Policy 513 - Student Promotion (Acceleration)/Retention Grades K-8

I. PURPOSE

It is the policy of Independent School District #477 that students shall generally be promoted with their age groups.

ACCELERATION

Should consideration be given for accelerating a student, the following characteristics shall be studied: level of academic success, achievement testing data, learning potential, age, physical size, self esteem, maturity, emotional stability, attendance, physical health, grade level expectations, teacher recommendations and feedback from the student and parent/guardian.

1. The person requesting acceleration consideration should present their request in the form of a letter to the building principal, who will inform the district Advanced Academics  program coordinator.
2. The Advanced Academics  program coordinator will gather and analyze information related to the characteristics of the student in relation to:
   1. others in current grade
   2. others in the grade level of acceleration request.
3. The decision to accelerate will be made by a committee.
   1. The Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS), Third Edition, will be used to Guide the conversation about acceleration. A recommendation to accelerate requires a minimum of forty-six points on the IAS.
   2. The grade level acceleration request will be evaluated by a Committee comprised of School Administrators, current teacher of the student, teacher at the grade level to which the student may be accelerated, parent(s)/guardian(s) of student, school psychologist, and Advanced Academics program coordinator. The committee shall be responsible for the final decision and will provide a written explanation to the person that made the request to accelerate the student as to whether the student will be accelerated or remain at the current grade level. The written decision shall become a part of the student’s permanent file. 

RETENTION

Should consideration be given for retaining a student in a single grade, the following characteristics shall be studied:  level of achievement, learning potential, age, physical size, self esteem, maturity, attendance, physical health, grade level expectations and feedback from the student and parent/guardian. The Superintendent’s decision shall be final.

II. GOALS

1. Maintain academic accountability or achievement.
2. Protect due process rights of students.
3. Establish an early identification and treatment plan for poorly achieving students.
4. Provide a student support system which will include the principal, all Appropriate staff members, counselor and parents/guardians.
5. Provide program adjustment plans to help poorly achieving students gain Needed skills without retention.
6. Provide a monitoring system to follow students who progress with an intervention plan and/or who have been retained.
7. Inform parents of the intervention.
8. Describe procedures for initiation of this policy in the school handbook.

Adopted: February 21, 2017
Revised: August 15, 2017
Revised: December 21, 2023

Cross Reference:

513.1 Early Entrance Policy