A disservice is done to students through social promotion and is prohibited by state law. The District shall, at a minimum, evaluate each student annually in an effort to help each student who is not performing at grade level. Parents, legal guardians, persons having lawful control of the student, or persons acting in loco parentis shall be kept informed concerning the progress of their student(s). Notice of a student’s possible retention or required retaking of a course shall be included with the student’s grades sent home to each parent/guardian or the student if 18 or older. Parent-teacher conferences are encouraged and may be held as necessary in an effort to improve a student’s academic success.

Each time a student is assessed by use of a high-quality literacy screener, with results at least once each semester, the Parents, legal guardians, persons having lawful control of the student, or persons acting in loco parentis, and teacher(s) of a student in kindergarten through eighth (8th) grade shall be notified in writing of the student’s independent grade-level-equivalency in reading and, in a parent friendly manner, the student’s reading progress..

Any grades, course credits, and/or promotions received by a student while enrolled in the Division of Youth Services system of education shall be considered transferable in the same manner as those grades, course credits, and promotions from other accredited Arkansas public educational entities.

Promotion or retention of kindergarten through grade four (K-4) students, or their required retaking of a course shall be primarily based on the following criteria:

• A student who has not met the third-grade reading standard as defined by the state board shall not be promoted to fourth(4th) grade unless the student has a good cause waiver. The following students may receive a good cause waiver:
• Limited English Proficiency students who have had less than three (3) years of instruction in an English language learner program;
• Students with a disability who are not eligible for the alternate assessment and who have an individualized education program or a 504 plan that reflects that the individual student:
• Has received an intensive, evidence-based literacy intervention program aligned to the science of reading for more than two (2) years; and
• Still demonstrates a need in reading proficiency or previously was retained in kindergarten, grade one (1), grade two (2), or grade three (3);
• Students who:
• Have received an intensive, evidence-based literacy intervention program aligned to the science of reading for two (2) or more years;
• Still demonstrate a need in reading proficiency and who previously were retained in kindergarten, grade one (1), grade two (2), or grade three (3);
• Have received a special education referral and a full comprehensive evaluation; and
• Have not met exceptional education criteria;
• Students who have already been retained in kindergarten, grade one (1), grade two (2), or grade three (3) for one (1) year;
• Students who can demonstrate that they are successful and independent readers and can perform at or above grade level by use of subsequent student assessments or alternative assessments; or
• Other students with necessary, justifiable good-cause exemptions identified as appropriate by the state board, in consultation with reading experts.

For students in grades four through eight (5-8), academic performance, developmental characteristics, and the student’s suitability for success if retained. Students in grades 9-12 will be required to retake any course necessary to meet graduation requirements if the final grade in the course is below 60%. If there is doubt concerning the promotion or retention of a student or his/her required retaking of a course, a conference shall be held before a final decision is made that includes the following individuals:

1) The building principal or designee; 2) The student’s teacher(s); 3) School counselor 4) A 504/special education representative (if applicable); and 5) The student’s parents, legal guardians, persons with lawful control of the student, or persons standing in loco parentis.

The conference shall be held at a time and place that best accommodates those participating in the conference. The school shall document participation or non-participation in required conferences. If the conference attendees fail to agree concerning the student’s placement or receipt of course credit, the final decision shall rest with the principal or the principal’s designee.

Each student shall have a student success plan (SSP) developed by school personnel in collaboration with the student’s parents and the student that is reviewed and updated annually. A student’s SSP shall use multiple academic measures to personalize learning in order for students to achieve their grade-level expectations and individual growth. The SSP will identify if the student is in need of additional support or acceleration. Academic measures to be used in creating and updating a student’s SSP shall include, but are not limited to:

• Statewide student assessment results;
• Subject grades;
• Student work samples; and
• Local assessment scores.

The SSP for a student in kindergarten through grade three (K-3) who does not meet the reading standard as set by the state board and determined by a high-quality literacy screener or the statewide assessment shall include an individual reading plan for each student. An individual reading plan shall include:

1. The student's specific, diagnosed reading skill needs, including without limitation:
   • Phonemic awareness;
   • Phonics decoding;
   • Text reading fluency;
   • Vocabulary-building strategies; and
   • Self-regulated use of reading comprehension strategies, as identified by high-quality literacy screener data;
2. The goals and benchmarks for the student's growth;
3. How the student's progress will be monitored and evaluated;
4. The type of additional instructional services and interventions the student may receive;
5. The intensive, evidence-based literacy intervention program aligned to the science of reading the student's teacher will use to address the areas of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension;
6. The strategies the student's parents, legal guardians, or persons standing in loco parentis to the student are encouraged to use in assisting the student to achieve the student's reading goal; and
7. Any additional services the student's teacher determines are available and appropriate to accelerate the student's reading skill development.

All parents, legal guardians, or persons standing in loco parentis shall be notified in writing:

1. Of the content of their child's independent reading plan and progress on the independent reading plan throughout the year; and
   • By no later than October 1 of each year, or as soon as practicable if a student's reading need is identified after October 1:
   • Of their student’s eligibility to participate in the literacy tutoring grant program;
   • The process for applying for the literacy tutoring grant program; and
   • Other information provided by DESE.

For each student who does not meet the reading standard established by the state board by the end of third (3rd) grade, including students who are promoted to the fourth (4th) grade under a good cause waiver, the District, during the subsequent summer and school year, shall :

1. Provide at least ninety (90) minutes of evidence-based literacy instruction aligned to the science of reading during each school day;
2. Assign the student to:
   • If the District has a teacher with a value-added model score in the top quartile statewide in English language arts for the past three (3) years, a teacher with a value-added model score in the top quartile statewide in English language arts for the past three (3) years; or
   • If the District is unable to identify a teacher with a value-added model score in the top quartile statewide in English language arts for the past three (3) years, a teacher:
   • With a highly-effective rating according to the Teacher Excellence and Support System, when possible; or
   • Deemed to be a high-performing teacher as defined by a Master Professional Educator designation.
3. Provide parents, legal guardians, or persons standing in loco parentis to students with a “read-at-home” plan to support student early literacy growth, which shall include evidence-based science of reading strategies and tools that are aligned to a student’s individual reading plan for parents, legal guardians, or persons standing in loco parentis to use with their student;
4. Notify parents, legal guardians, or persons standing in loco parentis to a student regarding their student’s eligibility for a literacy tutoring grant;
5. Be given priority to receive a literacy tutoring grant; and
6. Be given the option to participate in additional intensive, evidence-based literacy intervention programs aligned to the science of reading.

The SSP of a student in kindergarten through grade eight (K-8) who is not performing at or above grade level on the state assessment, as defined by the State Board of Education shall include a math intervention plan. The math intervention plan may include the:

1. Provision of each student with access to high-dosage, targeted math tutoring in the subsequent school year, which shall include three (3) or more tutoring sessions a week in a one-on-one or small-group setting;
2. Assignment to:
   • if the District has a teacher with a value-added model score in the top quartile statewide in math for the previous three (3) years, a teacher, with a value-added model score in the top quartile statewide in math for the previous three (3) years; or
   • if the District is unable to find a teacher with a value-added model score in the top quartile statewide in math for the previous three (3) years, a teacher:
     • With a highly-effective rating in the Teacher Excellence and Support System, when possible; or
     • Deemed to be a high-performing teacher as defined by a Master Professional Educator designation; and
   • Provision of each student with extended time on math instruction during or after school.

All parents, legal guardians, or persons standing in loco parentis shall receive written notification of their student's math intervention plan and progress on the student’s math intervention plan throughout the school year. By the end of grade eight (8), the student’s SSP shall:

• Guide the student along pathways to graduation;
• Address accelerated learning opportunities;
• Address academic deficits and interventions; and
• Include college and career planning components.

Based on a student’s score on the college and career assessment:

• The student’s SSP will be updated in order to assist the student with college and career readiness skills, course selection in high school, and improved academic achievement; and
• Provide a basis for counseling concerning postsecondary preparatory programs.

A student’s SSP shall include the recommended sequence of courses for successful completion of the diploma pathway selected by the student but be sufficiently flexible to allow the student to change the student’s selected diploma pathway. The school counselor shall meet with the student's parent, legal guardian, or persons standing in loco parentis and the student to review the student’s SSP annually and to revise the student’s SSP as necessary to identify the courses to be taken each year until all required core courses are completed. Part of the review shall include an explanation of the possible impacts the revisions to the plan might have on the student's graduation requirements and postsecondary education goals. Any change made to a student's SSP as part of the review that amends the student’s diploma pathway shall be structured to ensure that the student will meet the high school graduation requirements for the student's chosen diploma pathway and be qualified for admission to a postsecondary educational institution or to enter the workforce. After each review, the student's SSP shall be signed by the student; student's parent, legal guardian, or person standing in loco parentis to the student; and the school counselor.

An SSP shall be created:

1. By no later than the end of the school year for a student in grade eight (8) or below who enrolls in the District during the school year; or
2. As soon as reasonably possible for a student in grade nine (9) or above who enrolls in the District at the beginning or during the school year.

A student’s individualized education program (IEP) may act in the place of the student’s SSP if the IEP addresses academic deficits and interventions for the student’s failure to meet standards-based academic goals at an expected rate or level and includes a transition plan that addresses college and career planning components. Promotion or retention of students with an IEP shall be based on their successful attainment of the goals set forth in their IEP.

Students who either refuse to sit for a State assessment or attempt to boycott a State-wide assessment by failing to put forth a good faith effort on the assessment as determined by the assessment administrator/proctor, or whose parents do not send their student to school on the dates the assessments are originally administered or scheduled as make-up days shall not be permitted to participate in any non-curriculum related extracurricular activity, including school dances, prom, homecoming, senior events, and may be prevented from walking or participating in graduation exercises. The student shall remain ineligible to participate until the student takes the same or a following State-wide assessment, as applicable. The Superintendent or designee may wave this paragraph's provisions when the student’s failure was due to exceptional or extraordinary circumstances. Students falling under the provisions of this paragraph shall be permitted to attend curriculum related field trips occurring during the school day.