Student Progression Plan

Retention – 1008.25 (2)(c)F.S

Retention, except for grade 3 where there is a mandatory retention for reading, is based on unsatisfactory, below grade level student performance in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, and/or failure to meet other requirements as set forth by the district or state.

Retention decisions must be based on more than a single test score. The FAST is not the sole determiner of retention. The only exception is mandatory retention in grade 3 for students scoring at Level 1 on the FAST ELA Assessment.

Retention may occur when the school’s instructional staff, through its Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Team, determines that the student demonstrates the need for additional time to attain appropriate academic knowledge and skills in order to meet required state performance standards. A student who is retained must be provided with instructional experiences different from those in the previous year’s program, taking into consideration the student’s individual learning needs and learning style.

Only in exceptional cases will a student be assigned to any one grade for more than two consecutive years. Senate Bill 850 (2014) revised 1008.25 F.S. to prohibit a student being retained in grade 3 more than once. The district shall provide an appropriate alternative placement for a student who has been retained two or more years.

Guidelines for Retention of Students in Grades K-5 1008.25 (4)(c) F.S.

The following guidelines are established to assist the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Team in making retention decisions at the elementary or middle school level:

  • The student’s insufficient progress in meeting the state performance standards and benchmarks supports a retention decision.
  • The student’s needs in the areas of physical, social, and emotional development support a retention decision.
  • Alternative remediation strategies and/or programs that have been utilized support a retention decision. The retention review team or MTSS Team consists of the principal or designee, school counselor, teacher(s), Exceptional Student Education personnel or special services personnel involved with the student and staff members as designated by the principal. In all retention determinations, the preponderance of evidence must support a retention decision.

There is no provision for voluntary retention or placement based solely upon student or parent/legal guardian preference, 1008.25 F.S.

K-2 Retention Requirements F.S. 1008.25

The importance of students mastering early literacy and communication skills in kindergarten, first, and second grade to read at or above grade level by the end of grade 3 cannot be overemphasized.

Students in K-2 who score Level 1 or 2 or at or below the 20th percentile on Star Early Literacy, Star Reading, or Star Math will be monitored to determine what support may be needed.

Any student being considered for retention will be referred to the MTSS team.

The MTSS team shall review student data and determine whether the student should be considered for retention. The MTSS team will make a recommendation to the school principal.

Parents will be notified regarding a child’s risk for retention. Monthly letters regarding math and/or reading deficiencies fulfill the parental notification requirement by including information about the risk for retention.

Parents must have input on the retention decision.

The final retention decision will be determined by the principal or designee.

Grade 3 Mandatory Retention

To be promoted to grade 4, a student must score a Level 2 or higher on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts Assessment required under s.1008.22 F.S., for grade 3. If a student’s reading deficiency is not remedied by the end of grade 3, as demonstrated by scoring Level 2 or higher on the grade 3 statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment required under s.1008.22 F.S., the student must be retained.

(s.1008.25(5), F.S.) The district school board may only exempt students from mandatory retention for good cause. Good cause exemptions are limited to the following:

  1. Limited English proficient students who have had less than 2 years of instruction in an English for Speakers of Other Languages program based on the initial date of entry into a school in the United States.
  2. Students with disabilities whose individual education plan indicates that participation in the statewide assessment program is not appropriate, consistent with the requirements of s.1008.212, F.S.
  3. Students who demonstrate an acceptable level of performance on an alternative standardized reading or English Language Arts assessment approved by the State Board of Education.
  4. A student who demonstrates through a student portfolio that he or she is performing at least at Level 2 on the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment.
  5. Students with disabilities who take the statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment and who have an individual education plan, or a Section 504 plan that reflects that the student has received intensive instruction in reading or English Language Arts for more than two years but still demonstrates a deficiency and was previously retained in prekindergarten, kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3.
  6. Students who have received intensive reading intervention for two or more years but still demonstrate a deficiency in reading and who are previously retained in kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, or grade 3 for a total of two years. A student may not be retained more than once in grade 3.

Services for Students Retained in Grade 3

Students retained in grade 3 must be provided with a highly effective teacher as determined by the teacher’s performance evaluation under s.1012.34, F.S., and the teacher must also be certified or endorsed in reading. These students must also be provided with intensive interventions in reading to ameliorate the student’s specific reading deficiency and prepare the student for promotion to the next grade. These interventions must include: 1. Evidence-based, explicit, systematic, and multisensory reading instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension, and other strategies prescribed by the school district. 2. Participation in the school district’s summer reading camp, which must incorporate the instructional and intervention strategies above. 3. A minimum of 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted reading instruction incorporating the instructional and intervention strategies above. This instruction may include:

  1. Coordinated integration of content-rich texts in science and civic literacy within the 90-minute block.
  2. Small group instruction.
  3. Reduced teacher-student ratios.
  4. More frequent progress monitoring.
  5. Tutoring or mentoring.
  6. Transition classes containing 3rd and 4th grade students.
  7. Extended school day, week, or year.

Instructional Strategies for Students Retained in Grade 3 1008.25 (7)(b)(2) a-g F.S.

In addition to the daily required 90-minute uninterrupted reading block, students retained in grade 3 will benefit from additional strategies which may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Additional small group instruction.
  • Reduced teacher-student ratios.
  • More frequent progress monitoring.
  • Tutoring or mentoring before, during, or after school or on Saturday.
  • Extended school day, week, or year.
  • Summer reading programs.
  • Transition classes containing grade 3 and grade 4 students (when feasible). The purpose of a transitional setting is to produce learning gains sufficient to meet grade 4 performance standards while continuing to remediate areas of reading deficiency.

Differentiated Instruction in Mathematics for Students Retained in 3rd Grade for Reading Deficiencies

 Students who are proficient in mathematics as evidenced by a FAST mathematics score of Level 3 or higher and who are retained in grade 3 for reading deficiencies shall be provided differentiated instruction in mathematics appropriate to their instructional level.

Instructional Options for Retained Grade 3 Students (Mandatory Retention for Reading)

The district shall provide the parent/legal guardian of students retained in grade 3 by the mandatory retention for reading with at least one of the following instructional options in addition to required reading enhancement and acceleration strategies:

  • Supplemental tutoring in scientifically research-based reading services in addition to the 90-minute minimum daily uninterrupted reading block including tutoring before and/or after school.
  • A “Read at Home” plan outlined in a parent or guardian contract, including regular parent or guardian guided home reading.
  • A mentor or tutor with specialized reading training. Note: The mentor/tutor option does not require the district or a school to pay for private tutors; volunteers or school staff may be used.

Transitional Instructional Setting for Students Retained in Grade 3 (Mandatory Retention for Reading)

Every effort shall be made to provide students retained in grade 3 due to the mandatory retention for reading with a transitional instructional setting. The purpose of a transitional setting is to produce learning gains sufficient to meet grade 4 performance standards while continuing to remediate areas of reading deficiency. Combination grade 3 and grade 4 classes are considered a transitional setting.

Reading Materials to be Used for Students Retained in Grade 3 (Mandatory Retention for Reading)

All supplemental and intervention materials and programs utilized shall be from the state recommended list and among those cited in each school’s section of the district’s Comprehensive Reading Plan.

Parent/Legal Guardian Notification of Student Retention in Grade 3

Each school shall provide written notification to the parent/legal guardian of any student retained in grade 3 due to a reading deficiency as evidenced by not scoring a minimum Level 2 on the reading portion of the grade 3 FAST. The notification should explain that the student has not met the proficiency level required for promotion, and the reason he/she is not eligible for a good cause exemption. The notification shall include a description of proposed interventions and supports that will be provided to the child to remediate the identified areas of reading deficiency.

Mid-Year Promotion of Retained Grade 3 Students

Each school district shall implement a policy for the mid-year promotion of a student retained in grade 3 who can demonstrate that he or she is a successful and independent reader and performing at or above grade level in reading. Tools that school districts may use in reevaluating a student retained may include subsequent assessments, alternative assessments, and portfolio reviews, in accordance with the State Board of Education Rules. Such midyear promotions of retained grade 3 students should occur during the first semester of the academic year. To be eligible for mid-year promotion, a student must demonstrate that he or she:

  1. Is a successful and independent reader as demonstrated by reading at or above grade level.
  2. Has progressed sufficiently to master appropriate fourth grade reading skills.
  3. Has met any additional requirements, such as satisfactory achievement in other curriculum areas, as determined by the policies of the district school board.

The criteria for students promoted on or before November 1 must provide a reasonable expectation that the student has mastery of grade 3 reading skills as presented in the ELA B.E.S.T. Standards. Evidence is as follows:

  1. Satisfactory performance on locally selected standardized assessments(s) measuring Language Arts Florida Standards.
  2. Satisfactory performance on a state-approved alternative assessment as delineated in Rule 6A-1.094221, F.A.C., and described in Section B of this TAP.
  3. Successful completion of portfolio elements that meet all the following requirements:
    1. Be selected by the school district.
    2. Be an accurate picture of the student’s ability and only include student work that has been independently produced in the classroom.
    3. Include evidence of mastery of the standards assessed by the grade 3 statewide, standardized English Language Arts assessment. Evidence can include successful completion of multiple-choice items and text-based responses, chapter or unit tests from the district adopted core reading curriculum or the state-provided third grade student portfolio. Portfolios should contain 50% literary and 50% informational texts.
    4. Be signed by the teacher and the principal as an accurate assessment of the required reading skills.

The criteria for students promoted after November 1 must provide reasonable expectation that the student’s progress is sufficient to master appropriate grade 4 level reading skills. These students must demonstrate proficiency levels in reading equivalent to the level necessary for beginning of grade 4.

The progress Monitoring Plan for any retained third grade student who has been promoted mid-year to grade 4 must continue to be implemented for the entire academic year and, if necessary, for additional school years. (s.1008.25(7), and Rule 6A-1.094222, F.A.C.)

Retention of Charter School Students

Charter schools are responsible for decisions regarding the retention of their students with the exception of the mandatory retention in grade 3 for students with Level 1 Reading FAST scores. Charter schools may opt to develop their own retention requirements or adopt local district procedures. When a student transfers from a charter school to a district school and a disagreement arises between the two schools regarding the retention of the student, the sending and receiving schools shall meet to resolve the issues. If the dispute is not resolved between the two schools, the sending school must retain the student or submit a referral to the Director for Elementary Instructional Services to review the case and make a recommendation.

Retention of English Language Learners (ELL)

Retention of an ELL student is based on unsatisfactory performance in reading, writing and mathematics as determined by the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) Team in conjunction with the ELL Committee. Students cannot be retained solely based on English language acquisition.

Parent/Legal Guardian Notification of Student Retention

The parent/legal guardian shall be notified in writing when it is apparent that the student may need to be retained. Documentation shall be kept, and an acknowledgment of such notification shall be obtained. Ongoing communication with the parent/legal guardian shall be maintained.