CRITERION FOR PROMOTION AND GRADUATION

Promotion in the Chicago Public Schools is based on the following requirements:

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL / HIGH SCHOOL

Parent Guide to the 2005-2006 Elementary School Student Promotion Policy for Benchmark Grades 3, 6, and 8

The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Elementary School Student Promotion Policy includes a variety of measures to ensure that all students are prepared for the grade to which they are promoted. The promotion policy sets specific standards for students in grades 3, 6, and 8. In order to be promoted, students must demonstrate mastery of these standards through classroom performance, attendance, and achievement tests. Parents can help their children meet the promotion standards by ensuring that students get to school every day, on time, checking homework assignments each day, and talking often with teacher(s) so that problems may be identified, discussed, and addressed.

Decisions to promote or retain elementary school students should be based on successful completion of curriculum, attendance, and performance on the district assessment. Students in benchmark grades 3, 6, and 8 are subject to the following considerations:

Achievement Level 1 (Above Range)

Students in the benchmark grades with District Assessment scores in reading and mathematics scores at or above the 35th National Percentile Ranking will be reviewed to see if they also meet the following two criteria:

Academic Performance

Final passing report card grade in reading and mathematics, at a minimum, shall reflect satisfactory unit test scores in reading and consistent completion of homework assignments during the year.

Attendance

No more than nine unexcused absences (for the 2005-2006 school year, only unexcused absences occurring after November 9, 2005, will be counted.)

Students who meet all three criteria shall automatically be promoted in June to the next grade level. Students who fail to meet all three criteria shall be promoted to the next grade only upon satisfactory completion of summer school. Satisfactory completion of summer school shall mean a student who: (1) has a summer school attendance record of no more than three unexcused absences; and (2) has received a passing grade on the summer report card in both reading and mathematics.

Achievement Level 2 (Within Range)

Students in the benchmark grades with (a) District Assessment in reading and mathematics scores ranging from the 24 th through the 34 th National Percentile Ranking, or (b) a DA score in one of the two subject areas (reading or mathematics) at or above the 35th National Percentile Ranking but with the other DA score (reading or mathematics) in the range from the 24 th through the 34 th National Percentile Ranking scores will be reviewed to see if they also meet the following four criteria which indicate that the student is sufficiently prepared to perform satisfactorily at the next grade level:

Academic Performance

Final report card grades in reading and mathematics of “C” or better for the academic year. A report card grade of “C” shall, at a minimum, reflect satisfactory unit test scores in both reading and mathematics as well as consistent completion of homework assignments during the year.

Attendance

No more than nine unexcused absences (for the 2005-2006 school year, only unexcused absences occurring after November 9, 2005, will be counted).

Conduct

A student’s conduct during the academic year was satisfactory, i.e., there was an absence of any significant disciplinary infractions

Students who meet all four criteria shall automatically be promoted in June to the next grade level. Students who fail to meet all four criteria shall be promoted to the next grade only upon satisfactory completion of summer school.

Achievement Level 3 (Below Range)

Students in the benchmark grades with (a) District Assessment in reading and mathematics scores that are below the 24 th National Percentile Ranking, or (b) a DA score in one of the two subject areas (reading or mathematics) at or above the 24 th National Percentile Ranking but with the other DA score (reading or mathematics) that is below the 24 th National Percentile Ranking, or (c) with no DA scores in either reading or mathematics, except for those students who are not required to take the ISAT scores, will be reviewed to see if they also meet the following four criteria:

Academic Performance

Final report card grade in reading “C” or better for the academic year. A report card grade of “C” shall, at a minimum, reflect satisfactory unit test scores in reading and consistent completion of homework assignments during the year.

Attendance

No more than nine unexcused absences (for the 2005-2006 school year, only unexcused absences occurring after November 9, 2005, will be counted)

Conduct

A student’s conduct during the academic year was satisfactory, i.e., there was an absence of any significant disciplinary infractions

Students who meet all four criteria shall be promoted to the next grade only upon satisfactory completion of summer school. In addition to summer school, students who fail to meet all four criteria shall be required take a mandatory end of summer school assessment in the subject(s) where the students’ DA score is below the 24 th percentile. These students will be promoted to the next grade only upon (a) satisfactory completion of summer school, and (b) a score on the required summer assessment(s) at or above the 24 th percentile. ___________________________________________________________________

August Parent Request Process for an Appeal of Promotion Determination

At the end of summer school, parents/guardians will receive a promotion determination notice identifying whether their child satisfies all the requirements for promotion. Parents/guardians shall have five calendar days following the receipt of the promotion determination notice to submit in writing to the Chief Education Officer or designee an appeal to review their children’s academic performance or attendance records.

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Criteria for Promotion of Students with Disabilities

Students with disabilities (including English Language Learners with a disability) receiving special education and related services under an Individual Education Program (IEP) are expected to meet the same promotion criteria as their non-disabled peers.  The Office of Specialized Services mandates that during these annual reviews of IEPs, promotion decisions for students with disabilities are made in conformance with their IEPs, and that the IEP contain full and complete information concerning the promotion criteria.

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Criteria for Promotion of English Language Learners (ELLs)

All ELL students will complete the English as a Second Language (ESL) curriculum and their general academic curriculum in their native language and/or English. ELL students in the benchmark grades may be promoted if they demonstrate the following:

1. Academic Performance: The student has a final report card grade of “C” or better in reading and mathematics for the academic year. A report card grade of “C” shall, at a minimum, reflect satisfactory unit test scores in reading and mathematics and consistent completion of homework assignments during the year.

2. Attendance: The student’s attendance record during the academic year has no more than nine unexcused absences (for the 2005-2006 school year, only unexcused absences occurring after November 9, 2005, will be counted).

3. Conduct: A student’s conduct during the academic year was satisfactory, i.e., there was an absence of any significant disciplinary infractions.

The principal shall make promotion determinations for ELL students based on teacher recommendations as they relate to the promotion criteria listed above. An ELL may not be retained based on their English Language Proficiency level regardless of Bilingual Program Year. The Office of Language and Cultural Education shall identify language support offerings to assist ELL students during the school year and, where possible, during the summer.

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RETENTION

Students in grades 1-8 can be retained in a grade for a second year only one time during the following grade cycles: 1-3, 4-6 and 7-8. Students in the benchmark grades who are required to attend summer school and do not successfully complete summer school will be retained in the grade they were in the previous year if this constitutes a first retention. However, if retaining a student would be a second retention, the student shall, upon completion of summer school, be promoted to the next grade, or, for eighth graders and other qualifying students, to an achievement academy.

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June Parent Request Process for an Appeal of Promotion Determination of Non-Benchmark Grade Students

At the end of the regular school year (June 2006), parents/guardians of non-promoted students will have five days after receiving the promotion notification to submit a written appeal to the Chief Education Officer or designee requesting an additional review of the student’s academic performance or attendance records.

Elementary School Promotion Requirements provided by the CPS Office of Instruction and School Management (OISM) 773.553.2150.

Please send questions and/or comments about the Elementary School requirements to:
Office of Instruction and School Management (OISM)

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CPS HIGH SCHOOL AND GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
9th to 10th / 10th to 11th / 11th to 12th / Graduation

Note: Application to Students with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and Students with Disabilities: LEP students meet all graduation requirements with needed accommodations such as placement in English/ESL and home language support in other subject areas, as appropriate. Students with disabilities meet the general graduation requirements with appropriate accommodations and curricular modifications as determined by their Individual Education Programs (IEPs); students whose IEPs indicate an alternative mastery process receive a document of graduation.

CPS Current High School Graduation Requirements provided by the CPS Office of High School Programs 773.553.3540.

Please send comments regarding this content to the Office of High School Programs

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