Promotion Policy

Middle Grades (6th-8th) Promotion Criteria*


Benchmark Grades:


Throughout a students’ educational career, they must show academic proficiency at certain benchmarks. Therefore, for the purpose of this policy, students in the 8th grade will be required to show academic proficiency using the below performance metrics.


A student’s promotion is determined by the following measures:


  1. District-Wide Assessment (DWA):

    1. The district-wide assessment will be the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress or other norm-referenced assessment administered by the district. Students will be required to obtain a proficiency of score of 24th percentile or higher on the End of Year administration of the assessment.

    2. Students not demonstrating proficient DWA scores in either reading or math will be identified as “Achievement Level 2B or 3B” (See Appendix B).

    3. In instances where a student’s DWA results are incomplete or inaccessible, the District shall render a promotion determination utilizing the best available data; consistent with the standards described in the Waukegan CUSD #60 Board Policy #5212.

    4. Under limited circumstances, DWA scores from previous school years will be considered.


  1. Academic Performance

    1. Report card grades in reading, math, science, and social studies shall reflect a student’s unit test scores and completion of homework assignments during the school year. The final report card grade in each subject area represents an average of the grades reported at the end of each of the four reporting periods. In order to show proficiency, a student will be required to have a ‘2.0 cumulative GPA’ or higher in reading, math, science, and social studies on the final report card in the 8th grade. Encore and Physical Education courses will not be utilized in the calculation of the cumulative GPA.


  1. Attendance Criteria

    1. Student has no more than 9 unexcused absences in the last 180 school days.  Students who do not meet the attendance criteria, as well as criteria #1 and/or criteria #2 will be eligible for summer school AND will be referred for a truancy intervention. 


 


Students who have demonstrated success in criteria #1 and criteria #2 but do not meet 

the attendance criteria will be referred for a truancy intervention. 


 


Promotion Criteria for Diverse Learners


Diverse Learners receiving special education and related services under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are expected to meet the same promotion criteria as their same age, same grade, non-disabled peers unless the IEP modifies the promotion criteria in whole or in part (this includes English Learners with an IEP). In this case, the parameters of the IEP will dictate a student’s promotion requirements.


 


Promotion Criteria for English Learners


English Learners (Els) will complete their general academic curriculum in their native language and/or English.


  1. The District-wide assessment will be the Northwest Evaluation Association (NWEA) Measures of Academic Progress or other norm-referenced assessment administered by the District. Elstudents WILL be required to obtain a proficiency score of 24th percentile or higher on the End of Year administration of the assessment as long as it is administered in the student’s primary language of instruction.

  2. EL students in the benchmark grades shall be promoted to the next grade at the end of the academic year if they receive a FINAL report card grade of ‘C’ or above in Reading and Math.

  3. Student has no more than 9 unexcused absences in the last 180 school days.Students who do not meet the attendance criteria, as well as criteria #1 and/or criteria #2 will be eligible for summer school AND will be referred for a truancy intervention.Students who have demonstrated success in criteria #1 and criteria #2 but do not meet the attendance criteria will be referred for a truancy intervention.

*Building administrators have the option to appeal district retention decisions based on special circumstances that may have had a detrimental effect on a student’s academic achievement during the current school year.  Any such appeal shall be in writing and directed to the Area Superintendent.


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