Morris School District
MORRIS SCHOOL DISTRICT
Morristown, New Jersey 07960

Policy
File Code: 6146.2
Monitored: X
Mandated: X
Other Reasons
PROMOTION/RETENTION

Generally, students must meet the following requirements to be considered eligible for promotion to the next grade level:

Attendance - Students must attend school on a regular basis if they are going to acquire the established core content proficiencies (knowledge and skills) for their respective grade level. The maximum number of days a student may be absent from school during the school year is sixteen (16). Parents of a student with excessive absence, but with legitimate reasons, may request additional days with appropriate documentation by writing to the building principal.

Basic Skill Proficiency - Students must demonstrate basic proficiency in reading, writing, and mathematics by attaining the established minimum levels of performance for their respective grade on the local and/or state standardized achievement rest administered in the spring. Students who have not yet attained the established Minimum Level Proficiency (MLP) for the prior grade level must receive additional academic support through the Basic Skill Improvement Program during the school year. Limited English proficient students must receive additional language instruction through the Bilingual/English as a Second Language Program during the school year. Students not yet attaining basic skill proficiency in reading, writing, mathematics, and/or English language by the end of the current school year are strongly encouraged to enroll in summer school for additional instructional support.

Core Curriculum Content Standards - Students participating in the regular program must attain established grade level proficiencies, as demonstrated by a final passing grade in language arts literacy and mathematics and at least two of the following areas: science, social studies, physical education/health, fine, visual, and performing or practical arts, and world language. Students not yet attaining grade level proficiency in language arts literacy and/or mathematics by the end of the current school year are strongly encouraged to enroll in summer school for additional instructional support.

Students who are experiencing difficulty in meeting grade level requirements, shall be identified as early as possible. School personnel shall initiate appropriate intervention strategies, which may include:
  • Daily sign in/out;

  • Parent and teacher planning conferences;

  • Use of daily assignment journals and notebooks;

  • Written progress reports;

  • Supplemental assistance by the classroom teacher before, after, and during the regular school day;

  • Supplemental assistance by parents, peers, and outside tutors;

  • Developmental and remedial instruction by a Basic Skills Improvement teacher;

  • English language development through Bilingual and/or English as a Second Language services;

  • Counseling support of the building administrator, child study team, guidance counselor, and teachers;

  • Academic support through gifted and talented (requires qualification) and/or special education (requires classification); and

  • Expansion of learning time through summer school.
The decision to extend a student's grade level experience beyond a single school year is an educational programming strategy of last resort. The following factors must be considered in assessing the impact of grade level retention:
  • Personal development (e.g., age, intelligence, gender, physical size, maturity, etc.);

  • Social, emotional, and behavioral functioning (e.g., siblings, personality, parental involvement, transience, interpersonal relationships with staff and students, etc.);

  • School experience (e.g., grade level, motivation, effort, achievement, prior promotion/ retention, etc.);

  • Summer School experience; and

  • Probability of success (e.g., parental support, teacher recommendation, etc.).
However, if a student has not yet attained grade level promotion requirements by the end of the established grade level span (i.e., grades K-2, 3-5, and 6-8), he/she shall not be promoted to the next level without the following:
  1. Classification as educationally handicapped with an appropriate individualized plan in an approved special education program; and/or

  2. Recommendation for promotion to the next level of classroom teacher(s) and building principal, with the following conditions:
    1. Completion of a comprehensive assessment of proficiency in each of the three basic skill areas (i.e., mathematics, reading, and writing) and core curriculum content standards in the six required subject areas (i.e., language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, physical education/health, and world language) by sending school staff;

    2. Successful completion of summer school in the areas of language arts and mathematics (if established minimum level of proficiency on the annual spring standardized achievement test and/or core content standards in these areas have not yet been attained);

    3. Development of an appropriate (individualized) student instructional program plan, addressing identified areas for improvement and incorporating performance benchmarks by receiving school staff; and

    4. Regular schedule of progress reports to be signed by the parent(s).
Date: April 14, 1986
October 29, 2001 First Reading
November 19, 2001 Approved

Legal References:
N.J.S.A. 18A:4-24 Determining efficiency of schools; report to state board
N.J.S.A. 18A:7C-2 Boards of education; establishment of standards
N.J.S.A. 18A:35-4.9 Pupil promotion and remediation; policies and procedures
N.J.A.C. 6:8-4.1 Review of mandated programs and services
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-4.1 Statewide assessment system
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-4.2 Documentation of student achievement
N.J.A.C. 6A:8-5.1 Graduation requirements
N.J.A.C. 6A:30-1.1 et seq. Evaluation of the Performance of School Districts
Wheatley v. Board of Education of City of Burlington, 1974 S.L.D. 851
Manual for the Evaluation of Local School Districts (August 2000)

Cross References:
5113 Absences and excuses
5120 Assessment of individual needs
5124 Reporting to parents/guardians
6142 Subject fields
6142.2 English as a second language; bilingual/bicultural
6143 Curriculum guides
6145 Extracurricular activities
6146 Graduation requirements
6146.1 Acceleration
6147 Standards of proficiency
6147.1 Evaluation of individual student performance
6171.1 Remedial instruction
6171.3 At-risk and Title 1
 

Morris School District | 31 Hazel Street | Morristown, New Jersey | Phone: 973-292-2300
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