| New Richmond Exempted Village School District |
| Bylaws & Policies |
5410 - EARLY ENTRANCE, PROMOTION, ACADEMIC ACCELERATION, PLACEMENT, EARLY GRADUATION, AND RETENTION
The Board of Education 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.
It is
the Board's intent that each student be moved forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his/her own development.Such pattern should coincide with the system of grade levels established by this Board and the instructional objectives established for each.
Early Entrance
The District provides early admission to kindergarten and first grade for qualified students. Copies of the referral forms for evaluation for early entrance to kindergarten or first grade will be available in each school building. Any student residing in the District may be referred by a staff member or a parent/guardian to the principal of the school for evaluation for possible early admission. Students may refer themselves or a peer through a staff member who has knowledge of the referred child's abilities.
Pursuant to R.C. 3321.01, all children who will be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of the school year for which admission is requested shall be evaluated upon request of the child's parent or legal guardian. Children who will not be the proper age for entrance to kindergarten or first grade by the first day of January of the school year for which admission is requested shall also be evaluated for early admittance if referred by an educator within the District, a pre-school educator who knows the child, or a pediatrician or psychologist who knows the child. Such children may also be evaluated at the discretion of the principal of the school to which the student may be admitted.
Before a student is evaluated for early entrance, the principal (or his/her designee) of the school to which the child may be admitted shall obtain written permission from the child's parent/guardian.
Evaluations related to referrals submitted to the school principal between August 15th and April 15th, will ordinarily be completed and a written report issued within forty-five (45) calendar days of submission of the referral to the school principal. Evaluations related to referrals submitted to the school principal between April 16th and August 14th will ordinarily be completed and a written report issued within forty-five (45) days of the start of the school year.
Children referred for early entrance will be evaluated in a prompt manner. The principal of the school to which the child may be admitted shall convene an acceleration evaluation committee to determine whether early entrance is appropriate for that child. The acceleration evaluation committee shall include the following:
| A. | a parent/legal guardian or a representative designated by the parent/guardian </ | ||
| B. | a gifted education coordinator or gifted education specialist, or, if neither is available, a school psychologist or a guidance counselor with expertise in the appropriate use of academic acceleration </ | ||
| C. | the principal or assistant principal of the school to which the child may be admitted </ | ||
| D. | a teacher at the grade level to which the student may be admitted </ |
The acceleration evaluation committee shall be responsible for conducting a fair and thorough evaluation of the student. The acceleration evaluation committee will also consider the student's own thoughts on possible accelerated placement in its deliberations.
Children considered for early entrance shall be evaluated based on the Iowa Acceleration Scale (IAS). The IAS includes 20 items that are rated and categorized into five subtotals that include the most salient issues for consideration by educators and parents. The subtotals are:
| A. | Academic Ability, Aptitude, and Achievement; </ | ||
| B. | School and Academic Factors; </ | ||
| C. | Developmental Factors; (4) Interpersonal Skills; and </ | ||
| D. | Attitude and Support. </ |
Finally, a cumulative score from all of these factors is calculated.
The parent/guardian will be provided with a written summary of the outcome of the evaluation process. This notification shall include instructions for appealing the outcome of the evaluation process.
Appeals must be made in writing to the Superintendent within thirty (30) calendar days of the parent/guardian receiving the results of the evaluation. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall review the appeal and notify the parent/guardian of his/her decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the appeal. The Superintendent or his/her designee's decision will be final.
If a child is recommended for early entrance, the acceleration evaluation committee will develop a written acceleration plan for that child. The plan will specify:
| A. | placement of the child in the accelerated setting; </ | ||
| B. | strategies to support successful early entrance; and </ | ||
| C. | an appropriate transition period for accelerated students. </ |
A school staff member will be assigned to oversee the implementation of the acceleration plan and to monitor the child's adjustment to the early entrance.
At any time during the transition period, a parent/guardian of the child may request in writing that the child be withdrawn from the accelerated placement. In such cases, the principal shall remove the child without repercussions.
Also, at any time during the transition period, a parent/guardian may request in writing an alternative accelerated placement. In such cases, the principal shall direct the acceleration evaluation committee to consider other placement options and to issue a decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the request. If the student will be placed in a different setting from that initially recommended, the acceleration plan shall be revised accordingly, and a new transition period shall be specified.
At the end of the transition period, the accelerated placement shall become permanent. The child's records shall be modified accordingly, and the acceleration plan shall become part of the student's permanent record to facilitate continuous progress through the curriculum.
Promotion:
A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when s/he has:
| A. | completed the course and State-mandated requirements at the presently assigned grade; </ | ||
| B. | in the opinion of the professional staff, achieved the instructional objectives set for the present grade; </ | ||
| C. | demonstrated sufficient proficiency to permit him/her to move ahead in the educational program of the next grade; </ | ||
| D. | demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the next grade. </ |
Academic Acceleration:
Academic acceleration may involve whole-grade acceleration or individual subject acceleration. Academic acceleration occurs when a student is not only doing the caliber of work necessary to be promoted to the next grade or enrolled in the next course in the academic sequence, but also demonstrates the ability to do the caliber of work required of students in that next grade level/subject/course. An acceleration evaluation committee will determine whether the student will be permitted to skip a grade level (i.e., whole-grade acceleration), or take a subject at a higher grade level or skip a course in the usual and customary academic sequence (i.e., individual subject acceleration).
Any student residing in the District may be referred by a staff member or a parent/guardian to the principal of his/her school for evaluation for possible accelerated placement. Students may refer themselves or a peer through a staff member who has knowledge of the referred child's abilities. Copies of referral forms for evaluation for whole-grade or individual subject acceleration will be available at each school building.
Students referred for accelerated placement will be evaluated in a prompt manner. The building principal will schedule the evaluations. Normally, changes in a student's schedule will occur only at the start of a semester.
Before a student is evaluated for accelerated placement, the principal (or his/her designee) shall obtain written permission from the student's parent/guardian.
Evaluations related to referrals that occur during the school year will ordinarily be completed and a written report issued within forty-five (45) calendar days. Evaluations related to referrals that occur at the end of a school year or during the summer will be completed and a written report issued either before the end of the school year, if possible, or within forty-five (45) calendar days of the start of the next school year.
Upon referral, the student's principal (or his/her designee) shall convene an acceleration evaluation committee to determine the appropriate learning environment for the referred student. This committee shall include the following:
| A. | a parent/guardian, or a representative designated by that parent/guardian </ | ||
| B. | a gifted education coordinator or gifted intervention specialist, or if neither is available, a school psychologist or guidance counselor with expertise in the appropriate use of academic acceleration may be substituted </ | ||
| C. | a principal or assistant principal from the child's current school </ | ||
| D. | a current teacher of the referred student </ | ||
| E. | a teacher at the grade level or course to which the referred student may be accelerated </ |
The acceleration evaluation committee shall be responsible for conducting a fair and thorough evaluation of the student. The acceleration evaluation committee will consider the student's own thoughts on possible accelerated placement in its deliberations. In the event that career-technical programs are considered for acceleration, a career-technical educator shall be consulted as a part of the evaluation.
A student will be accelerated when the acceleration evaluation committee determines that the student:
| A. | achieved the grade/course objectives and State-mandated requirements, if applicable, for the grade/course in which s/he is presently enrolled as well as for the grade(s)/course(s) that will be skipped; </ | ||
| B. | in the opinion of the professional staff, achieved the instructional objectives set for the present grade/course as well as the succeeding one(s); </ | ||
| C. | demonstrated sufficient proficiency to permit him/her to be accelerated in the educational program; </ | ||
| D. | demonstrated the degree of social, emotional, and physical maturation necessary for a successful learning experience in the grade/course to which s/he will be promoted or enrolled. </ |
The acceleration evaluation committee shall issue a written decision on the outcome of the evaluation process to the principal and the student's parent/guardian. This notification shall include instructions for appealing the decision. If a consensus recommendation cannot be reached by the committee, the decision will be determined by a majority vote of the committee membership.
Appeals must be made in writing to the Superintendent within thirty (30) calendar days of the parent/guardian receiving the committee's decision. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall review the appeal and notify the parent/guardian of his/her decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the appeal. The Superintendent or his/her designee's decision shall be final.
If the student is recommended for whole-grade or individual subject acceleration, the acceleration evaluation committee will develop a written acceleration plan. The parent/guardian shall be provided with a copy of the plan. The plan shall specify:
| A. | placement of the student in an accelerated setting; </ | ||
| B. | strategies to support a successful transition to the accelerated setting; </ | ||
| C. | requirements and procedures for earning high school credit prior to entering high school (if applicable); and, </ | ||
| D. | an appropriate transition period for accelerated students. </ |
A school staff member will be assigned to oversee implementation of the acceleration plan and to monitor the adjustment of the student to the accelerated setting.
At any time during the transition period, a parent/guardian of the student may request in writing that the student be withdrawn from accelerated placement. In such cases the principal shall remove the student from the accelerated placement without repercussions.
At any time during the transition period, a parent/guardian may request in writing an alternative accelerated placement. In such cases, the principal shall direct the evaluation committee to consider other accelerative options and to issue a decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the request. If the student will be placed in a different accelerated setting from that initially recommended, the student's acceleration plan shall be revised accordingly, and a new transition period shall be specified.
At the end of the transition period, the accelerated placement shall become permanent. The student's record shall be modified accordingly, and the acceleration implementation plan shall become part of the student's permanent record to facilitate continuous progress through the curriculum.
Early High School Graduation - General
Application for early high school graduation must be submitted to the high school principal.
The principal may honor this request if all conditions for high school graduation are met and the student fulfills the high school graduation requirements.
Early High School Graduation – Advanced Learners
Any student residing in the District may be referred for early high school graduation by a staff member or parent/guardian to the principal of his/her school. Students may refer themselves or a peer through a staff member who has knowledge of the referred child's abilities. Copies of referral forms will be available at each school building.
Students referred for early high school graduation will be evaluated in a prompt manner. The building principal will schedule the evaluations. Normally, changes in a student's schedule will only occur at the start of a semester.
Before a student is evaluated for early high school graduation, the principal (or his/her designee) must obtain written permission from the student's parent/guardian.
Evaluations related to referrals that occur during the school year will ordinarily be completed and a written report issued within forty-five (45) calendar days. Evaluations related to referrals that occur at the end of a school year or during the summer will be completed and a written report issued either before the end of the school year, if possible, or within forty-five (45) calendar days of the start of the next school year.
Upon referral, the student's principal (or his/her designee) shall convene an acceleration evaluation committee to determine the appropriateness of early high school graduation for the student. The committee shall include the following:
| A. | a parent/legal guardian of the referred student </ | ||
| B. | a gifted education coordinator or gifted intervention specialist, or, if neither is available, a school psychologist or guidance counselor with expertise in early high school graduation </ | ||
| C. | a principal or assistant principal from the student's current school </ | ||
| D. | a current teacher of the referred student </ |
The acceleration evaluation committee shall be responsible for conducting a fair and thorough evaluation of the student.
Students referred for early high school graduation shall be evaluated based on past academic performance, measures of achievement based on State academic content standards, and successful completion of State mandated graduation requirements. The acceleration evaluation committee will consider the student's own thoughts on possible accelerated placement in its deliberations.
The acceleration evaluation committee shall issue a written decision on the outcome of the evaluation process to the principal and the student's parent/guardian. This notification shall include instructions for appealing the decision.
Appeals must be made in writing to the Superintendent within thirty (30) calendar days of the parent/guardian receiving the committee's decision. The Superintendent or his/her designee shall review the appeal and notify the parent/guardian of his/her final decision within thirty (30) calendar days of receiving the appeal. The Superintendent or his/her designee's decision shall be final.
If the student is recommended for early high school graduation, the acceleration evaluation committee will develop a written acceleration plan designed to allow the student to complete high school graduation requirements on an accelerated basis. The plan may include the provision of educational options in accordance with A.C. 3301-35-06(G), waiving District graduation requirements that exceed those by the State, and early promotion to sophomore (or higher) status to allow the student to take the Ohio Graduation Test.
A staff member will be assigned to oversee implementation of the written acceleration plan and to monitor the adjustment of the student to the accelerated setting.
Retention:
A student may be retained at his/her current grade level when s/he has:
| A. | in the opinion of the professional staff, failed to demonstrate proficiency in the core subjects; </ | ||
| B. | in the opinion of the professional staff, failed to achieve the instructional objectives set forth at the current grade level that are requisite for success at the succeeding grade level; </ | ||
| C. | scored below proficient level on any State-mandated test. </ |
A student may be placed at the next grade level when retention would no longer benefit the student.
The Superintendent shall develop administrative guidelines for promotion, placement, and retention of students that:
| A. | require the recommendation of the relevant staff members for promotion, placement, or retention; </ | ||
| B. | require that parents are informed in advance of the possibility of retention of a student at a grade level; </ | ||
| C. | assure that efforts will be made to remediate the student's difficulties before s/he is retained; </ | ||
| D. | require that a student be retained if s/he is truant for ten percent (10%) or more of the required school days and has failed at least two (2) courses of study, unless the principal and the teachers of the failed subjects determine that the student is academically prepared to be promoted; </ | ||
| E. | assign to the principal the final responsibility for determining the promotion, placement, or retention of each student; </ | ||
| F. | provide parents the opportunity to request the promotion, placement, or retention of their child; </ | ||
| G. | provide parents the opportunity to appeal the decision about their child's promotion, placement, or retention. </ |
R.C. 3313.608, 3313.608(D), 3313.609, 3313.647, 3324.10
A.C. 3301-35-02(B)(5)
Revised 9/16/10