Frequently Asked Questions: Grade 8 Promotion Review Process
To help schools prepare for the implementation of the grade 8 promotion policy this year, we’ve assembled answers to some frequently asked questions in this document. For your reference, this document is broken out into the following sections:
· Promotion Policy
· Promotion Review Process
· Roles and Responsibilities
· Summer School Implications
· Tips for Preparing for the Grade 8 Promotion Review Process
Please pay particular attention to the promotion criteria for grade 8 general education students, special education students, and English Language Learners to support identification of students whose promotion may be in doubt.
Promotion Policy
1. What is the new eighth grade promotion policy?
Beginning in the 2008-2009 school year, the new eighth grade promotion policy will take effect. In order to be promoted to the ninth grade, students must:
· Score Level 2 (basic) or above on both the State Math and ELA assessments, AND
· Pass all core courses in ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science according to the school’s grading policy
Students must meet all of these criteria, rather than simply a combination of these criteria, to be promoted.
2. Is the policy different for special education students, English Language Learners, over-age students, and students who have been previously retained?
Special education students are held to the specific promotion criteria as indicated on page 9 of their IEPs. If the IEP designates modified promotion criteria, the criteria listed on page 9 must be used to make the promotion decision. If the IEP indicates that the student is held to standard promotion criteria, the criteria outlined in question #1 apply.
English Language Learners (ELLs) will be held to varying promotion criteria based on their number of years of enrollment. For students enrolled for a partial year, we will round down to the nearest whole number. In other words, a student enrolled for 2.5 years will be considered from a promotion perspective as an ELL enrolled for 2 years.
· ELLs enrolled for 1 year and Students with Interrupted Formal Education must pass all core courses in ELA, Math, Social Studies, and Science (note: exempt from requirement of Level 2 proficiency on State ELA and Math assessments)
· ELLs enrolled for 2-3 years must pass core courses, achieve a Level 2 or higher on the State Math assessment, and demonstrate gains in ELA (see question #5 for a definition of required gains)
· ELLs enrolled for 4 or more years are held to standard promotion criteria (must pass core courses and score Level 2 or above on State ELA and Math assessments).
Students who are over-age (i.e., eighth graders who turn 16 by December 31, 2008) and students who have been previously retained in grades 6-8 have further options if they do not meet the required promotion criteria in June. As part of the promotion review process, these students will have the opportunity to attend summer school at a high school. Students will be promoted if promotion standards are met, but may also be promoted if they have demonstrated progress toward meeting the promotion requirements (by, for example, attending summer school courses, completing assignments and working towards meeting academic goals). Over-age students and students who have been previously retained will be retained if standards are not met and no effort to meet the standards is demonstrated. Please note that students who are over-age and have modified promotion criteria must be evaluated on the basis of the modified promotion criteria stated on page 9 of the IEP.
3. Which courses are defined as core courses? What grade must a student achieve to pass these core courses?
Each student needs to pass his/her core course in ELA, Math, Science, and Social Studies to be promoted. The core course for each student in each subject areas is the primary course that the student has attended for one full school year. As schools are empowered to set their own course guidelines and grading policies, the definition of what grade constitutes “passing” and identification of courses that count as core courses in these subject areas will be left to the school’s discretion. There is not one standard guideline that schools must follow. To ensure that schools are ready to implement this policy in early June, schools should update course data and course grade data in MSPA or HSST. Please see the directions in question #21 for more information on data entry.
4. Is attendance considered as part of a student’s promotion decision?
Attendance is not an explicit criterion used in making a promotion decision. However, because attendance impacts a student’s course grade because students must be present to learn course material, take exams, and turn in course work, attendance has an indirect impact on promotion decisions.
5. How do English Language Learners enrolled for two or three years demonstrate that they have achieved gains in ELA?
State ELA test results are used to make this determination in June, and citywide ELA test results and NYSESLAT gains are used to make this determination in August. The criteria are slightly different for ELLs enrolled for two and three years because ELLs with two years have only one year of State ELA test scores, whereas ELLs with three years have two years of State ELA test scores.
To be promoted in June:
· ELLs enrolled for two years must achieve a high Level 1 or better on the State ELA test
· ELLs enrolled for three years must achieve a Level 2 or better on the State ELA test or achieve a gain of 0.5 in the proficiency level of the 2008 ELA test to the 2009 ELA test (e.g., student improves from 1.4 to 1.9)
ELLs who are not promoted in June based on the criteria above must meet the following criteria to be promoted in August:
· ELLs enrolled for two years must achieve a high Level 1 or better on the citywide ELA test or achieve a ½ level gain on the NYSESLAT reading/writing scale
· ELLs enrolled for three years must achieve a Level 2 or better on the citywide ELA test or achieve a ½ level gain on the NYSESLAT reading/writing scale
Please note that a ½ level NYSESLAT gain reflects a gain from beginning to low intermediate, low intermediate to high intermediate, etc. Proficient students must maintain proficiency. “Low” within a level is the lowest scale score in the level to the midpoint; “high” includes a score between the midpoint and the highest scale score in the level.
6. How is a student’s promotion decision made if the student has no registered score for the State Math or ELA test?
Students who have no registered State test score have not yet demonstrated that they meet the required criteria for promotion. Accordingly, they enter the promotion review process and must demonstrate performance comparable to High Level 2 (in June) or Level 2 (in August) to be promoted. Please refer to question #8 for information on the promotion review process.
7. If a student was previously retained and has two years of State test scores for ELA and Math and two years of course grades, which data should be considered when making the promotion decision?
The student’s best score on the State ELA test and the student’s best score on the State Math test will be applied toward the promotion decision. The same is true for course grades – the best grade applies.
Promotion Review Process
8. What is the promotion review process for grade 8 students who don’t meet the required criteria in June? What is the process in August after summer school?
The promotion review process for students varies based on which standard promotion criteria they did not achieve. The chart below summarizes three different scenarios.
June / August
State Test Proficiency Only
· Students who achieve a Level 1 on the State Math or ELA test or have no registered score(s) but pass all core courses / As with the promotion review process for grades 3, 5, and 7, students will be given an automatic appeal in the form of a promotion portfolio assessment with required Level 2 benchmarks. Students who demonstrate High Level 2 performance by meeting all benchmarks and exceeding most benchmarks may be promoted in June.
Students who are not promoted in June will be designated as “mandated” students for summer school. Students will be strongly encouraged to attend summer school and must take the August citywide test(s) to demonstrate proficiency. / Students who take the August citywide test(s) and achieve a Level 2 or higher on the required tests will be automatically promoted.
For students who do not meet the promotion criteria, the June promotion portfolio assessment will again be reviewed. If the promotion portfolio assessment represents Level 2 work (i.e., student meets all Level 2 benchmarks), the student may be promoted.
Core Course Failure Only
· Students who fail one or more core course(s) but achieve a Level 2 or higher on both the State Math and ELA test / There will be no automatic appeal generated in this case. However, parents and students are invited to appeal the course grade directly to the principal at this time.
If no appeal is submitted and/or if a principal upholds the grade, the student will be designated as “mandated” for summer school. Students will need to pass the required course(s) in Summer School to be promoted. / Students who pass the required course(s) in summer school will be automatically promoted.
State Test Proficiency and Course Failure
· Students who achieve a Level 1 on the State Math and/or ELA test or have no registered score(s) AND fail one or more core courses / Students must demonstrate proficiency as indicated in both boxes above. In other words, students may be promoted if they do they following:
· Demonstrate High Level 2 performance in the promotion portfolio assessment
AND
· Submit a parent or student appeal to the principal and the principal overturns the grade
Students who are not promoted in June will be designated as “mandated” students for summer school and must demonstrate proficiency and pass required courses to be promoted. / Students must demonstrate proficiency as indicated in both boxes above. In other words, students may be promoted if they do the following:
· Achieve a Level 2 or higher on the citywide test(s) or a Level 2 in the promotion portfolio assessment
AND
· Pass all required course(s) in Summer School
9. Is the promotion review process different for special education students, English Language Learners, over-age students, and students who have been previously retained?
Special education students who are held to standard promotion criteria follow the promotion review process as outlined in the chart above. However, special education students who are held to modified promotion criteria must be evaluated based on the explicit criteria listed on page 9 of the student’s IEP in both June and in August.
English Language Learners follow the promotion review process as indicated in the chart above when students fail a core course or achieve a Level 1 or have no registered score on the State Math assessment and must score a Level 2 for promotion. However, since English Language Learners enrolled for 2 or 3 years must demonstrate gains in ELA (see question #5), a separate promotion review process is provided for this purpose. In both cases, a promotion portfolio assessment is given in June to give students another opportunity to demonstrate growth.
· English Language Learners enrolled for 2 years: If a student’s promotion portfolio demonstrates performance comparable to High Level 1 or higher, the student may be promoted in June.
· English Language Learners enrolled for 3 years: If a student’s 2008 State ELA test score indicated Low Level 1 performance and the student’s promotion portfolio demonstrates performance comparable to High Level 1 or higher, the student may be promoted in June. If a student’s 2008 State ELA test score indicated High Level 1 performance or higher and the student’s promotion portfolio demonstrates performance comparable to Level 2 or higher, the student may be promoted in June.
The promotion review process for over-age students (turn 16 before December 31) and students who have been previously retained in grades 6-8 is the same as the process indicated above with one addition in August when students have not met the required criteria. A student may also be promoted if the student has demonstrated progress toward meeting the promotion requirements (by, for example, attending summer school courses, completing assignments and working towards meeting academic goals). To help schools outline what a student must demonstrate during summer school, a resource to track attendance, participation, assignments, and behavior will be provided. Summer school staff will record this information and share with the June principal. If the student demonstrates progress, the June principal may recommend the student for promotion to the community superintendent. In addition to the tracking sheet, a sample learning contract will also be made available for schools to use to outline requirements for over-age and previously retained students in summer school.