Procedure No.	2421P
	Adoption Date:	July 11, 1984
	Revised:	May 28, 2002

INSTRUCTION PROMOTION/RETENTION

Prior to the end of the third quarter when possible the teacher will confer with the principal regarding any student who should be considered for retention. Parents/guardians shall be invited to meet with the principal and teacher. Information will be presented to explain the student's progress to date. Parents will be advised on how they might assist the student during the balance of the school year.

At least two (2) weeks prior to the end of the school year, the parent, principal and teacher will again meet to review the latest progress and determine if the student's need would be best served by promotion or retention. If the parent wishes the student to be promoted without regard to the school's recommendation, the parent(s) will be asked to complete a form reflecting the parent's decision.

 Middle School Promotion/Retention

1.	Attendance. Attendance requirements for the middle school shall be the same as for the high school. In accordance with WAC 180-40-235, individual classroom teachers will establish, in writing, at the beginning of each course, the actual influence of absences or tardiness on the grading policy of that class. A day's absence shall mean missing four (4) periods or more. A. After five (5) days absences (excused or unexcused) in one semester, parents will be notified by mail. B. After ten (10) absences in a semester, a parent conference will be held and the student may be placed on an attendance contract. C. After twelve (12) absences in a semester, a student will be recommended for prescriptive summer school. The parent/guardian may request a conference with the building administration to discuss circumstances which may have caused the absences. D. In the event that progressive discipline and continuous communication with parents is unsuccessful, an affidavit of non-attendance will be submitted to the Spokane County Prosecutor. E. Unexcused absences will be treated as truancies. The middle school will use a progressive discipline policy to address truancies and tardies. Students with excessive absences will be subject to review by the Building Review Committee to determine requirements for summer school or possible retention.
2.	Academic Performance. Middle school students should meet the following minimum standards to be eligible to be promoted to the next grade: A. Grades. Students should achieve passing grades in ALL classes at semester. The middle school will create a building intervention plan to ensure that students receive appropriate support to meet this goal. This plan will outline how students at-risk of not meeting the goal will be monitored and provided additional assistance and opportunities to improve their performance. IT IS EXPECTED THAT TEACHERS WILL NOTIFY PARENTS WHENEVER A STUDENT IS IN DANGER OF FAILING. B. A student with failing grades will receive additional assistance according to the building's intervention plan. By May 1 of each school year, students who are failing in spite of school interventions will be referred to a Building Review Committee and recommendations for further action will be made. (See Building Review Committees.)
3.	Building Review Committees. The middle school will establish a review committee for the purpose of making recommendations about students who may be ineligible for promotion to the next grade. Students who have excessive absences or who receive failing grades will be referred to this committee. The committee will review each student's performance for the school year including the interventions that have been tried to help the student be successful. This review process will be completed by May 15 of each school year. The review committee will make recommendation about summer school, alternative placement, or possible retention. The building principal will make the final decision about retention.
4.	Summer School. After a review of students with unsatisfactory performance, the Building Review Committee at the middle school will recommend the summer school program deemed appropriate for each student. Summer School for middle school level students is designed to reinforce essential skills for school success. In addition, it may be suggested that students attend summer school to remediate deficiencies in reading, math, and writing. These remediation classes will be prescriptive in nature: students will be required to work on skills they did not master during the regular school year. These remediation sessions will be a minimum of four (4) weeks in duration. Parents or legal guardians will assume the financial responsibility for summer school courses. If a student does not successfully complete the recommended summer school program, the Building Review Committee will consider retention or alternative placement.
5.	Retention. Retention will be considered as the option of last resort. The Building Review Committee will take all factors into consideration, including the cooperation of the student in working through various interventions tried during the school year. (See Policy 2421-Promotion/Retention.)
6.	Alternative School Placement. In spite of our best efforts to implement the programs mentioned above, there will be students who will not be ready for the high school setting. For social and emotional reasons, it may not be appropriate for every student to remain on a middle school campus. Alternative programs for students who do not meet eligibility standards for promotion to 9th grade will be made available.