2421P - Promotion-Retention-Acceleration Procedure

A. Elementary

A student will be retained or accelerated outside of normal grade progressions only if such action is of long term benefit to the student. In all such cases, parent(s) or guardian(s) will be informed that retention or acceleration is being considered and will have the opportunity to conference with school personnel. If a recommendation is for the following school year, the process must be completed two weeks prior to the end of the current school year.

When a student is identified for possible retention or acceleration, the following procedure will be followed:

1. Recommendation for retention or acceleration will be submitted to the building principal.
2. The principal will place the recommendation on the guidance team agenda.
3. The guidance team will review the recommendation and request additional assessment and/or consultant teacher assistance as deemed appropriate. The guidance team will submit its recommendation to the building principal.
4. The principal will confer with parent(s) or guardian(s) to communicate the guidance team recommendation.
5. Parents will be given an opportunity to confer with relevant school personnel and to provide input regarding the guidance team recommendation.
6. If parents disagree with the recommendation, they will submit a signed statement reflecting their position to the school principal.
7. Upon review of the parent’s written statement, the principal will send written notification to the parent(s) or guardian(s), informing them of the decision. A copy of this notification will be sent to the Superintendent’s designee.

B. Middle School

1. Promotion
   Students in grades six, seven, and eight who receive passing grades in at least eleven of their twelve trimester common core courses will be promoted to the next grade level. Parents or guardians of students who are in danger of retention will be notified in writing at the end of the first, second, and third trimester. Parents will be invited to confer with school personnel following notification.
   
   The middle school principal will formally notify the parent(s) or guardian(s) of the students who are to be retained by the last day of school. Parents or guardians who wish to appeal the retention may make written application to the middle school principal for a review of the decision within five working days of receipt of notification. The principal shall confer with the parents within seven school days unless a postponement is mutually agreed upon. After the review, the principal will give the parents or guardians written notification of his/her decision within five working days after the conference. If the decision is to promote the student, a copy of this decision, along with reasons for the promotion, will be sent to the Superintendent’s designee and to the principal of the receiving high school. 

2. Acceleration
   A student who has achieved a level of performance and maturity in advance of his/her chronological age may be considered for a promotion of more than one year. The guidance team will review the standing of students considered for such acceleration and may request additional assessment if deemed appropriate. The guidance team will recommend promotion or acceleration to the principal. The principal or his/her designee will confer with the parent(s) or guardian(s) concerning the recommendation and will give them formal notification of the decision in writing, with a copy to the Superintendent’s designee, and, in cases of promotion to the ninth grade, to the principal of the receiving high school.

C. High School

1. Base Grad Year

   When a student enters into ninth grade, his or her expected year of graduation, or base grad year (“BGY”), is set. Thereafter, each student’s BGY remains the same, and his or her grade level advances one grade level per year, regardless of the amount of credits the student obtains or whether the student graduates early. The student’s BGY and/or grade level are used to determine eligibility for certain programs, such as Running Start.
    
2. Promotion
   
   When a high school student has not satisfactorily completed the number of credits or the specific courses required at the student's grade level for normal progress toward graduation, parent(s) or guardian(s) will be notified in writing by the counselor. This notification will be made at the end of each semester the student is deficient in credits or specific courses and will inform the student and parent(s)/guardian(s) of alternative educational experiences and summer school options available in the District or within close proximity. At any point parent(s) or guardian(s) will have the opportunity to confer with school personnel regarding the deficiency.
   
   When a second-semester senior student will not have sufficient credits for graduation if additional courses are failed, parent(s)/guardian(s) will be notified in writing by the counselor that the student's graduation could be in jeopardy. Parent(s) or guardian(s) will have the opportunity to confer with school personnel.

3. Acceleration
   
   High school students’ assigned grade levels advance one year for each school year of high school attendance and are not accelerated based on other factors such as credits earned. Students who desire early graduation from high school will work with their counselor to devise a written plan for fulfilling high school graduation requirements.

Legal References: WAC 180-51-035 Applicable standards for graduation for students under age twenty-one — Applicable standards for graduation for students age twenty-one or older — Amendments to this chapter.