505 - Student Scholastic Achievement

505 - Student Scholastic Achievement dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:51

505.01 - Student Progress Reports and Conferences

Students will receive a progress report at the end of each grading period. Students, who are doing poorly, and their parents, are notified prior to the end of the semester in order to have an opportunity to improve their grade. The board encourages the notification of students who have made marked improvement prior to the end of the semester.

Parent-teacher conferences will be held at the elementary and middle school to keep the parents informed. High school conferences are not individually scheduled.

Parents, teachers, or principals may request a conference for students in grades kindergarten through twelve in addition to the scheduled conference time. Parents and students are encouraged to discuss the student's progress or other matters with the student's teacher.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 256.11, .41; .280, 284.12.
281 I.A.C. 12.3(4), 12.3(6), .5(16).

Cross Reference: 505 Student Scholastic Achievement
506 Student Records

Approved    1/18/21
Reviewed
Revised

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:50

505.02 - Student Promotion - Retention - Acceleration

Students will be promoted to the next grade level at the end of each school year based on the student's achievement, age, maturity, emotional stability, and social adjustment.

The district shall adhere to the following:

Retention/Promotion in kindergarten – eighth grade: The retention of a student will be determined based upon the judgment of the district’s professional staff. When it becomes evident a student in grades kindergarten through eight may be retained in a grade level for an additional year, the parents will be informed prior to making the retention decision. It is within the sole discretion of the district to retain students in their current grade level and to deny promotion to a student.
Retention/Promotion in ninth – twelfth grade: Students in grades nine through twelve will be informed of the required coursework necessary to be promoted each year. When it becomes evident a student in these grades will be unable to meet the minimum credit requirements for the year, the student and parents will be informed. It is within the sole discretion of the district to retain students in their current grade level and to deny promotion to a student.
Acceleration in kindergarten – twelfth grade: Students in grades kindergarten through twelve with exceptional talents may, with the permission of the principal and parents, take classes beyond their current grade level. Enrichment opportunities outside the school district may be allowed when they do not conflict with the school district's graduation requirements.
Retention or Acceleration in kindergarten – twelfth grade may also occur in additional instances as provided by law.

For students in grades kindergarten through sixth, if a student is not reading at a proficient level, the district will notify a student’s parent or guardian of the student’s reading level, and the option for parents to request that the student be retained in the student’s current grade level for the subsequent school year. The district is prohibited from promoting a student to the next grade level if the student is not reading proficiently, and the student’s parent or guardian requests the student be retained at their current grade level for the next year.

Any student or parent who is not satisfied with the decision of the district’s professional staff may seek recourse through policy 502.4 – Student Complaints and Grievances.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 256.11, .41; 279.8; .68.
281 I.A.C. 12.5(16).

Cross Reference: 501 Student Attendance
505 Student Scholastic Achievement
603.2 Summer School Instruction

Approved 1/18/2021
Reviewed 7/15/2024
Revised 7/15/2024

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:51

505.03 - Student Honors and Awards

The school district will provide a program that establishes honors and awards including, but not limited to, academic letters, scholarships and good citizenship awards for students to assist students in setting goals. Students are made aware of honors and awards and the action necessary on the part of the student to achieve them. Students who have not attended an accredited public or private school for their entire high school education, will not be eligible for honors and awards.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to develop the administrative regulations regarding this policy.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code § 279.8

Cross Reference: 504 Student Activities
505 Student Scholastic Achievement

Approved     1/18/21
Reviewed
Revised

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:52

505.04 - Testing Program

A comprehensive testing program is established and maintained to evaluate the education program of the school district and to assist in providing guidance or counseling services to students and their families.

No student is required, as part of any applicable program, funded by the United State Department of Education, to submit to a survey, analysis or evaluation that reveals information concerning:

∙ political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent or guardian:

∙ mental or psychological problems of the student or the student's family;

∙ sex behavior or attitudes;

∙ illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating or demeaning behavior;

∙ critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family relationships;

∙ legally recognized, privileged and analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers, physicians and ministers;

∙ religious practices, affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent or guardian; or

∙ income,(other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a program or for receiving financial assistance under such program);

without the prior consent of the student (if the student is an adult or emancipated minor), or in the case of an unemancipated minor, without the prior written consent of the parent.

Prior to an employee or contractor of the district providing information on a student enrolled in the district on any survey related to the social or emotional abilities, competencies or characteristics of the student; the district will provide the parent/guardian of the student detailed information related to the survey and obtain written consent of the parent/guardian of the student. This includes the person who created the survey, the person who sponsors the survey, how the information generated by the survey is used and how information generated by the survey is stored. This requirement will not prohibit a district employee from answering questions related to a student enrolled in the district as part of developing or implementing an individualized education program for the student.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent, in conjunction with the principal, to develop administrative regulations regarding this policy.

It is the responsibility of the board to review and approve the evaluation and testing program.

Legal Reference: 20 U.S.C. § 1232h
Iowa Code §§ 280.3

Cross Reference: 505        Student Scholastic Achievement
         506        Student Records
         607.2    Student Health Services

Approved    1/18/21
Reviewed     7/17/23
Revised     7/17/23

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:53

505.05 - Graduation Requirements

Students must successfully complete the courses required by the board and Iowa Department of Education in order to graduate.

It is the responsibility of the superintendent to ensure that students complete grades one through twelve and that high school students complete 48 credits prior to graduation. The following credits will be required for graduation:

English/Language Arts 8 credits

Science 6 credits

Mathematics 6 credits

Social Studies 6 credits

Physical Education 2 semesters

United State Government 1 credits

American History 2 credits

Financial Literacy 1 credits

The required courses of study will be reviewed by the board annually.

Beginning with the class of 2022, graduation requirements for special education students will include successful completion of four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies and three years of science.

Prior to graduation, the district will advise students on how to successfully complete the free application for federal student aid.

Graduation requirements for special education students include successful completion of four years of English, three years of math, three years of social studies and three years of science.

Students who complete a regular session in the Legislative Page Program of the general assembly at the state capitol will be credited ½ credit of social studies.

Students enrolled in a junior officers’ training corp will receive 1/8th physical education credit for each semester the student is enrolled in the program.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 256.7, 11, .41; 279.8; 280.3, .14.
281 I.A.C. 12.3,(5); 12(5).

Cross Reference: 505 Student Scholastic Achievement
603.3 Special Education

Approved     1/18/21
Reviewed     7/18/22
Revised      7/18/22

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:55

505.06 - Early Graduation

Generally, students will be required to complete the necessary course work and graduate from high school at the end of grade twelve. Students may graduate prior to this time if they meet the minimum graduation requirements stated in board policy.

A student who graduates early will no longer be considered a student and will become an alumnus of the school district. However, the student who graduates early may participate in commencement exercises.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 280.3.
281 I.A.C. 12.3(5); 12(5)

Cross Reference: 505 Student Scholastic Achievement

Approved      1/18/21
Reviewed
Revised

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:58

505.07 - Commencement

Students who have met the requirements for graduation will be allowed to participate in the commencement proceedings provided they abide by the proceedings organized by the school district. It is the responsibility of the principal to solicit input from each graduating class regarding the proceedings for their commencement.

Failure of a student to participate in commencement will not be a reason for withholding the student's final progress report or diploma certifying the student's completion of high school.

Legal Reference: Iowa Code §§ 279.8; 280.3.
281 I.A.C. 12.5.

Cross Reference: 505 Student Scholastic Achievement

Approved     1/18/21
Reviewed
Revised

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:58

505.08 - Parent and Family Engagement Districtwide Policy

Parent and family engagement is an important component in a student’s success in school. The board encourages parents and families to become involved in their child’s education to ensure the child’s academic success. In order to facilitate parent and family involvement, it is the goal of the district to conduct outreach and implement programs, activities and procedures to further involve parents and families with the academic success of their students. The board will:

(In each of the following six items, the board must describe within this policy how it will accomplish each of the items. This mandatory policy is not complete without providing specific information for each of these six categories.)

(1) Involve parents and families in the development of the Title I plan, the process for school review of the plan and the process for improvement by:

Parents and families will be provided information and given opportunities for feedback as it relates to the Title 1 program through indepth information and resources shared in the Title 1 Parent Handbook, parent survey completed each spring, student progress reports completed each quarter, and participation in parent-teacher conferences.

(2) Provide the coordination, technical assistance and other support necessary to assist and build the capacity of all participating schools in planning and implementing effective parent and family involvement activities to improve student academic achievement and school performance by:

Student selection for the Title 1 program will be based on multiple factors. These factors are based on formative reading assessment scores through FAST testing as well as ISASP testing. Selection will also incorporate students F/P reading level and data trends over time. Students will not be accepted into the Title 1 program if they are receiving an individualized education plan in the area of reading. If a student has an IEP in the area of reading, their services would fall under special education.

(3) To the extent feasible, coordinate and integrate parent and family engagement strategies under Title I with parent and family engagement strategies outlined in other relevant Federal, State, and local laws and programs by:

The school provides a parent compact that outlines what the parent, student, teacher, and principal will do to increase students achievement. This compact is provided to the parents of all Title 1 students and outlines the ways in which all stakeholders will work together to achieve proficiency.

(4) Conduct with the involvement of parents and family members, an annual evaluation of the content and effectiveness of the parent and family engagement policy in improving the academic quality of the school served including identifying: barriers to greater participation by parents in Title I activities (with particular attention to low-income parents, Limited English Proficient (LEP) parents, parents of any racial or ethnic minority, parents with disabilities and parents with limited literacy); needs of parents and family to assist their children’s learning; and strategies to support successful school and family interactions by:

Parents of selected Title 1 students will be sent a parent letter via mail outlining their child’s participation in the Title 1 program and a returned, signed parent permission slip is required. The Title 1 teacher will attend the fall and spring parent teacher conference to update parents on the progress of the student. Quarterly updates will also be completed by the teacher and a paper copy sent home with report cards. If there is a need, the teacher and/or parents have the right to call a conference.

Input from parents on the planning, review, and improvement of the Title 1 programs will be gathered through the spring parent Title 1 parent surveys.

(5) Use the findings of the annual evaluation to design strategies for more effective parent and family involvement and to revise, as necessary, the parent and family involvement policies by:

The results from the spring parent survey will be analyzed and incorporated when possible and applicable.

and

(6) Involve parents and families in Title I activities by:

Through the spring parent survey, parents will be able to comment on the effectiveness of the Title 1 program. Additional parent resources are provided in the Title 1 parent handbook and there are opportunities for collaboration during parent teacher conferences. The handbook provides parents multiple suggestions and ideas on how to engage with their students in reading.

The district shall involve parents in determining how to allocate reserved Title I funds in accordance with applicable laws.

The board will review this policy annually. The superintendent is responsible for notifying parents and families of this policy annually or within a reasonable time after it has been amended during the school year. The superintendent may develop an administrative process or procedures to implement this policy.

Legal References: 20 U.S.C. §6318

Cross References: 903.2 Community Resource Persons and Volunteers\

Approved:
Reviewed:
Revised:

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 12:59

505.08R1 - Parent and Family Engagement Building-Level Regulation

To further the interests of student achievement, the superintendent will create necessary rules to engage parents and family members within the district in the following ways on a building-level basis:

Policy Involvement: The district will host an annual meeting and invite all parents to attend; and inform parents of their rights and the district’s requirements under Title I. This meeting will also invite parents to become involved in the planning, review and improvement of a building policy and in developing the district plan. The district will inform parents of:
- programs under this policy,
- curriculum and assessment used for students,
- the opportunity to meet with administration to participate in decisions related to their children’s education,
- a description and explanation of curriculum used in the school forms of academic assessment used to measure student progress, and
- achievement levels of the challenging State academic standards.

Accessibility: Provide opportunities for informed participation of parents and family members in understandable formats and languages. This includes participation by parents and family members who may have disabilities, limited English proficiency, and migratory children. Offer a flexible number of meetings during the day, evening and weekends to facilitate parent involvement. The superintendent has discretion to allow schools to provide childcare for families of students during these meetings through Title I funds.

High Student Academic Achievement: Each school in the district will jointly develop with parents and family members a school-parent compact that outlines how parents, staff and students share responsibility for improving student academic achievement; and how a partnership will be built to achieve this. The compact will describe the responsibility of the school to provide high quality curriculum and instruction, and the parents’ responsibility to support their children’s learning. This will also address the importance of communication between schools and parents through parent teacher conferences, regular reports to parents on their children’s progress, and ensuring regular meaningful communication between family and school staff.

Building Capacity for Involvement: Each school within the district will include in their plan ways to achieve the following:
- Assist parents and families to understand topics including academic standards and assessments and how to monitor student progress;
- Provide materials and training to help parents work with students to improve achievement;
- Educate teachers and staff in how to communicate with parents and build ties to foster academic success;
- Coordinate and integrate other federal, state and local programs to support parents in more fully participating in students’ education;
- Ensure information related to programs is sent to parents and families in understandable formats; and
- Provide other reasonable support to encourage parental involvement

Schools Operating a Schoolwide Program: Each school operating a schoolwide program under this policy shall:
- Involve parents on a timely and ongoing basis in the planning, review and improvement of programs, including the parent and family engagement school policy drafting and review, and the joint development of the schoolwide program.
- If the schoolwide program plan is not satisfactory to the parents of the participating children, parent comments will be requested and submitted with the plan to the district.

dawn.gibson.cm… Tue, 10/03/2023 - 13:01