i

2018-2019 Pupil Progression Plan

(amended from 2017-2018 to reflect LDOE assessment updates)

Choice Foundation: Lafayette Academy Charter School

Esperanza Charter School

James Swanson, Board of Trustees President Mickey Landry, Executive Director

Submitted to Orleans Parish School Board

July 10, 2018

ii

Background and Purpose Louisiana state law (R.S. 24.4) requires local education agencies (LEAs) to establish a comprehensive Pupil Progression Plan based on student performance on the Louisiana Educational Assessment Program with goals and objectives that are compatible with the Louisiana Competency-Based Education Program and which supplements the minimum standards approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE). The plan shall address student placement and promotion, and shall require the student’s mastery of grade-appropriate skills before he or she can be recommended for promotion. The law states that “particular emphasis shall be placed upon the student’s proficiency in grade appropriate skills which may be considered in promotion and placement; however, each local school board shall establish a policy regarding student promotion and placement.” The law goes on to require the state Department of Education to establish, subject to the approval of BESE, the level of achievement on the fourth and eighth grade LEAP test – in mathematics, English language arts, science, and social studies – needed for students to advance to grades five and nine. BESE must also determine the nature and application of various intervention options to be used when students fail to meet the minimum academic standard approved by the board. BESE has established minimum standards in Bulletin 1566 – Pupil Progression Policies and Procedures. In October 2017, BESE approved, as Notice of Intent, revisions to Bulletin 1566 that relate to placement, promotion, and supports and interventions for students not meeting minimum academic standards. BESE has also approved regulations pursuant to state law that relate to placement and promotion in Bulletin 741 – Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, which includes but is not limited to instructional time, grading policies, and graduation requirements. These bulletins also adhere to federal and state laws and regulations that govern the placement and promotion of students with disabilities and English learners, as well as students who transfer from other schools. The purpose of this document is to assist LEAs in developing their required Pupil Progression Plan in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, and to codify LEA policies and procedures related to student placement and promotion. In each section of this document, language that conforms to applicable laws and regulations has been pre-populated. Space is provided for LEAs to add any additional local policies and procedures that fulfill the mandate of the law and support students in acquiring proficiency in grade appropriate skills. Once completed, submitted to the Louisiana Department of Education, and published locally, teachers shall, on an individualized basis, determine promotion or placement of each student. LEAs may review promotion and placement decisions in order to ensure compliance with their established policy, and reviews may be initiated by a school’s governing body, the local superintendent, or a student’s parent or legal custodian. Questions about this document should be directed to PPP@La.Gov

iii

PUPIL PROGRESSION PLAN LEA CONTACT INFORMATION

LEA Contact Person Susan Jurkunas, Systems Accountability Officer

Telephone Number (504) 418-0560

E-mail Address susan.jurkunas@choiceschoolsno.org

__________________________________ ________________________

(Signature) (Date)

iv

APPOINTED ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Mickey Landry, Executive Director, Choice Foundation

Nicole Saulny, Head of School, Esperanza Charter School

Darlene Hills-Charlot, Choice Foundation Administrator

Kandace Madise, Director of Special Education and Student Support Systems

Susan Jurkunas, Systems Accountability Officer

Patricia Bowie, Math Instructional Specialist

Otylia Benson, ELA Instructional Specialist

Sherie Garza, Division Head, Lafayette Academy Charter School

Stacey Labit, Teacher Leader, Esperanza Charter School

Natasha Doughty, Parent, Esperanza Charter School

Wayne Lumpkin, Consultant, Choice Foundation

Tanya Netter-Wilson, Parent, Lafayette Academy Charter School

v

PROGRESSION PLAN PUBLIC NOTICE

The 2017-2018 Pupil Progression Plan was reviewed and revised by a committee of educators and

parents from Choice Foundation. A draft copy of the plan will be available at each school for

community review from December 19, 2017, to January 17, 2018.

To ensure opportunity for input from all stakeholders, comment forms will be available.

The updates to the 2018-2019 Pupil Progression Plan reflect the changes from Louisiana Department of

Education in the state assessment program. Additionally, timelines were updated to reflect the current

school year.

vi

2017-2018 LEADERSHIP CADRE

The Leadership Cadre is a professional learning collaborative for school leaders and potential school leaders. The sessions within the cadre are designed to ensure that all leaders have the tools, knowledge, and skills needed to successfully support teachers in analyzing data, using resources and programs with fidelity, facilitating the schoolwide plan, monitoring student achievement, and planning and delivering high-quality instruction. Participants: Required Participants - Division Heads, Assistant Heads of School, Sped/EL Coordinators, 504 Coordinators Optional Participants (determined by HOS) - Teacher Leaders, Potential Teacher Leaders Times: Grades 5-8 9:00 am to 12:00 noon Grades PK-4 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm People who work with all grades - attend the time that is most convenient for your schedule Location: Central Office Conference room, 3rd floor (off elevator, turn right, go down hall)

November 15, 2017 – AGENDA

1. Warm-up: Diagnostic

2. Followup from last meeting and updates

GoogleApps for Education – Josh should have contacted HOS

Criteria for LA Connect participation

EL Monitoring

LEAP 360 – Interim assessments

Fall Cadre Feedback – suggestions for Spring Cadre

3. Accountability

SPS information

School Finder

4. Pupil Progression Plan

Promotion requirements for 4th and 8th grade

5. Homework:

Review and update School Academic Plan

Enter SLTs using SPS information

vii

Leadership Team Meeting

November 10, 2017

Agenda

1. Mickey 1.1 Dunbar Updates 1.2 Accountability Updates

2. James

2.1 Transportation 2.2 Staffing 2.3 Technology Needs

3. Earl

3.1 Guest Speakers 3.2 Music Program

4. Susan

4.1 Compass 4.2 Pupil Progression Plan 2017-2018 4.3 Curriculum Updates 4.4 Fall Learning Cadres feedback 4.5 ELL updates

viii

Leadership Team Meeting

June 24, 2018

Agenda

5. Mickey 5.1 School Updates 5.2 Accountability & Policy Updates 5.3 Book Study

6. James

6.1 Transportation for next year 6.2 Staffing 6.3 Technology Update

7. Earl

7.1 Recruitment for Dunbar and Community Events 7.2 Fieldtrips and Guest Speakers

8. Susan

8.1 Curriculum Updates, including staffing changes 8.2 Beginning of year PD schedule and Choice Foundation calendar 8.3 Google Docs – presentation; when to schedule training @ schools? 8.4 EL updates – ELPS, change of service model at Esperanza 8.5 Assessment updates and schedule for 2018-2019 8.6 Pupil Progression Plan with updates for 2018-2019 8.7 Reminder re: IAPs and Interventions

ix

Board of Trustees Meeting Agenda Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Esperanza School Campus, 4:15-6:15 pm

Agenda Item Purpose Action Who Materials Time

I. Agenda and Minutes Set, Review, Approve

Vote Swanson Agenda, Minutes

2 minutes

III. Report of the Board President Review Discussion

Swanson

20 minutes

IV. Report of the Executive Director Esperanza Lafayette Choice Foundation Activity Pupil Progression Plan

Review Review Review Review

Saulny

Boudouin Landry Landry

Handouts, PPT

30 minutes

IV. In-depth report: Assessment and Accountability

Review Discussion Saulny Boudouin

Landry

PPT 30 minutes

V. Committee Reports A. Advancement B. Facilities C. Standards and Testing D. Finance F. Governance G. Athletics H Outreach

Werner

Review

Discussion

Jonassen

Handouts

10 minutes each

VI. New Business

VII. Public Comment

VIII. Executive Session

IX. Adjournment

x

M E M O R A N D U M

Date: February 1, 2018

To: Orleans Parish School Board

From: James Swanson, President, Board of Trustees

RE: 2017-2018 Pupil Progression Plan

This is to notify you that the Board of Trustees approved the Pupil Progression Plan for

Lafayette Academy Charter School and Esperanza Charter School at its January 2018 board

meeting.

x

Table of Contents

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..ii LEA Contact Information Appointed Advisory Committee Members Progression Plan Public Notice Meeting Agendas Formal Submission Statement

I. Placement of students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 ...................................................... 1

II. Placement of transfer students ...................................................................................... 2

III. Promotion and support of students in Kindergarten and Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7…. .. 3

IV: Promotion and support of students in grade 4 .............................................................. 4

V: Promotion and support of students in Grade 8 and high school considerations………….6

VI: Support for students ............................................................................................... 10 12

VII: Promotion and placement of certain student populations ..................................... 12 14

VIII: Alternative education placements .......................................................................... 15 17

IX: Due process related to student placement and promotion ..................................... 15 18

X: Additional LEA policies related to student placement and promotion .................... 16 18

XI: LEA assurances and submission information ........................................................... 19 18 XII: Appendices………………………………………………………………………………………………………...20 22

Appendix A Definitions of State and Local Terms Appendix B Grading Policy for Choice Foundation Appendix C Absence Policy for Choice Foundation Appendix D LDOE School System Promotion Guidance and FAQs Appendix E Individual Academic Plan Template & Parent Agreement Form Appendix F Individual Graduation Plan Appendix G Official Grade Change Form Appendix H SBLC Documentation of Promotion/Retention Appendix I State Placement Test for 5th graders

Note: Throughout this document, updates from 2017-18 to 2018-19 are indicated by strike-throughs of old language followed by new language in italics.

1

I. Placement of students in Kindergarten and Grade 1 Kindergarten Schools can only make recommendations to parents regarding student enrollment in kindergarten, since kindergarten is not mandatory. However, in accordance with state law (R.S. 17:221), once students have enrolled in kindergarten, they are subject to compulsory attendance laws and promotion requirements set forth by the LEA.

Every child, as a prerequisite to enrollment in any first grade of a public school, shall meet one of the following criteria:

Have attended a full-day public or private kindergarten for a full academic year; or

Have satisfactorily passed academic readiness screening administered by the LEA at the time of enrollment for first grade.

The minimum age for kindergarten shall be one year younger than the age required for that child to enter first grade.

Each local educational governing authority, by rule, may provide for a child of younger age to enter kindergarten, provided that such child has been evaluated and identified as gifted in accordance with state regulations for such evaluation.

Grade 1

Any child admitted to kindergarten pursuant shall be eligible to enter first grade upon successful completion of kindergarten, provided all other applicable entrance requirements have been fulfilled.

The age at which a child may enter the first grade of any public school at the beginning of the public school session shall be six years on or before September thirtieth of the calendar year in which the school year begins.

Any child transferring into the first grade of a public school from out-of-state and not meeting the requirements herein for kindergarten attendance shall be required to satisfactorily pass an academic readiness screening administered by the LEA prior to the time of enrollment for the first grade.

In the space below, please describe any additional placement considerations or policies required by the LEA. Include the names of any required assessments and explain how results will be used.

At the time of enrollment for first grade, students who have not attended a full-day public or private kindergarten, or are from out-of-state, will be administered an early literacy screening (DIBELS Next and Measure of Academic Progress for Primary Grades in Reading) and early math screening (Measure

2

of Academic Progress for Primary Grades in Mathematics) or other appropriate assessment measure. These assessments are part of the screening and beginning of year diagnosis that is used by Choice Foundation in its assessment program. The results of these assessments shall be used to plan instructional programs for students.

If it is determined that the child has not attained the lowest “D” percentage, the student will be referred to the School-Building Level Committee (SBLC) for final placement.

II. Placement of transfer students

A student who has transferred from a public school, in- or out-of-state, or a nonpublic school, shall be granted credit for work completed in the previous school. When a student transfers from one school to another, a properly certified transcript, showing the student’s record of attendance, achievement, immunization, and the units of credit earned, shall be required.

Records, including evaluation information for exceptional students transferring from another school system, shall be reviewed by pupil appraisal and approved by a supervisor of special education before the student is enrolled in a special education program.

Students in grades 5 and 9 transferring to a public school from any in-state nonpublic school (state approved and not seeking state approval), any approved home study program, or Louisiana resident transferring from any out-of-state school, shall be required to pass the English language arts and mathematics portions of the LEAP state placement test. (Additional information regarding the state placement test can be found on the Assessment page of louisianabelieves.com – State Placement Test, and also at the end of this document.)

In the space below, please describe any additional considerations or local policies related to placement of transfer students. If the student enters after thirty days from the first day of school, Choice Foundation staff will check student records to determine if a comparable assessment was administered in the other state’s school. If so, the School Building Level Committee (SBLC) may make a determination to use the results of that assessment.

Students in grades K-8 coming from in-state nonpublic and home-schooled situations, or a Louisiana resident transferring from any out-of-state school, will be placed in the corresponding grade from the sending school and will be administered a screening examination that assesses the student’s ability in ELA and math. Student placement may be adjusted as deemed necessary by the SBLC through review of records, screening interviews, and assessments.

Homeless students shall not be denied enrollment due to the lack of paperwork and records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, medical records, proof of residency, or

3

other documentation. However, parent/guardian contact information is required. A homeless student is defined as any child or youth who lacks a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence; is sharing housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or similar needs; is living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, or camping grounds due to lack of alternative alternate adequate accommodations;

is living in emergency or transitional shelters, cars, parks, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, or similar settings. Students who are homeless and do not have necessary paperwork will be placed age-appropriately and will be administered a screening examination that assesses the student’s ability in ELA and math. Student placement may be adjusted as deemed necessary by the SBLC through review of screening interviews and assessments. The parent/guardian and student will be referred to the social worker and nurse for assistance in housing, obtaining records, and if necessary, receiving the required immunizations.

Students from another country cannot be denied enrollment. Page 12 14 of this document outlines placement procedures for students who speak a language other than English.

III. Promotion for students in Kindergarten and Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7 Teachers shall, on an individualized basis, determine promotion of each student according to the local Pupil Progression Plan. Particular emphasis shall be placed upon the student’s proficiency in grade appropriate skills.

In the space below, please describe the LEA’s policies and procedures that will be used to determine promotion for students in Kindergarten and Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.

All schools in Choice Foundation use the following grading scale and criteria for assigning grades:

Grading Scale for PK and Kdg: Grading Scale for grades 1-8: Mastery = 83 to 100% A = 93 to 100% Developing = 66 to 82.9% B = 85 to 92% Beginning = 0 to 65.9% C = 75 to 84% D = 67 to 74% F = 0 to 66%

Additional grading guidance can be found in Appendix B.

Decisions to promote or retain elementary students will be based on successful completion of the curriculum as evidenced by mastery of Louisiana State Standards and fulfillment of state attendance requirements. Students shall receive intensive documented academic intervention services before retention can be considered. The chart on the following page outlines the promotion requirements for kindergarten and grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7.

4

Promotion will not rest solely on the successful attainment of any one indicator, but will include all criteria. If the criteria indicate that s/he is not prepared for promotion to the next grade, the student will be referred to the SBLC for final placement decision.

Grade Promotion Requirements

Kindergarten Attain mastery of at least 67% of required Louisiana State Standards in reading and math as evidenced by work samples, anecdotal records, photographs, assessment results, other)

Have not more than fourteen days of unexcused absences

Grades 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7

Attain at least a D average in each content area – English language arts, math, science, and social studies – reflecting 67% mastery of Louisiana State Standards

Have no more than ten days of unexcused absences

Achieve “Basic” or above in at least 2 content areas tested on LEAP. (3rd grade only)

For a description of the types of absences, see Appendix C.

A student may be retained only one time in grades K-3 and one time in grades 4-8.

The SBLC and/or RTI committee are/is required to evaluate all promotion and retention instances. These committees are collaborative problem solvers of experienced and knowledgeable school personnel for the purpose of ensuring that each student has access to the appropriate services and support needed for success. Students who are struggling in school – academically, behaviorally, socially, or emotionally are referred to the RTI team. The team collects and analyzes information, recommends appropriate intervention(s), arranges support for the intervention, and assists and supports the school in implementing and monitoring the progress of the student.

Teachers refer struggling students to the RTI team as soon as a concern is identified. The RTI process is established to ensure that all resources and supports are considered and offered to the student for his/her success. The committee revisits and reviews each student’s progress on a regular basis, making adjustments as needed. Communication with parents is established at the beginning and maintained throughout the process. At the end of the year, documentation and data are reviewed again for the students who are being considered for retention, and a decision is made by the SBLC committee regarding retention or promotion of the student.

IV. Promotion of students in Grade 4

5

Each local education agency shall identify, based on a preponderance of evidence of student learning, third and fourth grade students who have not met an acceptable level of performance in at least two core academic subjects, including English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies, that would enable them to successfully transition to the next grade level. Fourth grade students who have not met such an acceptable level of performance may be retained or promoted, but in either case, shall be provided with an individual academic improvement plan that adheres to the following requirements:

o The school shall convene an in-person meeting with the student’s parent or legal custodian, all teachers of core academic subjects, and specialized support personnel, as needed, to review the student’s academic strengths and weaknesses, discuss any other relevant challenges, and formulate an individual academic improvement plan designed to assist the student in achieving proficiency in all core academic subjects. All participants shall sign the documented plan, using a template provided by the Louisiana Department of Education (LDE), and shall meet to review progress at least once more before the next administration of the LEAP assessment.

o The student shall be provided with focused, on-grade level instructional support that is appropriate to the content area(s) in which the student has not yet achieved proficiency. Instruction shall be aligned with state academic content standards.

o The student requiring an academic improvement plan shall be identified as such in the state Student Information System (SIS).

o The student shall be afforded the opportunity to receive on grade-level instruction during the summer.

o Each LEA shall adopt a written policy pertaining to the development of individual academic improvement plans. This policy shall be included in the Pupil Progression Plan of the LEA.

o The Department shall audit a random sampling of students identified as needing an individual academic improvement plan in each local education agency each year.

The LDE will provide to each LEA a roster of third and fourth grade students who have scored below the “Basic” achievement level in at least two core academic subjects. Such roster will assist the LEA in making final determinations relative to students’ required individual academic plans.

o The decision to retain a student as a result of his/her failure to achieve the standard on the LEAP shall be made by the LEA in accordance with this pupil progression plan.

o The individual academic improvement plan shall continue to be in effect until such time as the student achieves a score of “Basic” in each of the core academic subjects that initially led to the development of the student’s individual academic plan.

Additional guidance from Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the Individual Academic Plan template, including the Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement Form, are located in Appendices D-E.

6

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations used to determine promotion of students at the end of the fourth grade. In addition to the criteria listed above, in order to be promoted to the fifth grade, the student:

Must attain at least a D average in each content area – English language arts, math, science, and social studies – reflecting 67% mastery of Louisiana State Standards; and

Have no more than ten days of unexcused absences.

A student who has previously been retained in fourth grade for one year due to failure to score at or above the required “Basic” achievement level shall be promoted to fifth grade after attending summer remediation and will receive documented, intensive intervention throughout the school year (Individual Academic Plan in Appendix E.)

A student who has been retained in fourth grade for one year and will be 12 years old on or before September 30th of the next school year shall be promoted to sixth grade after attending summer remediation and will receive documented, intensive intervention throughout the school year (Individual Academic Plan in Appendix E.)

Additional guidance from Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the Individual Academic Plan template, including the Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement Form, are located in Appendices D-E.

V. Promotion and support of students in Grade 8 and high school considerations

a. Promotion of students in Grade 8

Regular Grade 8 Promotion Eighth grade students shall score at least at the “Basic” achievement level in either English language arts or mathematics and “Approaching Basic” in the other subject in order to be promoted to the ninth grade. Students who do not meet the promotion standard after taking the eighth grade state assessments in spring, following the completion of summer remediation, may be placed on a high school campus in the transitional ninth grade. For any student who recently completed the eighth grade and is transferring into the LEA from another state or country after the completion of summer remediation, the LEA shall review the student’s academic record to determine appropriate placement in ninth grade or transitional ninth grade. Such placement shall occur no later than October 1 of each school year. Grade 8 Promotion Waivers

The LEA may waive the state policy for students scoring at the “Unsatisfactory” level in English language arts or mathematics, if the student scores at the “Basic” level in the other, provided that the student has participated in the spring administrations of LEAP and has attended the summer remediation program offered by the LEA.

7

An LEA, through its superintendent, may grant a waiver on behalf of individual students who are unable to participate in LEAP testing or unable to attend LEAP summer remediation, including summer remediation required for placement in transitional ninth grade, because of one or more of the following extenuating circumstances as verified through appropriate documentation:

Physical Illness―appropriate documentation must include verification that the student is under the medical care of a licensed physician for illness, injury, or a chronic physical condition that is acute or catastrophic in nature. Documentation must include a statement verifying that the illness, injury, or chronic physical condition exists to the extent that the student is unable to participate in remediation.

o Custody Issues―certified copies of the court-ordered custody agreements must be submitted to the LEA at least 10 school days prior to summer remediation

Transitional 9th Grade

Any first-time eighth grade student who does not meet the passing standard set forth in BESE Bulletin 1566, §703, and any student not eligible for any waiver pursuant to §707 of the bulletin, after completing summer remediation, may be placed on a high school campus in transitional ninth grade.

LEAs shall follow the guidelines set forth in §703 to determine, based on evidence of student learning, whether eighth grade students may be promoted to the ninth grade or placed on a high school campus in transitional ninth grade. The percentage of an LEA’s eighth graders placed in transitional ninth grade is expected to remain stable over time. In the event that the percentage of an LEA’s eighth graders placed in transitional ninth grade exceeds the percentage of eighth graders in that LEA eligible for transitional ninth grade at the conclusion of the prior school year, the local superintendent of that LEA shall provide a written justification to the state superintendent.

The initial decision to place a student in the transitional ninth grade or to retain a student in the eighth grade shall be made by the school in which the student is enrolled in the eighth grade, in consultation with the student’s parents.

The LEA shall admit transitional ninth grade students, subject to any admissions requirements approved by the school’s governing authority or charter authorizer.

Students placed in the transitional ninth grade shall complete the summer remediation program offered by the LEA for any student who recently completed the eighth grade and is transferring into the LEA from another state or country after summer remediation, the LEA shall review the student’s academic record to determine appropriate placement in ninth grade or transitional ninth grade. Such placement shall occur no later than October 1 of each school year.

8

After one full year of transitional ninth grade, students shall be included in the ninth grade graduation cohort for high school accountability purposes.

Students enrolled in transitional ninth grade shall receive appropriate academic supports in any subjects in which they did not score at or above proficient, as determined by BESE. A plan outlining such academic supports shall be included in the student’s individual graduation plan (IGP). Progress pursuant to such specified academic supports shall be reviewed at least once throughout the school year in order to determine effectiveness and any needed adjustments.

Additional guidance from Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) and the Individual Academic Plan template, including the Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement Form, are located in Appendices D-E.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations used to determine promotion of students at the end of the eighth grade.

Eighth grade students shall score at least at the “Basic” achievement level in either English language arts or mathematics and “Approaching Basic” in the other subject on LEAP in order to be considered proficient.

A first-time eighth-grade student who is determined to be non-proficient will be promoted to ninth grade and placed in a transitional ninth grade program if it is the collective decision of the School Building Level Committee (SBLC) to promote the student. A decision will be made after thorough review and consideration of the following data:

Attendance and reasons for absences

Grades in all subjects and GPA

Anecdotal records and teacher input

Student’s academic growth throughout the school year as measured by benchmark assessments (Measure of Academic Progress, unit assessments in reading and math)

Student’s age

Previous years’ records, including history of academic and social interventions

Previous years’ academic records, including state test scores

Previous retention(s)

Student’s social and emotional development

Behavior records

Student participation and progress in the summer remediation program

The chart on the following page outlines timelines to identify eighth graders who are at risk of not meeting regular promotional requirements, procedures for interventions throughout the year, and the steps for entering a transitional ninth grade program.

9

Steps for Transitioning Eighth Graders to Transitional Ninth Grade

Action Step Responsible Party Timeline

1. Identify 8th grade students at risk of not achieving proficiency on state exams and begin academic intervention.

SBLC team, teachers,

RTI committee

October/November

2. Conference with family regarding potential at-risk factors for non-promotion. Determine an individual academic growth plan. Implement plan.

SBLC team, teachers January to May

3. Review coursework, behavioral data, and other relevant data to determine the appropriate promotion decision.

SBLC team and 8th grade administration

After state testing, prior to the completion of school

4. Communicate to eligible families that completing remediation in non-proficient subject areas is required for promotion to Transitional 9th Grade.

School administrators,

social workers

May

5. Make final retention or T9 promotion decisions and communicate those decisions appropriately with families and receiving high schools.

School administrators By the end of June, after completion of summer remediation

10

Student is promoted to 9th

grade

Review LEAP data (ELA and math)

Student is enrolled in Summer Remediation

Student is promoted to high school

Did student complete summer

remediation?

8th Grade Promotion and 9th Grade Placement

no

SBLC/IEP team convenes and reviews student

documentation: coursework, grades,

assessments, behavior, attendance, etc.

no

yes

9th grade or T9?

Does the student meet minimal promotional requirements? (B in ELA or math; AB in the other)

yes

Final decision for promotion or

retention

Student is retained grade 8

Documentation of a physical

illness or custody issue?

Executive Director may grant a waiver on behalf of the student for promotion.

no

yes

A student must participate in 8th grade LEAP in order to be considered for promotion to 9th grade.

11

The Choice Foundation school will collaborate with the receiving school to ensure that the student is appropriately placed in a transitional ninth-grade program and to plan the student’s academic pathway.

By the end of the eighth grade, every student (with the assistance of his parent or other legal custodian and school guidance personnel) or IEP team (when applicable) shall begin to develop an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP). An IGP guides the next academic year's coursework, assisting students in preparing for high school and exploring educational and career possibilities. Additional information and resources for creating the Individual Graduation Plan are located in Appendix F of this document.

b. High school promotion and transition considerations

Instructional Minutes: When awarding credit based on instructional time, LEAs shall provide a minimum of 7,965 instructional minutes for one Carnegie credit, and students shall be in attendance for a minimum of 7,515 minutes. In order to grant one-half Carnegie credit, LEAs shall provide a minimum of 3,983 instructional minutes, and students shall be in attendance for a minimum of 3,758 minutes. Individual Graduation Planning: By the end of the eighth grade, every student (with the assistance of his parent or other legal custodian and school guidance personnel, counselor) or IEP team (when applicable) shall begin to develop an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP). An IGP guides the next academic year's coursework, assisting students in exploring educational and career possibilities and in making appropriate secondary and postsecondary education decisions as part of an overall career postsecondary plan. Financial Aid Planning: Louisiana requires public school students graduating spring 2018 and beyond to take one of the following steps as part of their Individual Graduation Plan:

1. Complete the FAFSA; or

2. Complete the Louisiana TOPS form; or

3. A parent or legal custodian, or a student legally emancipated or of the legal age of majority, may certify a waiver in writing to the LEA (sample: non-participation LEA form/Letter); or

4. Receive a waiver through the district hardship waiver process

Early Graduation: Each LEA shall develop an early graduation program allowing students to accelerate their academic progress, complete all state graduation requirements, and receive a high school diploma in less than four years.

The early graduation program may include distance education (§2326), dual enrollment (§2327), and Carnegie credit and credit flexibility (§2314).

12

LEAs shall not have any policies or requirements that would prevent students from graduating in less than four years.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional used to determine the promotion of students in Grades 9 and above and to support their attainment of a high school diploma.

Choice Foundation does not provide high school education.

VI. Support for students

School year support

The individual academic plan for each student identified in §701 of BESE Bulletin 1566 will outline the responsibilities of each party for students who have failed to achieve the standard by the end of fourth grade.

The LEA will design and implement additional instructional strategies to move the students to grade-level proficiency by providing at least two of the following, which will be documented in the individual academic improvement plan:

o The student is placed in the classroom of a teacher who has been rated “Highly Effective” or “Effective: Proficient” pursuant to his/her most recent evaluation or has achieved a value-added rating of “Highly Effective” or “Effective: Proficient” pursuant to his/her most recent evaluation, or has documented evidence derived from state summative assessments of improving the academic performance of students having individual academic improvement plans in the past.

o The student completes summer remediation.

o Additional instructional time is provided during or outside of the school day to expose the student to high quality instruction. This will not result in a student being removed from English language arts, mathematics, science, or social studies courses.

o The student is provided access to on grade-level instruction that is aligned to Louisiana State Standards, which may include some below grade-level content and support needed to address the student’s identified weaknesses.

Remediation programs used throughout the school day and school year will not account for more than 35 percent of total instructional minutes.

The LEA will offer, at no cost, extended, on-grade level instruction through summer remediation to students who did not take the spring LEAP tests or who failed to meet the standard set forth in §701 and §703 of BESE Bulletin 1566. The LEA will provide transportation to and from the assigned remediation summer site(s) from, at a minimum, a common pick-up point.

13

Student with disabilities attending summer remediation will receive special supports as needed.

No Individual Academic Plan (IAP) Required

Basic or Above in 2 of the 4

content areas?

LEAP data for 3rd and 4th graders reviewed

in all 4 academic subjects

Individual Academic (IAP) Required:

2 of 4 intervention options

Review with parent

Signed by parent

Additional content instruction is provided to get

student on grade level

After school

Summer school

65% on grade level instruction; 35% below grade level allowable

Ongoing progress monitoring

Documentation of student progress

Student is able to master

grade level content?

Student is taken off IAP

Review with parent

Progress is monitored each quarter to ensure continuous mastery of grade level standards

3rd and 4th Graders Who Score Below “Basic” in at Least Two Core Academic Subjects

yes no

Interim/normed assessment data

reviewed for level of performance in below

Basic content areas

no

yes

At the end of the year, use the PPP as guidance to determine final promotion/retention.

If student is promoted with an IAP, the IAP

continues for next year.

14

Summer remediation

Pursuant to state law (R.S. 17:24.4), LEAs shall continue to offer summer remediation to any student not meeting promotion standards as determined by BESE. Summer remediation programs will meet all of the following requirements:

Use curriculum determined by the Louisiana Department of Education to fully align to Louisiana State Standards (Bulletin 141 – Louisiana Standards for English Language Arts, Bulletin 142 – Louisiana Standards for Mathematics, Bulletin 1962 – Louisiana Science Content Standards, and Bulletin 1964 – Louisiana Social Studies Content Standards).

Teachers will be rated “Highly Effective” of “Effective: Proficient” pursuant to the teacher’s most recent evaluation or have achieved a value-added rating of “Highly Effective” or “Effective: Proficient” on the most recent evaluation.

Remedial instruction, below grade level instruction, shall be limited to only necessary and focused skills as identified from top quality assessments and cannot account for more than 35 percent of the total summer remediation instructional time.

For additional guidance from Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE), see Appendices D and E.

VII. Promotion and placement of certain student populations

a. Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities who participate in the LEAP Alternate Assessments or LEAP Connect shall have promotion decisions determined by the IEP Team.

Student with disabilities attending summer remediation shall receive special supports as needed.

If a student with a disability has not met state-established benchmarks on state assessments for any two of the three most recent school years prior to high school, or for the two most recent administrations of any state-established assessments required for graduation, the IEP team may determine if the student is required to meet state or local established performance standards on any assessment for purposes of graduation. (Bulletin 1530, §405).

b. English learners

The requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are as follows:

o Establish procedures to identify language minority students.

15

o Establish procedures to determine if language minority students are Limited English Proficient.

o Establish procedures for age-appropriate placement and determine the specialized language services or program the district will use to address the linguistic and cultural needs of the Limited English Proficient student.

Limited English Proficient (LEP) English Learning students (ELs) shall participate in the statewide assessments pursuant to Bulletin 118. Increasing the expectations for the academic content that students must master in grades K-12 requires a parallel increase in expectations for English language acquisition.

o Establish procedures to monitor former Limited English Proficient students for two years.

o Ensure that no LEP student English Learner shall be retained solely because of limited English proficiency.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations related to the promotion and placement of students with disabilities, English learners, or other student populations.

Students with Disabilities:

The school Individualized Education Plan (IEP) team will review records of students with disabilities who do not meet the promotional guidelines to determine promotion to the next grade level. If the IEP team determines that the student is not required to meet established promotional criteria, the team shall:

Identify rigorous educational goals for the student

Include diagnostic information, appropriate monitoring and intervention, and other evaluation strategies

Outline an individualized, intensive instructional program

Provide innovative methods to promote the student’s advancement such as flexible scheduling, alternate learning environments, and online instruction.

Students with disabilities who participate in the LEAP Connect assessment shall have promotion decisions determined by the IEP Team.

English Learners:

a) Placement. Students who are English learners will be placed age-appropriately and will be provided EL services. English language proficiency screening and assessment results directly influence instructional service model placement. Choice Foundation uses the IPT-I and IPT-II, along with a writing sample for students in grades three through eight English Language

16

Proficiency Screener (ELPS) as the language screener for the 2017-2018 2018-2019 school year. If there is a discrepancy between the chronological age and the grade placement of the student based on records and/or screening, the student shall be place in the grade level of his/her age-mates.

b) Exit Criteria and 2-Year Monitoring. Each year, all EL students will be administered the ELPT. The results will be analyzed for each student and, based on the student’s scores and other evidence (classroom assessments, grades, observations, student work, teacher recommendation, etc.) placement and services will be determined for the following school year. If the student scores at the proficient level (4 or 5) on the ELPT, the student will be reclassified as Fluent English Proficient and will be exited from the EL program. Notification will be sent to parents.

Students who are reclassified will be monitored by the EL and regular education classroom teacher for two years. Regular education teachers, in collaboration with the EL teacher, will be required to complete a monitoring form twice a year for each student in their class that was exited from the EL program. The purpose of this process is to ensure that exited students are successful in the overall educational program.

Students who demonstrate the ability to meaningfully participate in the regular education program do so with the general student population. Students not able to participate meaningfully in the regular education program are assessed to determine the reason for participation deficiencies (i.e., previous EL status, other academic deficits, special needs, social or cultural factors, etc.) and provided appropriate services based on the results of the assessment(s). If necessary, the student will return to EL/LEP classification and be re-entered into the EL program.

The two-year monitoring begins in the next school year, or, if the student is reclassified mid-year, the monitoring will begin the second semester. The 2-Year Monitoring Form for Fluent English Speakers will be completed and kept in the student’s EL file as well as documented in Ellevation.

c) EL students shall not be retained due to their limited language proficiency. Grades will be assigned on the basis of participation in activities, completion of assignments, and progress on the EL Connectors. The school leadership/EL team will review records of EL students who do not meet promotional guidelines and will review program placement and EL support, making adjustments as needed.

If the EL team determines that the student is not required to meet established promotional criteria, the team shall:

Identify rigorous language goals for the student that align with the EL Connectors

Include diagnostic information, appropriate monitoring and intervention, and other evaluation strategies

Include an individualized, instructional program

Provide innovative methods to promote the student’s advancement in English and in grade level content standards.

17

Change in Grade Placement during the School Year:

Grade placement of students shall not be changed during the school year. The exceptions to this policy are stipulated as follows:

a) Grade placement for any student whose transcript/report card is not available at the time of registration may be changed, if warranted, after the transcript/report card has been received, examined, and evaluated to ensure proper grade placement.

b) Students receiving Special Education Services – in the event an error has been made in grade assignment and/or in the grade level of the state test administered, the leadership team in collaboration with the IEP team (with guidance from the Director of Special Education) will make the necessary adjustments on the IEP and in SER.

c) Students entering the district from a non-approved school or home school program, whose grade placement is questionable, shall receive tentative placement pending receipt of test scores and/or academic records.

d) A student’s age appropriate to the grade level will be considered for grade placement during the school year. In most cases, this is a result of a student transferring from another school program.

e) Grade changes will occur after the SBLC team has met to determine the student’s situation and make a final recommendation to the parent. If it is determined that a change in placement shall occur, school personnel will complete an Official Grade Change Form (Appendix G) and the copy signed by the parent will be kept in the student’s cumulative file. Changes in placement should occur by October 1 for students who enter school at the beginning of the year and meet grade placement change criteria. It is important that the school registrar is made aware of this change and the adjustment is made in the Student Information System (JCAMPUS.)

f) Eighth graders must take the eighth grade LEAP 2025 assessment before promotion to ninth grade can be considered.

VIII. Alternative education placements

Alternative schools/programs serve students who are not succeeding in the traditional educational setting and offer a venue that aids in preventing these students from dropping out of school. Alternative schools/programs provide educational and other services to students who have a variety of behavioral and other needs that cannot be adequately met in a traditional school setting. (Refer to Bulletin 741, §2903 and Bulletin 131) In the space below, please describe the LEA’s policies for placement of students in an alternative program or school, including any promotion policies that may differ from what was provided above.

18

Choice Foundation operates no alternatives to regular placement, but follows Orleans Parish School Board Policy when considering alternative educational settings for students.

IX. Due process related to student placement and promotion

In the space below, please describe the LEA’s due process procedures related to student placement for regular education students, students with disabilities having an Individualized Education Program plan, and students having an Individual Accommodation/Section 504 plan.

Choice Foundation mandates that all students shall be treated fairly and honestly in resolving grievances, complaints, or in the consideration of any placement. Due process shall be defined as fair and reasonable approaches to all areas of placement and promotion on the part of all school officials in order not to arbitrarily deny a student the right to an appropriate education. Choice Foundation has due process procedures in place for teachers, parents, and students as related to student placement and promotion:

a) Regular education students – In case of a discrepancy with student placement at the school site, the student and/or parent may make an appointment with the Head of School to discuss the discrepancy. If further action must be taken, the Choice Foundation central office should be contacted.

b) Students with disabilities – In case of a discrepancy with student placement at the school site, the student and/or parent may make an appointment with the school Special Education Coordinator to discuss the discrepancy. If further action must be taken, the Choice Foundation Director of Special Education should be contacted. Due process procedures for qualified students must be consistent with those defined in bulletin 1706.

c) Section 504 students – In case of a discrepancy with student placement at the school site, the student and/or parent may make an appointment with the school site administrator to discuss the discrepancy. If further action must be taken, the Choice Foundation Systems Accountability Officer should be contacted. Due process procedures for qualified students must be consistent with those defined in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Students, parents, guardians, teachers, administrators, or the Chief Executive Officer (superintendent) may initiate a review of student placement and promotion. The current Head of School will be notified in writing when a placement review is necessary or desired.

X. Additional LEA policies related to student placement and promotion

In the space below, please describe any additional LEA policies related to student placement and promotion that have not been addressed in other sections of this document.

19

Academic Monitoring and Procedures for Retention

Academic Monitoring:

a) Academic reports are reviewed mid-quarter and at the end of each quarter by school administrators to identify potential needs for intervention/remediation, enrichment, and to address immediate concerns. If needed, the IEP team will reconvene to review special education services.

b) In April of each year (April 11, 2018 April 12, 2019), each school will submit to the Systems Accountability Officer list of potential student retentions and supporting documentation. The documentation will be reviewed to ensure Foundation policies are being implemented accurately for retaining a student.

c) The teacher of any student who is showing limited academic progress has the responsibility of initiating a student placement review by the RTI team. Ongoing parent communication and regular team meetings must be held in order to develop effective intervention strategies for the student. Student interventions will be evaluated for effectiveness and adjusted as needed. Strategies and adjustments will be documented in writing to the parent and appropriate teachers and included in the student cumulative file. The review process will be monitored by district administrators in an annual academic audit of schools. Student cumulative folders will be examined for appropriate documentation. Students receiving interventions will be assessed for the effectiveness of the intervention.

d) Maintenance, use, and dissemination of information shall conform to requirements of all applicable state and federal laws including the Louisiana Public Records Act, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Procedures for Retention:

a) Students must be afforded every opportunity through the process of RTI to avoid retention.

b) If, at any time, a student is being considered for retention, the parent/guardian must be notified and documentation of communication must be maintained.

c) Students may not be retained if documentation of failed efforts through intervention is not available. Every step as outlined in the guidelines of RTI must be documented. Additionally, there must be evidence that progress monitoring has occurred, needed adjustments have been implemented, and proper notification to parents has been provided and documented.

d) All documentation must reside in the student’s cumulative folder and be forwarded to the SBLC if a student is recommended for retention.

e) If a student is promoted with deficiencies, an Individual Academic Plan will be created that outlines the responsibility of each party for student to move to grade-level proficiency by the end of the following year. This Plan shall be forwarded to the teacher of the next grade as well as a copy provided to the parent and a copy placed in the student’s cumulative file. Throughout the following school year, collaboration between the student’s former and current teachers shall occur to update the prescription with needed interventions.

20

f) The guide on the following page is to be used by all school personnel when considering retention for a student.

21

Choice Foundation Timeline for Student Retention

Due Date Action Required Documentation

October 2017 2018 or as soon as problem is identified

Parent conference to discuss concerns. Create and implement an Individual

Academic Plan (Appendix E.)

Maintain documentation of interventions, progress, and ongoing communication with parent/guardian. Keep copies of letters with parent signature.

January 2018 2019 Letter to parent on school letterhead indicating that student is not meeting promotion requirements and may be retained; obtain parent signature

Review Individual Academic Plan; adjust as needed

Parent conference to discuss progress and concerns

March 2018 2019 Parent conference to review student progress; obtain parent signature

Review intervention plan; adjust as needed

April 16, 2018

April 12, 2019 The school submits to the Systems Accountability Officer a list of potential student retentions and supporting documentation.

Student name, grade, and ID#

Signed Notification of Possible Retention letter

Current Individual Academic Plan with documentation of student progress

May/June 2018 2019 Complete School Building Level Committee (SBLC) documentation of promotion/retention (Appendix H) with signatures

Create a new Individual Academic Plan for interventions to begin at the start of the following school year.

Copy of signed SBLC promotion/retention form and new Individual Academic Plan placed in student’s cumulative file to be implemented the following year

22

XI. LEA assurances and submission information Assurance is hereby made to the Louisiana Department of Education that this Choice Foundation 2017-2018 Pupil Progression Plan has been developed in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. If any local policy outlined in this plan conflicts with federal or state laws or regulations, I understand that federal and state laws and regulations shall supersede the local policy. Date approved by local school board or governing authority: ____________________________ ____________________________________ ____________________________________ Superintendent Board President

23

APPENDICES

Appendix A Definitions of State and Local Terms………………………………………… 23

Appendix B Grading Policy for Choice Foundation………………………………………. 29

Appendix C Absence Policy for Choice Foundation……………………………………… 32

Appendix D LDOE School System Promotion Guidance ..................……………… 35

Appendix E Individual Academic Plan Template & Parent Agreement Form.. 44

Appendix F Individual Graduation Plan ………………………………………………………. 48

Appendix G Official Grade Change Form……………………………………………………… 49

Appendix H SBLC Documentation of Promotion/Retention…………………......... 50

Appendix I Information on the State Placement Test ……………………………….. 51

24

DEFINITIONS

State Terms

Abbreviations /Acronyms

ADA Americans with Disabilities Act

BESE Board of Elementary and Secondary Education

ELL/EL English Language Learner/English Learner

ELPT English Language Proficiency Test

ELPS English Language Proficiency Screener

IDEA Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; the special education law

IAP Individualized accommodation program

LDE/LDOE Louisiana Department of Education

IEP Individualized Education Plan

LEA Local education agency

LEAP Louisiana Educational Assessment Program

LEP Limited-English Proficient

RTI Response to Intervention

PK Prekindergarten

SBLC School Building Level Committee

Definitions

Accommodation - any technique that alters the academic setting or environment. An accommodation generally does not change the information or amount of information learned. It enables students to show more accurately what they actually know.

Alternative School/Program - an educational school/program that deviates from the standards stated in Bulletin 7411 in order to meet the specific needs of a particular segment of students within the community.

Assessment - the act or process of gathering data in order to better understand the strengths and weaknesses of a student learning as by observation, testing, interviews, etc.

Attendance (Half-Day) – a student is considered to be in attendance for one-half day when he or she: 1) is physically present at a school site or is participating in an authorized school activity; and 2) is under the supervision of authorized personnel for more than 25 percent but more than half of the student’s instructional day.

APPENDIX A

25

Attendance (Whole-Day) - a student is considered to be in attendance for a whole day when he or she: 1) is physically present at a school site or is participating in an authorized school activity; and 2) is under the supervision of authorized personnel for more than 50 percent of the student’s instructional day.

BESE Policy – a comprehensive statement that has been adopted by BESE pursuant to the APA process and that has the force and effect of law to govern and to bring uniformity in education throughout Louisiana.

Class Size – the maximum enrollment allowed in a class or section

Content Standards – grade level academic learning expectations of students

Cumulative Record – a current record of academic, health, and other special types of information maintained for each student throughout his progress in school.

Dyslexia – a language processing disorder which may be manifested by difficulty processing expressive or receptive, oral or written language despite adequate intelligence, educational exposure, and cultural opportunity. Specific manifestations may occur in one or more areas, including difficulty with the alphabet, reading, comprehension, writing, and spelling.

Elementary School – a school composed of any span of grades kindergarten through the eighth grade.

Evaluation – the in-depth process of review, examinations, and interpretation of intervention efforts, test results, interviews, observations, and other assessment information relative to predetermined criteria.

Gifted – children or youth who demonstrate abilities that give evidence of high performance in academic and intellectual aptitude.

Grade-Level Expectations – the concepts and skills that students should master at the end of a grade or course.

Head of School – in Choice Foundation schools, the chief administrative officer.

Homebound Student – a student who is enrolled in regular education and, who, as a result of healthcare treatment, physical illness, accident, or the treatment thereof, is temporarily unable to attend school, and who is provided instructional services in the home or hospital environment.

Individualized Academic Education Plan – is a written plan and record of intervention/remediation for students who not met the required standards for their grade level. Students in grades 3, 4 and 8 who do not meet criteria on LEAP 2025 state assessment must have an IAIP created and implemented until such time as they achieve on grade level.

Individualized Education Program – a written statement of specially designed instruction developed, reviewed, and revised by a group of qualified education personnel and the parent/guardian for each student with exceptionality in public schools.

Instructional Time – shall include the scheduled time within the regular school day devoted to teaching courses outlined in the program of studies. Instructional time does not include such things as recess, lunch, change of class time, and parent/teacher conferences.

26

Language Arts – a broad subject area which includes reading, literature, speaking, listening, oral and written composition, English grammar, and spelling. (Foreign language may be included as part of the language arts program.)

Local Educational Agency – a public board of education or other public authority legally constituted within the state either to provide administrative control or direction or, or to perform a service function for, public elementary or secondary schools in a city, parish school district or other political subdivision of the state. The term includes an educational service agency and any other public institution or agency having administrative control and direction of a public elementary or secondary school, including a public charter school that is established as an LEA under state law.

Louisiana Connectors for ELs – a set of standards for instruction of limited-English Proficient students. (Previously ELD Standards)

Louisiana Connectors for Students with Severe Disabilities (SWSD) – a set of standards for instruction of students with severe disabilities (previously LAA1)

Modification – any technique that alters the work product in some way that makes it different from the work required of other students in the same class. A modification generally does change the work format or amount of work required of students. It encourages and facilitates academic success.

Paraprofessional – a person who is at least 18 years of age, possess a certificate of good health signed by a physician, possesses an appropriate permit, and assists in the delivery of special educational services under the supervision of a special education teacher or other professional who has the responsibility for the delivery of services to exceptional children.

Prekindergarten – developmental programs for children ages 3-4, the minimum age being three by September 30 of the school year in which the student enters prekindergarten.

Principal – in a school, the chief administrative officer certified by the state Department of Education, except in the case of special schools in which the superintendent may be designated as the chief school administrator.

Promotion – a student’s placement from a lower to a higher grade.

Retention – non-promotion of a student from a lower to a higher grade.

School Building Level Committee – a committee of at least three school staff members, requiring at least the principal/designee, classroom teacher, and referring teacher. This committee is a decision-making group that meets on a scheduled basis to solve problems or address concerns from teachers, parents, or other professionals on individual students who are experiencing difficulty in school because of academic and/or behavior problems.

Special Education – specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of the student with exceptionality.

State Placement Test – a computer-based test that is designed to measure student’s knowledge and skills in ELA and math pursuant to Louisiana Student Standards in grades 4. This test is consistent with the LEAP 2025 test. Students in grades 5 transferring from any in-state nonpublic school, any approved home study program, or Louisiana resident transferring from

27

any out-of-state school, shall be required to pass the ELA and math portions of the state placement test.

Talented – children or youth who give evidence of measurable abilities of unique talent in the visual and/or performing arts.

28

Local Terms

Abbreviations /Acronyms

AHOS Assistant Head of School

DH Division Head

DTC District Test Coordinator

ELD English Language Development

EL/ELL English Learner/English Language Learner

ELPT English Language Proficiency Test

HOS Head of School

IT Information Technology personnel

LDE/LDOE Louisiana Department of Education

IAP Individualized Academic Plan

IEP Individualized Education Plan

LEA Local Education Agency

LEAP Louisiana Educational Assessment Program

MAP Measure of Academic Progress

PD Professional Development

PK Prekindergarten

RTI Response to Intervention

SPED Special Education

STC School Test Coordinator

SWSD Students with Severe Disabilities

Definitions

Assistant Head of School – in a school, part of the leadership team and assistant to the school leader, the Assistant Head of School typically oversees school culture, including student management, safety, facilities, and extra-curricular activities.

At Grade Level – those students who are performing at the appropriate grade level with a passing grade and have performed at stanine 4 or 5 on a standardized norm-referenced test.

At-risk student – a student with a profile that indicates a combination of factors that often leads to dropping out, including but not limited to failure, absenteeism, poor attitude, low academic achievement, substance abuse, delinquency, pregnancy, etc., frequently reflecting

29

family problems, low socio-economic status, unemployment, and other environmental conditions not conducive to success in school.

Attendance – present at school and actively participating in classroom and school activities

Behavioral Interventionist – school personnel that works with students and teachers with student management issues and school culture

Intervention or Remedial Programs – programs designed to assist pupils, including identified disabled pupils, to overcome educational deficits identified through the LEAP and other local criteria.

Division Head – school administrator who supervises and oversees teachers and students within a grade-span consisting of approximately 200 students.

Head of School – in a school, the chief administrative officer (principal)

Inclusion – refers to the commitment to educate each child to the maximum extent appropriate in the school and classroom he/she would otherwise attend if he/she did not have a disability or limited-English proficiency. Inclusion involves bringing the support services to the child rather than moving the student to the services.

Limited English Proficient (LEP) – a language minority student whose listening, speaking, reading or writing English proficiency is below the average English proficiency level of English speaking students of the same age and/or grade.

Louisiana Connect (previously LAA1) – Students with the most severe cognitive disabilities are eligible to take the LEAP Alternate Assessment Level 1, known as LAA1. The assessment is based on Extended Standards which capture the core academic content of academic standards. Student in 3-8 grade are assessed in ELA and math. Students in 4th and 8th grade are also assessed in Science.

English Learner Program – a structured program for limited-English proficient students designed to develop English language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) through language acquisition and development instructional strategies. Content instruction is integrated into the language instruction by skilled ELL teachers.

State Content Standards – written subject area statements as determined by the state of Louisiana that explain what students are expected to master throughout the school year at each grade level.

School Building Level Committee (SBLC) (can also be the Response to Intervention Team (RTI) – a designated school-based committee consisting of representatives of support personnel, teachers, school administrators to address individual and group needs at the school.

30

Grading Policy updated June 20, 2018

Important Dates:

End of Quarter Progress Reports

Go Home Parent conferences (report

cards given out)

Report cards go home with students who

did not attend conference

1st Quarter October 12, 2018 46 days

Monday September 10, 2018

Tuesday and Wednesday October 16-17, 2018 4:00-6:00 pm

Thursday October 18, 2018

2nd Quarter December 20, 2018 43 days

Monday November 12, 2018

Wednesday and Thursday January 9-10, 2019 4:00-6:00 pm

Friday January 11, 2019

3rd Quarter March 14, 2019 42 days

Friday February 8, 2019

Conferences scheduled by school March 19-29, 2019

Wednesday March 20, 2019

4th Quarter May 17, 2019 42 days

No Progress Reports Conferences scheduled by school as needed; retention conferences continue with parents

Report cards go home with students last day of school – May 17

Grading Scale for grades 1-8: Grading Scale for PK and kindergarten: A = 93 to 100% Mastery = 83 to 100% B = 85 to 92.9% Developing = 66 to 82.9% C = 75 to 84.9% Beginning = 0 to 65.9% D = 67 to 74.9% F = 0 to 66.9%

Teachers will have a minimum of two grades per week for students for each subject. The following items will comprise grades for Choice Foundation schools that will determine the final grade for each quarter:

Exams, Tests, Quizzes, and Projects – 50% Classwork and participation – 30% Homework – 20%

It is the practice of Choice Foundation to report grades for students who have completed a minimum of fifteen days in class. There is insufficient information about pupils who have attended less than three full weeks of class to merit a grade. Teacher(s) will be able to provide information to parents as

APPENDIX B

31

to the general efforts made by a student in attendance less than the required fifteen days.

Grading Guidelines:

1. All students should have a grade for the four content areas and each special class (in which they

are participating) for the grading period.

2. All teachers are responsible for putting their own grades into JCAMPUS.

3. Division Heads are responsible for reviewing the report cards for their division prior to

distribution.

4. Only the core subjects (ELA, math, social studies, and science) will be calculated for the student

GPA.

Grading Guidance for English Learners (ELs)

1. Regular education teachers are the Teacher of Record for EL students for ELA, math, science, social studies, and elective classes (PE, music, art, etc.).

The possible exception to this would be with students in the Newcomer Class, where the students are with the EL teacher for ELA and social studies. In this case, the EL teacher is the Teacher of Record and will assign social studies and ELA grades to those students.

2. Grades will be determined through collaboration between the EL and regular education teachers, based on what the student can demonstrate within his/her language capabilities and growth evident using the descriptors of the EL Connectors. On the report card, these grades should be marked with an asterisk and teacher comment that the student is an English Language Learner. All EL students should receive a grade for the content areas (ELA, science, social studies, math).

3. Newcomer Class – students that have ELA and social studies classes with EL teacher in lieu of being in the general education classroom will be instructed in these content areas by the EL teacher. The EL teacher, in this case, will be the Teacher of Record and will assign grades to those students. As students transition from the Newcomer Class to another type of EL program service, the assigned Teacher of Record will be transferred to the regular education teacher.

4. All EL students will receive a grade for all content areas (ELA, science, social studies, math).

5. Everyone will monitor student grades (e.g., all teachers, Division Heads, EL Coordinator) in JCAMPUS. If a student receives two failing grades, the teachers (regular education and EL), Division Head, and EL Coordinator will meet to review the current curricular and instructional modifications and accommodations provided for the student, analyze the student’s academic progress, and make adjustments as needed to ensure the student’s success.

6. EL students shall not be retained due to their limited language proficiency. Grades will be assigned on the basis of participation in activities, completion of assignments to the degree that language proficiency allows.

32

7. The school leadership/EL team will review records of EL students who do not meet the promotional guidelines and will review program placement and EL support, making adjustments as needed.

Grading Guidance for Students with Disabilities (SPED)

1. All teachers, including SPED teachers and/or teachers instructing SPED students, will enter the actual score that a student makes on assignments.

2. Everyone (teachers, Division Heads, and SPED Coordinators) will monitor student grades and provide immediate intervention/remediation if it is evident that the student is struggling.

3. If a student receives 2 failing course grades (F: 0-66.9%), a meeting will be convened by the school’s SPED Coordinator and/or SPED Teacher within 10 days to review the data and ensure all accommodations and modifications have been implemented properly.

The meeting should include the student’s respective teachers (regular, SPED, Interventionists), Division Head, SPED Coordinators, and other staff, where appropriate.

If all accommodations and modifications have been implemented as outlined in the IEP, and the student is failing, a revision in the plan is required that may include but is not limited to, a behavior plan, an adjustment in the type of accommodations and or modifications, or consideration of a placement change.

If changes are made to the IEP, the parent will be contacted to participate in the IEP meeting and the communication documented in JCAMPUS.

Documentation of the meeting, the reason for the student failure, resolution plan, and summary of IEP revisions, where applicable, must be documented in JCAMPUS.

33

Choice Foundation Absence Policy

This document lists the types of absences that students may incur, the work make-up policy, and the guidelines for communicating with parents regarding tardies and absences from school.

General Guidelines:

1. Upon returning to school following an absence, the student must bring a note signed by parent/guardian or doctor explaining the reason for the absence. (A phone call from the parent is also acceptable and must be documented in JCAMPUS.)

2. Choice Foundation’s student information system, JCAMPUS, shall be the official vehicle for maintaining attendance.

3. In all cases of suspensions, the parent/guardian shall receive written notice of the suspension, the reasons, and the terms.

Types of Absences:

Type of Absence Description Work Make-up Policy

Excused Absence Absences of two or fewer consecutive school days due to personal illness or serious illness in the family (parent communication required.)

Extended hospital or recuperation from an accident stay in which a student is absent for three or more consecutive school days as verified by a physician, dentist, or nurse practitioner licensed in the state.

Extended contagious disease within a family in which a student is absent for three or more consecutive school days as verified by a physician or dentist licensed in the state

Observance of special and recognized holidays of the students’ own faith.

Visitation with a parent who is a member of the US Armed Forces or the National Guard who has been called to duty or is on leave from overseas deployment (shall not exceed five school days per school year.)

Extended personal physical or emotional illness in which a student is absent for three or more consecutive school days as verified by a licensed physician or nurse practitioner.

Work may be provided by the teacher for the student to complete and receive full credit.

The student has one day to complete the work for each day absent. For example, if the student misses three days of school, the work must be turned in within three days of the student’s return.

APPENDIX C

34

Unexcused Absence

Any absence not meeting the requirements set forth in the excused absence definition, including but not limited to, out of school suspensions.

Work may be provided by the teacher for the student to complete and receive full credit.

The student has one day to complete the work for each day absent. For example, if the student misses three days of school, the work must be turned in within three days of the student’s return.

Half-Day Absence Student is marked half-day absent if s/he misses more than 25% but less than 50% of the instructional day.

Work missed may be assigned by the teacher.

The student has one day to complete the work and may receive full credit if it is completed satisfactorily.

Out of School (OSS) Suspension of 10 Days or Less

Students who are removed from the classroom for disruptive, dangerous, or unruly behavior and receive a consequence of suspension out of school

Work missed will be assigned by the teacher.

The student may receive either partial or full credit for work if it is turned in within two weeks upon the student’s return and completed satisfactorily.

Out of School (OSS) Suspension of More than 10 Days

A student who is suspended out of school for more than ten days for violation of school policy.

Work missed will be assigned by the teacher.

The student may receive either partial or full credit for work if it is turned in within two weeks upon the student’s return and completed satisfactorily.

In-School Suspension (ISS)

not considered an absence

A student is removed from the classroom for disruptive or unruly behavior and placed in a behavior intervention room on campus.

Students that are recommended for in-school suspension shall avoid interruption to the instructional program and accrual of absences.

A student who is assigned in-school suspension shall continue to receive assignments and work on schoolwork during their in-house suspension period.

The student is not considered absent.

Tardies and Unexcused Absences:

Following a student’s third unexcused absence or unexcused occurrence of being tardy, it shall be the responsibility of the teacher of record or homeroom teacher to contact the parent/guardian to notify them of the student’s attendance status.

Use the table on the following page as a procedural guide.

35

Occurrence Action Taken Documentation

3rd unexcused absence or tardy

Teacher contacts parent regarding student’s attendance or tardiness.

Document communication (in JCAMPUS) and maintain file of note(s) sent home and returned with parent signature.

5th unexcused absence or tardy

Teacher contacts parent for parent conference.

The purpose of this conference is for the parent to respond to inquiry regarding the nature of the absence(s) or tardies.

During the conference, the parent/ guardian signs a receipt of the notification from the school of unexcused absences/tardies.

The signature sheet of notification and attendance at the conference shall accompany information acquired during the conversation with the parent and both are to be maintained within the student’s cumulative folder and documented in JCAMPUS.

6th unexcused absence or tardy

Teacher refers student to school social worker and provides background information to assist social worker; social worker proceeds with consequences as defined by ACT No.745 of the Louisiana Legislature.

School nurse follows up on medical reasons cited for absences (if applicable.)

Social worker communicates with teacher regarding progress/outcome of progress with parent; documentation is maintained by social worker in JCAMPUS.

7th unexcused absence or tardy

Social worker continues to work with family and moves through established procedures.

Social worker, student’s teacher(s), nurse, and administration keep in communication and continue to implement interventions.

Documentation is maintained in JCAMPUS.

36

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

Introduction Historically, promotion, retention, and placement policy had strict requirements of school systems supporting struggling students. In October 2017 and January 2018, BESE approved revisions to Bulletin

1566 that support increased LEA flexibility with regard to student promotion.1 Struggling students must be identified early and receive intensive supports to ensure growth and the ability to stay on track towards graduation while the decision for promotion and retention remain a local decision.

Policy Requirements

Grade 4 Requirements:

• Students who score below “Basic” in at least two core subjects (ELA, math, science, social studies) at the end of Grade 4 must be placed on an individual academic improvement plan.

• The plan must:

o Address each core subject in which the student scored below “Basic”

o Include at least two approved interventions per core subject (see below), including possible participation in summer school as an intervention if chosen by the student and

parent2

o Be signed by the parent/legal guardian, following discussion of the plan

o Continue until the student achieves “Basic” in the core subjects that led to the development of the plan

Grades 5-7 Requirements:

• Students placed on an individual academic improvement plan at the end of Grade 4 must continue to receive intervention supports until the student achieves “Basic” in the same core subjects that led to the development of their individual academic improvement plan.

Grade 8 Requirements:

• Students should score at least “Basic” in either ELA or math and “Approaching Basic” in other subjects to be promoted to Grade 9

• The LEA determines appropriate placement in ninth grade or transitional ninth grade for students who transfer to the LEA from another state or country, no later than October 1 of each school year

Additional Guidance The following resources are included within this document:

1 For the approved revisions to Bulletin 1566, Pupil Progression Policies and Procedures, click here for October 2017 revisions and

here for January 2018 revisions. For specifics on the updates made to the prior policy, please refer to Appendix C. 2 All students identified as academically struggling must be offered summer remediation. If the student participates in summer

remediation, it may count as one of the two required interventions.

Description of new promotion and support policy process

Description of allowable intervention options for the Individual Academic Support Plan

Promotion and support policy FAQs

Appendix A: Summary of changes for Bulletin 1566-Grades 3-7

Appendix B: Detailed description of promotion and support process – Grades 3-7

Appendix C: Comparison of new and prior policy for fourth and eighth grade promotion, and summer remediation.

APPENDIX D

37

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

New Promotion and Support Policy Process for Grade 4 Bulletin 1566 §701 and §703

All steps in this process are required and should be repeated at the end of each school year.

For more details, see Appendix B.

*No action required for students in grades 5 through 7 who were not previously put on a plan in grade 4.

Action Step 3: Determine retention or promotion status

Who What When Goal

LEA

Continue academic improvement plan and monitor student progress

Ongoing and as needed

• Student met expectations (i.e., Basic or above).

If student does not meet expectations, per pupil progression policy, determine retention or promotion status.

Action Step 2: Engage parent/legal guardian and create a plan (required)

Who What When Goal

LEA and Parent/Legal Guardian

Attend planning meeting for each student exiting Grade 4 identified as below “Basic” in action step 1

End of school year

• Select interventions from the list of options on page 3

• Populate and sign the individual academic improvement plan template and parent/legal guardian agreement form

• Maintain the plan and agreement form in the student’s file

Action Step 1: Identify students who are academically struggling*

Who What When Goal

LEA

Receive roster from LDOE of students exiting grades 3 and 4 who identify as below “Basic” in at least two core subjects

End of school year

• Identify students exiting grade 3 who

may benefit from additional supports (i.e., early warning system)

• Identify students exiting grade 4 who scored below “Basic” in at least two core subjects and require an individual academic improvement plan

38

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

Intervention Options

If a student is identified as needing an individual academic improvement plan, the school system is required to choose at least two interventions for each core academic subject from the list below. The parent/legal guardian shall sign an agreement form indicating the selected interventions.

Options

Requirements and Resources

Enrollment in a summer program

Summer program uses instructional curricula or learning program aligned to Louisiana State Standards.

Program taught by a Highly Effective or Effective Proficient teacher.

No more than 35% of the instructional time can be made up of learning below the student’s registered grade level.

At least 65% of instructional time should be targeted to help students access on grade level learning, which includes any additional instructional time.

Additional In-school support

Additional learning minutes should come from free time during the school day or after school support.

Student should never be pulled out of on grade level, core academic instruction with peers to receive below level instructional support.

No more than 35% of the instructional time can be made up of learning below the student’s registered grade level.

At least 65% of instructional time should be targeted to help students access on grade level learning, which includes any additional instructional time.

Additional in-school support resources: Louisiana Believes Teacher Support Toolbox (by grade and subject)

K-12 Math Planning Resources: Helping students who struggle (by grade)

Diverse Learners Guide and the Supports Flow Chart (ELA Guidebooks 2.0)

Access to high quality, aligned curriculum

Use of a high quality curriculum aligned to Louisiana State Standards that includes built in instructional support.

Placement in classroom of a highly effective teacher

Student is placed in the classroom of a teacher rated highly effective overall or highly effective on value added model or has proven to grow academically struggling students in the past.

(Per state law, this option must be offered to parents/legal guardians)

39

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

Promotion and Support Policy FAQs

1. Why hasn’t the bulletin (Bulletin 1566) been updated online yet? Bulletins don't get updated until after they run in the Louisiana Register as final rule after the entire Administrative Procedures Act rulemaking process. Right now, the rule is going through that process, following BESE's approval as Notice of Intent. It is unlikely that this rule will not proceed as final rule; therefore, we are encouraging all LEAs to proceed with aligning their local policies and procedures accordingly. LEAs can access the new policies that BESE has adopted as Notice of Intent in the BoardDocs system, Academic Goals and Instructional Improvement Committee, or contact Erin Bendily at erin.bendily@la.gov with specific questions about policy language.

2. Will the template be required or can we use our own format? We hear in the webinar we can use black text. Local school systems may use their own template as long as all components from the State template are addressed, if applicable. Black text is acceptable.

3. In regards to the 2017-2018 Pupil Progression Plan submission, the template previously required

the following items. The new template doesn’t mention these, are they no longer required? • a formal submission statement signed by Principal & Board President See Section XI – LEA

Assurances

a local/LEA contact information page - Keep on file locally.

a listing of the committee of educators appointed by the superintendent - Keep on file locally.

a listing of the parents appointed by the school board - Keep on file locally.

documentation of input into the PPP by educators/parents - Keep on file locally.

copies of the public notice of the PPP prior to approval of PPP (dates and location) - Keep on file locally.

•

•

•

•

•

4. Eighth grade students shall score at least at the “Basic” achievement level in either English language arts or mathematics and “Approaching Basic” in the other subjects in order to be promoted to the ninth grade. Does that mean that they must have AB in science and social studies too? The 8th grade policy was not revised by BESE to address science and social studies.

5. Do schools have to offer all four choices that are listed as allowable interventions? No, the policy does not mandate this, with the exception of summer remediation. State law mandates that LEAs offer summer remediation, and neither BESE nor LDOE can waive this requirement. This does not mean that struggling students must attend summer remediation, but it must be offered to them.

6. When will the roster of 3rd and 4th grade students who scored below Basic in at least two subjects be provided? This information can be extracted from the assessment score report file provided to district test coordinators annually in June.

7. Will there be a template or suggested policy for individual academic improvement? Yes, a template and supporting documents are available here.

8. How will the IGP change in order to incorporate the Individual Academic Improvement Plan? No change - the individual academic improvement plan will begin after grade 4 and go through the 8th grade. At the end of the 8th grade, the traditional 8th grade promotion/T9/IGP policies commence.

40

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

9. What about attendance by teachers and parents in-person? Many of our parents cannot attend in person as we serve families from all over the state. When parents do not have transportation or otherwise cannot attend IEP meetings in person, we conduct the meeting over the phone/video phone. Can we do the same for these review meetings? LEAs should work with parents to determine how best to have these conversations and obtain written affirmations of their participation. We suggest documenting the meeting date and time and obtaining an electronic signature on the parent agreement form to keep on file, if an in-person meeting is not possible.

10. What if the school makes every attempt to contact the parent to get them at the meeting, but they don't attend? Keep documentation showing multiple attempts to contact the parent, including but not limited to phone call, written note home, email, etc.

11. If a parent refuses to allow a student to take the 8th grade LEAP, how will the promotion/placement decision be made? Principals and superintendents should personally discuss the implications of non-participation with parents who make these requests or express concerns about testing. While federal law does call for the participation of “all students” in state testing, local school leaders should also work to accommodate and respect parent wishes for their children. Local pupil progression policies may address this as well, and where test scores are not available to guide promotion/placement decisions, the school should review the preponderance of evidence of student learning from that school year to make that decision.

12. If a parent instructs a student to not test (opt out students), therefore they receive unsatisfactory, do they get an individual academic improvement plan? The school shall work with the parent to consider all other available evidence of student learning to determine if an academic improvement plan is needed.

13. What is the difference between academic supports and remediation? Can you provide examples? Remediation is a form of academic support, although typically focused on content that is below grade level. In keeping with other language in this proposed regulation, we are requiring that academic supports contain content that exposes students and allows them to learn content that is on grade level. Remedial (below grade level) content should not comprise more than 35 percent of the instructional time.

14. For math, there are Eureka Remediation tools aligned to the Modules and Topics in Eureka. What should be used for ELA? There are two primary resources for supporting struggling students in ELA :ELA Guidebooks Diverse Learners Guide and ELA Guidebooks Supports Flow Chart. These resources are also linked in the School System Promotion Guidance 2017-2018.

15. What are the implications for those districts which may not be able to provide “highly effective” teachers for every class? BESE, at its December 2017 board meeting, approved a policy revision which provides that summer school teachers be rated Highly Effective or Effective: Proficient pursuant to their most recent evaluation. This is one of four options that LEAs have to meet the needs of academically struggling students. LEAs need only provide two of the four required.

16. For students with disabilities, can the IEP serve as the individual academic improvement plan if they add the needed components or should a separate plan be written? The IEP is based on federally required components related to special education services. An Individual Academic Improvement Plan is required in addition to the IEP for students with disabilities.

41

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

17. Do students with 504 plans or IEPs that do not meet the standard for promotion still need an Individual Academic Improvement Plan? Yes, an Individual Academic Improvement Plan is required in addition to the 504 plan and IEP.

18. How does this policy affect Act 833? No change - all state laws continue to be in effect.

19. The proposed policy says shows that the summer test is going away, yet it still shows up in other sections and is mentioned in one section of the new PPP template. Is the summer retest definitely ending? Yes, the PPP template has been corrected and we will disseminate an amended copy to LEAs in the newsletter following the January BESE meeting.

20. Will all four subjects need to be offered during summer remediation? Yes, the policy provides for remediation to be offered in each of the four core subjects where students may have weaknesses. The objective is to help students in the core academic subjects in which they’ve scored below Basic.

21. Using only highly effective teachers narrows the summer school teacher pool down considerably. What if there are not enough HE teachers in the district to teach summer school? BESE, at the December 2017 board meeting, approved a policy revision which provides that summer school teachers be rated Highly Effective or Effective: Proficient pursuant to his/her most recent evaluation.

22. How is “summer” defined for purposes of summer remediation? Neither BESE nor the LDOE have defined this term which is used in state law (R.S. 17:24.4). LEAs have the ability to comply with the law by offering summer remediation on the timeline that they believe works best for them.

23. Page 7 of the template refers to 8th grade summer retest – will there be a retest? The summer retest will no longer exist. The PPP template has been corrected and we will disseminate an amended copy to LEAs in the newsletter.

24. With the repeal of the 50-hour cap for each subject taught during summer remediation, won’t this increase local costs? The 50-hour requirement in the previous policy was a minimum, not a cap, that BESE has since voted to repeal. LEAs can now determine the appropriate length of summer remediation programs needed to address students’ needs.

25. Will LEAP scores come in at the end of May in order to be ready for summer school at the beginning of June? Results will likely not be available until June, per the LDOE Assessment team and test vendor.

26. After reviewing the 4th and 8th Grade Promotion Policy Guidance document, it is still unclear as whether or not Summer Remediation is still required by LEAs. If it is still a requirement, can LEAs offer the “summer Remediation” during the school day/school year prior to summer break? OR Are LEAs required to offer “Summer Remediation” only during the summer months? Please clarify. Yes, school systems must continue to offer summer remediation to struggling students. The 50-hour requirement in the previous policy has been repealed. LEAs can now determine the appropriate length of summer remediation programs needed to address students’ needs. Remediation programs used throughout the school day and school year will not account for more than 35 percent of total instructional minutes. Please also refer to question 22 for information about the definition of summer relative to summer remediation.

42

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

27. Can a first year teacher teach summer school or be the classroom teacher the following year for the struggling student? For example, could the teacher's evaluations as a resident be used to determine if they are Highly Effective or Effective Proficient? What if they are somehow paired with a Highly Effective of Effective Proficient teacher? The regulations require that the summer school teacher must have been rated Highly Effective or Effective: Proficient pursuant to his/her most recent evaluation. Thus, a teacher must have been formally evaluated in order to have such a rating.

28. Can a resident teach summer school or be the classroom teacher for the strugglin g student? No, please refer to question 27.

29. When will state placement tests be available for students transferring in from out of state or from non-public/home study? As school systems are currently determining placement for transfer and nonpublic students for 2018-2019, current practices may be used for placement until the 5th and 9th grade placement tests are released.

30. Will an EOC summer retest be administered? Yes, the EOC summer retest will be administered.

31. I read that BESE will consider further, final adjustments to this policy – changes to how students are identified for summer remediation and placed in transitional 9th grade – at the January 2018 meeting. What changes will be made? In response to stakeholder feedback, the LDOE will propose that BESE make two final adjustments to the pupil progression/promotion regulations, as follows:

a. Going forward, LEAs should offer summer remediation to academically struggling students based on all evidence of student learning that exists by the end of the school year, including classroom teacher exams/grades, interim/benchmark test results, etc. If state test results indicate that additional students who were not previously identified are in need of academic supports, the LEA can work with those students’ families to determine how best to support their needs later in the summer and/or at the start of the following school year. Beginning with the 2018-2019 school year, placement of students in the transitional 9th grade need not be based solely on the results of the 8th grade LEAP test. LEAs should consider all available evidence of student learning to determine which students could benefit from the transitional 9th grade placement.

b.

43

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

Appendix A: Summary of Changes for Bulletin 1566 – Grade 3-7

LEAs shall make promotion and retention decisions based on a preponderance of evidence of student

learning, including LEAP results. If a student scores below “Basic” in at least two core academic subjects upon completion of grade 4, the

student shall be provided with an individual academic improvement plan regardless of promotion or

retention status. The plan shall be reviewed with and signed by the student’s parent or legal guardian.

The plan must outline at least two allowable interventions to be provided during the school year and/or

during the summer (see page three for detailed description of interventions).

LEAs shall offer, at no cost to students, extended on grade-level instruction to students who did not take

the LEAP tests or who failed to meet the promotional standard set forth in §701 and §703 of Bulletin

1566. The LEA shall provide transportation to and from the assigned LEAP instructional support summer

site(s) from, at a minimum, a common pick-up point. Summer instructional support programs must be offered as an intervention option for struggling students. Summer instructional support programs shall use curriculum determined by the LDOE to fully align to Louisiana State Standards. Teachers rated “Effective: Proficient” or “Highly Effective” shall serve as summer instructional support instructors. Remedial (below grade-level) instruction shall be limited to only necessary and focused skills as identified from top quality assessments and cannot account for more than 35 percent of the total summer instructional support instructional time. Students with

disabilities attending summer instructional support shall receive special supports as needed. No summer

retest will be provided or required.

44

2018-2019 Promotion Guidance and FAQs

Appendix B: Promotion or Retention Determination Process Grades 3-7 Per Bulletin 1566, promotion remains a local decision and there is no forced promotion at any grade. At

the end of each school year, the following processes take place with regard to student placement

decisions and academic supports for struggling students:

Action Step 1: Identify students who are academically struggling

The LDOE will provide a roster to LEAs of third and fourth grade students who scored below “Basic” in at

least two core subjects, including ELA, math, science, and social studies.

• For students completing third grade, this roster shall be used as an early warning system where

additional supports or interventions may be appropriate for these students as they progress through fourth grade.

For students completing fourth grade, this roster identifies students who must receive an individual academic improvement plan.

•

Action Step 2: Engage parent/legal guardian and create a plan

If a student is identified as below “Basic” in at least two subject areas by the end of fourth grade, then

the school must hold an individual parent meeting with the student’s parent/legal guardian to build an

individual academic improvement plan in partnership with the teacher. The school and the

parent/legal guardian must sign an agreement stating each party’s commitment to executing the plan. This agreement must be kept on file and the department will monitor districts each year. Any district

with less than 90% of documents on file will require further monitoring.

Action Step 3: Determine status

The individual academic improvement plan shall continue until student meets expectations and when

applicable, the school system shall determine final retention or promotion status. The school system will make that determination based on available data.

If retention is deemed the appropriate action for the struggling student, the following requirements

must be met:

Criteria for determination should be listed in school system PPP and adhered to in all retention decisions

District should consider recommendations from LDOE on what leads to retention, including but not limited to:

o Parent recommendation/agreement o Student maturity o Combination of at least 2+ test scores o Student work results throughout the school year o Teacher recommendation

Summer school must be offered to student before retention takes effect Parent meeting must be held to ensure parents understand rights relative to retention and sign permission to retain document provided by LDOE. If promotion through instructional support is deemed the appropriate action for a struggling student

in any given year, then instructional support plan must be developed or updated using the individual academic improvement plan template. (Appendix E)

45

Individual Academic Improvement Plan

Please attach the Individual Academic Improvement Plan Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement Form to this plan. Complete one template for each subject area identified as below “Basic.”

Student name and grade:

Subject area of need:

Beginning level of proficiency/Target level of proficiency:

Check the boxes below for each selected intervention and populate requested information:

❏ Enrollment in a summer program

Teacher name/rating: Summer program curriculum: Progress monitoring plan:

❏ Additional in-school support

Teacher name(s): Define supports: Progress monitoring plan:

❏ Guaranteed access to a tier 1/high quality curriculum

Curriculum:

❏ Placement in a classroom with a highly effective or effective proficient teacher

Teacher name/rating:

*Attach additional pages as necessary.

School Administrator Signature:

Date:

APPENDIX E

46

Individual Academic Improvement Plan

Documentation of Progress:

Date Targeted Intervention Progress and Next Steps Reviewed Initials

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

Parent:

Teacher:

Administrator:

47

Individual Academic Improvement Plan Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement Form

Your student, __________________________________ (student name), shall be placed on an individual academic improvement plan in partnership with the Choice Foundation school (check appropriate box below)

Lafayette Academy Charter School Esperanza Charter School

and teacher(s) _____________________________________________________________ (teacher/s name/s) because s/he did not attain basic proficiency in at least two core subject areas.

In accordance with the requirements of Bulletin 1566 §701 and §703, your student has the right to at least two or more of the following interventions:

Placement in a classroom with a teacher rated highly effective or effective proficient

Access to instruction leveraging a high-quality (tier 1) curricula during school hours

Additional in-school support where off-grade level instruction does not account for more than 35% of total minutes in each subject area

Opportunity to enroll in a high-quality summer program that uses a high-quality (tier 1) curricula or learning program

Further, the parent/legal guardian of ____________________________________ (student name) understands:

Initial (Your initials indicate you have read and understand each item below.)

Student is entitled to participation in an academic improvement plan that is co-developed between parent/legal guardian and teacher.

Parent/legal guardian is entitled to information in home language detailing intervention support available to student prior to selection of interventions.

Parent/legal guardian may select and agree to at least two interventions to be provided, at no cost, by the school system.

Parent/legal guardian can take action at home to support student progress by accessing resources available in the Family Support Toolbox Library (www.louisianabelieves.com) and/or provided by student’s school.

School System Promotion Policy per Pupil Progression Plan: (In the box below, describe the policy for the student’s grade level, or attach page(s) from the Pupil Progression Plan to this document.

48

Individual Academic Improvement Plan Parent/Legal Guardian Agreement Form

School System:

Choice Foundation

Date:

Student Name:

Grade:

Parent/Legal Guardian Name:

School:

Select at least two or more options from the intervention list below:

_____ Enrollment in a summer program

_____ Additional in-school support

_____ Guaranteed access to a tier 1/high quality curriculum

_____ Placement in a classroom with a highly effective or effective proficient teacher

I am a parent or legal guardian of the student reference above and I understand my rights as they relate to promotion and retention. I have selected and agreed to this course of action for my student.

Print Parent/Legal Guardian Name:

Parent/Legal Guardian Signature:

Date:

School Administrator Signature:

Date:

49

Individual Graduation Plan

By the end of eighth grade, every student (with the assistance of his/her parent or other legal custodian and school personnel) shall begin to develop an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP). An IGP guides the next academic year’s coursework, assisting students in exploring educational and career possibilities and in making appropriate secondary and postsecondary education decisions.

The Louisiana Department of Education has created an IGP template, along with a sample of a completed IGP and guidance documents for completing the plan. These resources are located on the LDOE website on the link below: https://www.louisianabelieves.com/resources/classroom-support/counselor-support-toolbox/individual-student-planning

To assist in planning for high school, LDOE has created a High School Planning Guidebook. It can be accessed here: http://www.louisianabelieves.com/docs/default-source/course-choice/high-school-planning-guidebook-(web).pdf?sfvrsn=32

APPENDIX F

50

OFFICIAL GRADE CHANGE FORM

School:___________________________________ Today’s Date:_________________________

Student Name: ____________________________ Student State ID#: _____________________

Current Age: ______________________________ Date of Birth: _________________________

Student’s Current Grade: ____________________ Promote to Grade: _____________________

Check if the student is: _____ SPED _____ EL _____ Gifted/Talented _____ 504

Rationale for the student receiving a grade change, attach needed documentation:

Student Information: Attendance: __________ days absent; __________ days tardy out of __________ days of school Grades: ELA __________; math __________; social studies __________; science __________ Comments regarding behavior and social skills

Action Plan to fill in academic gaps that student will have as a result of this change in grade placement:

Strategy/Service Date to begin

Person Responsible

Progress Check - date

Progress Check - comments

1.

2.

3.

Teacher’s Signature Date

Division Head’s Signature Date

Head of School’s Signature Date

Copies: Teachers, Ops Manager, Parent, Cumulative File

APPENDIX G

51

SCHOOL BUILDING LEVEL COMMITTEE

DOCUMENTATION OF PROMOTION/RETENTION

School: ___________________________________________ Date: ________________________________

Student: __________________________________________ Student ID#: __________________________

Date of Birth: _____________________________________ Current Grade: ________________________

Teacher(s): ________________________________________________________________________________

_____ STUDENT FAILED TO MEET STATE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS.

_____ STUDENT FAILED THE FOLLOWING SUBJECTS: ___________________________________

_____ (GRADES 3-8) STUDENT DID NOT ACHIEVE MINIMUM PROFICIENCY LEAP CRITERIA

The following areas have been reviewed to determine whether to promote or retain the student:

_____ Student’s chronological age

_____ Previous test scores

_____ Class participation and social/emotional development

_____ Student progress

_____ Student attendance

_____ Participation in remedial/intervention programs

_____ Progress as a result of interventions (student must have received intervention and results of interventions must be documented)

_____ Level of family involvement

_____ Peer interactions

_____ Level of English Language Proficiency

_____ Other __________________________________________________________________________

After reviewing documentation on this student, the decision of the School Building Level Committee is to:

_____ PROMOTE the student to grade __________.

_____ PROMOTE the student to grade __________ contingent upon successful completion of the Summer Remediation Program.

_____ RETAIN the student in grade __________.

_____ ASSIGN the student to grade __________.

_____ RECOMMEND the student to attend the Summer Remediation Program.

_____ Other __________________________________________________________________________

School-based Team Leader Signature Date

Head of School’s Signature Date

Parent Signature Date

APPENDIX H

52

State Placement Test

for Students Transferring into Louisiana Public Schools

Overview This document summarizes the administration, scoring, and reporting process for the State Placement Test and provides District Test Coordinators (DTCs) with important information regarding this assessment.

Per the new policy, which will be effective at the end of the 2017-2018 school year, LEAs will determine promotion and retention for public school students. For details regarding public school students, refer to the guidance to support school systems in implementing the recent promotion policy revisions. Furthermore, the policy addresses placement for students transferring into Louisiana public schools. Pursuant to Bulletin 1566, Chapter 5: Placement Policies - General Requirements, §503, Regular Placement, E: Transfer students, students seeking to transfer to a public school in grades 5 or 9 from any

● ● ●

in-state nonpublic school, approved home study program, or out-of-state school,

shall be required to pass the English language arts and mathematics portions of the state placement test.

About the Placement Test

Test Design This test is a computer-based test that is designed to measure students’ knowledge and skills in ELA and math pursuant to Louisiana Student Standards in grades 4 and 8. The test is consistent with the LEAP 2025 test. Both ELA and Math have three sessions. Session times can be found in the Test Administration Manual in eDIRECT.

Test Administration DTCs will be responsible for managing the state placement test administration in eDIRECT. All functionality of testing systems and test security will be the same as LEAP 2025 assessments. This includes accommodations assigned by school and district test coordinators. The state placement test is computer-based only and will be available for test set-up on July 18, 2018, and students can begin to complete testing in INSIGHT beginning August 6, 2018. Test administration access will be available the entire school year. Districts must notify the LDOE at least 30 days in advance of any district-planned testing day to ensure scoring and reporting are completed within normal turn-around times. The following resources will also be available to support district and school test administrators:

● ● ●

Test Administrator Manual Test Coordinator Manual eDIRECT User Guide

Scoring The state placement test will be scored by Louisiana’s testing vendor and will provide results based on the achievement levels. Students must pass both ELA and math placement tests to be enrolled in 5th or 9th grade. For placement purposes, a score at the achievement level of Basic, Mastery, or Advanced will be considered

APPENDIX I

53

passing. A score at the achievement level of Unsatisfactory or Approaching Basic will be considered failing. Using the achievement levels in the chart below, the LEA will place students in the appropriate grade.

Reporting Districts will receive the following reports in eDIRECT under the Reports tab:

● Student-Level Report (PDF) ● District/School File (csv)

Test results will typically be available in eDIRECT no later than 4-7 days after a student completes all test sessions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Placement and Support Policy

What is the difference between a proficiency and placement test? A proficiency exam is an examination taken by a student to demonstrate mastery of a course he or she has not taken. Refer to Bulletin 741, §2314. Carnegie Credit and Credit Flexibility for additional information regarding proficiency exams.

A placement test is a state administered assessment for students transferring into Louisiana public schools and enrolling in grades 5 and 9, per Bulletin 1566 . Decisions about placement into all other grades (outside of Grades 5 and 9) is determined by the Pupil Progression Plan of each LEA.

If a student takes the LEAP 2025, does he/she have to take the state placement test, also? If a student has a 4th or 8th grade LEAP 2025 test score on record, the LEAP 2025 score can be used in place of the state placement test. The student does not need to take the placement test also.

How do I place students in the appropriate grade that are not enrolling in grades 5 or 9? The LEA’s Pupil Progression Plan should be used to determine grade placement for grades other than 5 and 9.

Test Administration

How do I decide when a student is required to take the State Placement Test versus the LEAP 2025 test? All public school students take the LEAP 2025 test during the designated window. Nonpublic school, home study, and out-of-state transfers enrolling in grades 5 and 9 must take the state placement test.

Achievement Level

Enrollment

Pass: Basic, Mastery, or Advanced

Enroll in Grade 5 or Grade 9

Fail: Approaching Basic or Unsatisfactory

Enroll in Grade 4 or Grade 8 or T9

54

How will LEAs upload students into eDIRECT? Nonpublic students without a LASID should be tested under the 997 site code using the student’s SSN with a leading “0”. Students with a LASID can be uploaded with their LASID.

Can LEAs require nonpublic students to take the LEAP 2025 instead of the placement test? Districts cannot require nonpublic students to take the LEAP 2025. However, state law requires that home study students be provided access to state tests and that school systems can offer testing services to nonpublic school students if they choose to do so. LEAs should refer to the FAQ for Testing Home Study and

Nonpublic School Students for more information.

Can public schools students take the state placement test? Public school students will take the LEAP 2025 grade level or course assessment. The state placement test is only administered to students transferring to Louisiana public schools from an in-state non-public school or home study program or Louisiana residents transferring from any out of state school.

What resources are available on promotion guidance? The Department has developed guidance to support school systems in implementing the recent promotion policy revisions. All documents including the Individual Academic Improvement Plan template and parent/legal guardian agreement form can be found on the Graduation Requirements homepage.

Scoring and Reporting

What do I do after I receive the state placement test results? Do I use an IAIP if a student is not promoted to 5th or 9th grades? State laws and regulations require incoming transfer students to pass both the ELA and math state placement test in order to be placed in 5th grade. Students that do not pass both the ELA and math state placement test for 9th grade must be placed in either T9 by October 1st, or in 8th grade as determined by the district. An IAP is not required for students who do not pass, but the district may choose to implement one.

55