. Authority               

It shall be the policy of the Board that each child be moved forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his or her own development.

Such a pattern coincides with the system of grade levels established by this Board and the instructional objectives established for each.

A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when he or she has:

·         successfully completed the course requirements at the presently assigned grade;

·         demonstrated proficiency to move ahead to the educational program of the next level;

·         demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience at the next learning level.

3. Guidelines                                                      

Promotion or retention shall consider the most appropriate placement of each child. Promotion shall be made with consideration given to academic achievement, social and emotional maturity, readiness, chronological age, and attendance. At the high school level, the school district reserves the right to deny credit/promotion to any student who has accumulated excessive days of unlawful or unexcused absences. (see policy # 5130 – Attendance)

A student who qualifies for special education under the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Special Education regulations will be offered services through the special education department. The decision to promote these students will be made in conjunction with the director of pupil services. 

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL (Grades K-5)

It is the major responsibility of the classroom teacher to instruct each student at the level which best fits his or her learning needs while making accommodations as needed by differentiating instruction.

A student whose academic progress is more than one-half year below grade level in reading and mathematics grades (3-5) shall be retained. The report card will reflect the level of instructional performance.

A student who is having academic difficulties should be referred for academic assistance or referred to the Child Study Team. Through the Child Study Team, corrective and supportive measures must be prescribed, documented, and implemented to assist with the child’s learning. Teachers must inform parents of the problem and this must be documented. Parents should be provided with strategies they can use to help their child.

            MIDDLE SCHOOL (Grades 6-8)

A student who fails three of the four major subjects (mathematics, English, science, history) will be retained unless there are extenuating circumstances. A student who fails two major subjects will be recommended to attend summer school and may be retained if deficiencies are not remediated in summer school.

If a student fails the final local benchmark assessment or earns less than proficient on the PSSA in mathematics or English for two consecutive years, he or she may be promoted pending successful completion of a summer academy approved by the Susquehanna Township School District. 

            HIGH SCHOOL (Grades 9 – 12)

                        Students shall be promoted to the next grade level depending upon credits

            earned. 

Grade 9 – Freshmen are required to earn a minimum of five credits by the end of their freshmen year to be classified as sophomores.

Grade 10 – Sophomores are required to earn a minimum of eleven credits by the end of their sophomore year to be classified as a junior.

Grade 11 – Juniors are required to earn a minimum of seventeen credits by the end of their junior year to be classified as a senior.

Grade 11/12 – Special Classification. Students with fourteen but less than seventeen credits will be identified as “Seniors-at-Risk.”

Grade 12 – Seniors are required to earn a minimum of five credits in order to meet requirements for graduation.  Students planning early graduation are required to earn a minimum of two and one-half credits of which one must be in English, 0.5 in physical education, and 0.5 in civics.

In addition to earning the required credits, the requirements for graduation include earning a proficient score on the 11^th grade PSSA or a local benchmark assessment (beginning with the class of 2009) and successful completion of a senior project. (See policy #5180 – High School Graduation Requirements)

4. Delegation of Responsibility

The Superintendent shall develop procedures for promotion and retention of students which:

·         Require recommendation of the classroom teacher or team of teachers for promotion or retention

·         At the elementary and middle level, parents and the principal shall be informed of the possibility of retention of a student at grade level by the end of the 2^nd marking period unless failure occurs later in the school year.

·         Assure that every effort will be made to remediate the student’s deficiencies before he or she is retained

·         Places the final decision for promotion with the school principal. 

Approved by the School Board – January 5, 1979

Amended by the School Board – June 8, 1987

Amended by the School Board – May 22, 2006