AP 208: Student Acceleration, Promotion Or Retention
Instruction & Assessment
Background
The Superintendent demonstrates a belief in equal opportunity and equal access to quality education in a supportive, positive and challenging environment.
In any given year, it is expected that students will normally progress from one grade level to the next on an annual basis. The decision to promote a student from one grade to the next will be made based on measurable data and assessments and made in the best interest of the student based on input from the teacher(s), parent(s) and Principal.
This administrative procedure guides the process and approval for acceleration, promotion or retention.
Definitions
a) Acceleration: shall refer to a process of promotion in which a decision is made by the Associate Superintendent, Student Supports and Services, for a student to skip or miss one or more grade levels.
b) Promotion: shall refer to the annual process in which a student proceeds, with the approval of the Principal, to the next grade level in the subsequent school year.
c) Retention: shall refer to the annual process where promotion to the next grade level is declined by the Associate Superintendent, Student Supports and Services, resulting in grade repetition for the subsequent year.
Regarding Promotion
1. Successful achievement of learning outcomes shall be determined as defined within the Alberta Programs of Study.
2. A Principal shall promote those students who have demonstrated successful achievement of the outcomes, for the grade in which they are registered, and in consultation with the relevant teaching staff.
Regarding Acceleration
3. A summary of current research supports the practice of acceleration in those cases where the teacher has appropriately assessed the student, a future program plan has been developed, and planning for implementation has occurred.
4. The decision to accelerate a student shall be based on the following factors:
4.1. Current level of achievement,
4.2. Academic assessment,
4.3. Social – emotional maturity of the student,
4.4. Parent input, and
4.5. School context.
5. Consideration of the acceleration factors should indicate that the decision to accelerate is in the best interest of the student.
6. In those circumstances where a student has been assessed, consultation with the parents, teacher(s) and principal has have occurred, and the reasons and benefits for acceleration have been clearly identified, a decision to accelerate may be granted by the Associate Superintendent, Student Supports and Services.
Regarding Retention
7. The Associate Superintendent, Student Supports and Services, may consider the practice of retention, for students demonstrating academic difficulties, after all other considerable and foreseeable avenues for support and learning loss mitigation are attempted; however,
7.1. It is generally perceived that more effective alternatives to retention include motivating and engaging students in learning and supporting students in a vary of alternative ways in an effort to successfully move them towards high school completion.
8. In situations where the parent(s) are insisting that retention takes place, it is the responsibility of the principal to ensure parents are aware of the implications of grade retention.
9. Parents should be involved and supportive of any discussion or consideration for retention of their child and sign consent.
10. Students identified with a disability should not be identified for possible retention in their grade if their programming needs have been addressed in an Individual Education Plan.
11. The decision to retain a student in their current grade shall have evidence indicating that the decision is in the best interest of the student.
12. In those circumstances where a student has been assessed, consultation with the parents, teacher(s) and principal have occurred, and the reasons and benefits for retention have been clearly identified, a decision to retain may be granted by the Associate Superintendent, Student Supports and Services.
