MCA's Promotion/ Retention policy
Following is the wording of Mount Carmel Area School District's Promotion and Retention policy, which is used in part for cases where it's requested a student repeat a grade.
The board recognizes that the personal, social, physical, and educational growth of children will vary, and they should be placed in the educational setting most appropriate to their needs and the various stages of their growth.
It shall be the policy of the Board that each child is moved forward in a continuous pattern of achievement and growth that is in harmony with his/her own development.
Such pattern coincides with the system of grade levels established by this Board and the instructional objectives established for each.
A student will be promoted to the succeeding grade level when he/she has completed the course requirements at the presently assigned grade, and demonstrated growth in attainment of proficiency of Standards as directed by Chapter 4 of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Retention Guidelines:
1. A student in grades 1-3 may be considered for retention if he/she is failing reading and/or math and all avenues for correction have been tried in attempt to correct the deficiency.
2. A student in grades 4-6 may be considered for retention if he/she is failing 2 major subjects: reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies and science for the year and has not been retained already in that grade.
3. At the secondary level a student may be considered for retention if he/she is failing 2 major subjects: reading, language arts, mathematics, social studies, and science for the year and has not been retained already in that grade.
The administration has developed procedures for promotion and retention of students which:
1. Require the recommendation of all the classroom teachers and support personnel who instruct the student for promotion or retention.
2. Assure that every effort will be made to remediate the student's difficulties before he/she is retained.
3. Assure that no student will be retained more than two (2) times.
4. All retention recommendations/requests must be made by May 15th. Parental requests must be supported in writing by an independent evaluation or a physician's recommendation.
5. A parent meeting must be held by May 30th to define the student's educational program.
6. Parents who request a student be retained through a physician recommendation will be required to sign off on NCAA course requirements and Mount Carmel Area graduation requirements.
7. Students may take advanced courses if they have an overall grade point average of 90% or above in the content area and/or be a member of the National Honor Society.
8. Courses taken prior to grade 9 cannot count on a student transcript as per the Pennsylvania School Code/Policy.
9. Students will not graduate without completion of a senior project.
10. Assign to the building principal the final responsibility for determining the promotion or retention of each student.