A student's achievement of the basic skills specified for the School District of the City of St.
Charles curriculum for the grade level to which he or she is assigned and his or her readiness for
work at the next grade level shall be required before he or she is assigned to the higher grade.
Those students who have mastered the appropriate basic skills for the grade level will be
promoted. Those students who have not mastered the appropriate basic skills for the grade level
will be retained if such action is deemed appropriate by the teacher and principal.
In evaluating student achievement for promotion, each teacher shall make use of all available
information including criterion-referenced test results, teacher-made tests and other measures of
skills and content mastery, teacher observation of student performance and standardized test
results. The principal shall direct and aid the teachers in their evaluations and review grade
assignments in order to ensure uniformity of evaluation standards.
Decisions on whether to promote, accelerate or retain a student with disabilities will be made in
accordance with the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and as required by other
applicable law.
Promotion
The district may adopt a policy that requires remediation as a condition of promotion to the next
grade level for any student identified by the district as failing to master skills and competencies
established for that particular grade level by the Board. The district may require parents or
guardians of such students to commit to conduct home-based tutorial activities with their children.
Such remediation may include, but shall not necessarily be limited to, a mandatory summer school
program focused on the areas of deficiency or other such alternatives conducted by the district
outside of the regular school day. If the district provides remediation in this manner outside the
traditional school day, the extra hours of instruction may be counted in the calculation of average
daily attendance. Such remediation shall recognize that different students learn differently and
shall employ methods designed to help these students achieve at high levels.
Decisions concerning the remedial reading instruction of a student who receives special education
services, including the nature of parental involvement consistent with a free appropriate public
education, shall be made in accordance with the student's Individualized Education Plan (IEP).
Acceleration
The district will assist students so that they progress academically in accordance with their
capabilities. While provisions for individual differences should be adequately accomplished within
a grade level, it may occasionally be necessary to advance a student to the next grade.
Acceleration to a higher grade level should be approached with caution. Capable students may
be so advanced, but only after thorough discussion with the student's guidance counselor and with
the joint approval of the parents/guardians, the principal and the superintendent.
Retention
State law requires that all students who are reading below a third-grade reading level according
to the district’s fourth-grade reading assessment shall be retained if the student has not adequately
improved by the end of summer school.
While the wishes and concerns of the parent or legal guardian will be given proper consideration,
the decision to promote or retain is a professional decision. When evaluative procedures indicate
that a student is not achieving the basic skills required, the teacher will give to the building
principal a written explanation with justification and a recommendation concerning grade
assignment. Further individual evaluation and diagnosis should be considered for possible referral
to the student services staff and other appropriate agencies to assess the student's achievement
capabilities, deficiencies and need for additional specialized services. After receiving all available
data, the principal shall make the final decision on promotion or retention of the student.
In order to facilitate communication with parents in regard to a possible retention notice, the
teacher and principal should communicate their concern about the student's progress with the
child's parents as early in the school year as possible. Such communications shall be documented.
* * * * * * *
Note: The reader is encouraged to check the index located at the beginning of this
section for other pertinent policies and to review administrative procedures
and/or forms for related information.
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Adopted: 10/14/1993
Revised: 09/14/1995; 01/13/2000; 07/11/2002
Legal Refs: § 167.645, RSMo.
Board of Curators, Univ. of Mo. v. Horowitz, 435 U.S. 78 (1978)
St. Charles School District, St. Charles, Missouri
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