Policy 5118 – Promotion/Acceleration

This policy addresses grade-to-grade promotion and acceleration decisions that are made at any point prior to a student’s attendance in any high school program in the District (i.e., prior to the accumulation of credits for high school). This policy only applies to students in grades Kindergarten through 8, except as defined by KUSD Policy and Rule 5119-Third Grade to Fourth Grade Promotion for Students with a Reading Plan. Students in grade 9-12 develop specific schedules and course requests that are respective to any promotion or acceleration scenario.

Decisions about the promotion or acceleration of a student shall be based on factors such as achievement, age, and the well-being of the student. A student who demonstrates academic achievement significantly below or beyond the current grade level standard may be identified by the teacher(s) and/or parent/guardian.

Administration is expected to implement this policy and, in conjunction with other instructional staff members, make the promotion and acceleration decisions for individual students. If a student’s parent or guardian disagrees with a District decision regarding promotion or acceleration, the parent or guardian may submit a written request for reconsideration to the Chief Academic Officer. Except as otherwise required by law, the decision of the Chief Academic Officer following such a request shall be final.

Process for Making Promotion or Acceleration Determinations

A two-step process will carefully consider all relevant factors for making promotion or acceleration determinations in a structured approach that ensures a fair and thorough evaluation of each student’s academic progress. Step 1 involves a data analysis and risk consideration to determine whether the student meets the standard criteria. Step 2 involves notifying the parents or guardians of the decision and obtaining their acknowledgment, ensuring that they are informed and involved in the process.

The team refers to the principal, parent or guardian, and no less than two additional school/district representatives who have knowledge of the student’s academic progress. School representatives must include the principal or designee and may include, but are not limited to: the teacher of record, a staff member who has provided additional support and conducted progress monitoring, and a student services professional with knowledge of the social and emotional implications of withholding promotion or accelerating a student.

Step 1: Data and Risk Considerations

The team will consider all available data demonstrating the student’s academic progress and response to intervention and enrichment. This data analysis will be used for decisions regarding promotion and acceleration. This data may include, but is not limited to, the most recent and previous state assessment data, universal screener data, longitudinal data, diagnostic assessment data, progress monitoring data, classroom data, and observations and data related to the student’s social, emotional, and behavioral functioning.

The team will also identify if any Good Cause exceptions apply to the student. If any of the following Good Cause exceptions are applicable to the student, they will be considered when making a decision on promotion.

  1. A student who is a Multilingual Learner (defined for this purpose as a student whose “ability to use the English language is limited because of the use of a non-English language in his or her family or in his or her daily, non-school surroundings, and who has difficulty in performing ordinary classwork in English as a result of such limited English language proficiency”).
  2. A student who has an individualized education plan (IEP).
  3. A student who receives services under section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act that indicates that the pupil has intensive interventions.
  4. A student who has received intensive intervention for two or more school years.
  5. A student who was previously retained.

Decisions on whether to promote a student with disabilities will be made in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and as required by other applicable law.

If withholding promotion or acceleration is considered, the team will convene and review the following in order to reach consensus regarding the decision for the student:

  1. Student data that led to a recommendation.
  2. Long-term risks of this recommendation (withhold promotion, acceleration) to the student’s parent or guardian.

Step 2: Parent/Guardian Notification and Acknowledgement

After reviewing all data and considerations, representatives from the school/district will notify the Chief Academic Officer of the recommendation for the student (withholding promotion, acceleration). The Chief Academic Officer will review the process and make a final determination. The principal will notify the parent or guardian of the decision and outline available services and supports. The principal will document parent or guardian notification of the decision.

If the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s) disagree with the District’s decision under this policy, they may request reconsideration. The Chief Academic Officer or designee will modify the initial decision only if, upon a review of all relevant and reasonably available information, they conclude that the policy was applied incorrectly.

Nothing in this policy or in the related criteria and procedures shall be interpreted in a manner that would interfere with or detract from a student’s or parent’s rights under any applicable state or federal law or from the authority of the student’s IEP team.

Legal References:

CROSS REF.:

Created: June 24, 2025

Rule 5118 – Promotion/Acceleration

Process for Making Promotion Determinations

  1. A KUSD representative shall be responsible for promptly informing the student’s parent or guardian that the District has identified the student as being at risk of possible retention. Reasonable efforts shall be made to provide this information to the parent or guardian.
  2. The decision process may occur at one or more team meetings and/or through a series of communications.
  3. A data analysis process shall be applied by the team, as defined in Policy 5118, to initially identify students in grades K through 8 who are at risk of promotion being withheld, except as defined by Policy 5119 Grade 3 Promotion Policy. The following components will be considered to the extent reasonably available:
    1. The student’s academic progress to date, with no single test or assessment result serving as the sole measure of the student’s progress.
    2. Interventions that have been implemented for the student to date, the extent to which the student was able to fully participate in those interventions, and the student’s response to those interventions, including especially whether the student’s learning gaps relative to applicable grade-level academic standards were materially narrowed, grew wider, or stayed about the same.
    3. At least a tentative identification of available interventions (e.g., instructional modifications, services, and supports) that the District would be likely to provide to the student under both a retention outcome and under a promotion outcome.
    4. Relevant non-academic factors affecting the student, such as potential impacts of the decision on a student’s social relationships, social development, and self-perception, which should be identified and evaluated with input from relevant staff and, if available and willing to provide such information, the student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or other caregiver(s).
    5. Long-term risks of withholding promotion to the student’s parent or guardian. Such risks may include, but are not limited to, the following:
      1. Students who are not promoted are more likely to have adverse outcomes, including dropping out of school and obtaining lower paying jobs in the future. (Cockx, B., Picchio, M., & Baert, S. 2018; Hughes, J.N., West, S.G., Kim, H., & Bauer, S.S. 2018)
      2. Students who are not promoted are more likely to experience emotional distress. (Buckmaster et. al. 2024; Carlton & Winsler 1999; Demanet & Van Houtte 2016; Goos et al. 2013b; Carlton, M. P., & Winsler, A. 1999; Jimerson & Ferguson 2007; Lavrijsen & Nicaise 2017; Martin 2009; Martin 2011)
      3. Students who are not promoted are more likely to have lower socioeconomic status and more likely to be eligible for government assistance. (Goos, M., Pipa, J., & Peixoto, F. 2021)
      4. Students who are not promoted are at higher risk for future criminal behavior. (Eren, O., Lovenheim, M., & Mocan, H. 2022)
  4. A final decision regarding promotion or retention need not be made until after the end of the normal school term, or, if the student is participating in summer school in an effort to become eligible for promotion, until after the completion of the student’s summer school program.
  5. When a student has been enrolled in District schools for less than the entire school term prior to an applicable promotion decision for the next school term, the administration shall use its discretion to identify and apply relevant academic criteria that are reasonably available for the student in question and use decision-making procedures and timelines for promotion and retention decisions that are practical in light of the student’s actual date of enrollment.
  6. Following the completion of the data analysis process and prior to making any final decision, the team shall hold a meeting involving the Chief Academic Officer or designee and, if reasonably available, the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s).
  7. Upon the principal notifying the parent or guardian of the decision and outlining the available services and supports, one of the following choices will be made if withholding promotion is the recommendation.
    1. The parents or guardians and school/district representatives agree that withholding promotion (with applicable services/supports) is more appropriate than promotion and the student’s parent or guardian gives written consent for withholding promotion, which will be recorded.
    2. The parents or guardians disagree that withholding promotion is more appropriate than promotion with support and services, then the student is promoted. Written parent disagreement for withholding promotion will be recorded.

Process for Making Acceleration Determinations

The Kenosha Unified School District recognizes a need for educational alternatives for students who demonstrate advanced academic achievement. The purpose of acceleration is to place students at the level of their demonstrated competence either through content or grade-level acceleration.

  1. A data analysis process shall be applied by the team, as defined in Policy 5118, to initially identify students in grades K through 8 who are candidates for subject or grade-level acceleration. The following components will be considered to the extent reasonably available:
    1. The student’s academic progress to date, with no single test or assessment result serving as the sole measure of the student’s progress.
    2. District Curriculum enrichment opportunities that have been implemented for the student to date, the extent to which the student was able to fully participate in those enrichment opportunities, and the student’s response to those enrichment opportunities, including especially whether the student’s learning strengths relative to applicable grade-level academic standards were materially increased or stayed about the same.
    3. Relevant non-academic factors affecting the student, such as potential impacts of the decision on a student’s social relationships, social development, and self-perception, which should be identified and evaluated with input from relevant staff and, if available and willing to provide such information, the student’s parent(s), guardian(s), or other caregiver(s).
    4. Long-term risks of acceleration to the student.
  2. The decision process may occur at one or more team meetings and/or through a series of communications.
  3. Following the completion of the data analysis process and prior to making any final decision, the team shall hold a meeting involving the Chief Academic Officer or designee and, if reasonably available, the student’s parent(s) or guardian(s). At this time, the principal will make a determination, outline supports, and notify the parent/guardian.

If a parent or guardian believes that the District has not followed its policies or procedures related to promotion or acceleration decisions, or that the District has made an incorrect decision in regard to the promotion or acceleration of a student, the student’s parent or guardian may appeal the decision to the Chief Academic Officer. Such appeals should be submitted in writing to the Office of Teaching and Learning as soon as reasonably possible after the parent or guardian is informed of the District’s decision, but no more than 30 days after being notified of the decision by the principal