Reading is the basis for much of learning past third grade. With that in view, we’ve got news.
The Stanley-Boyd School District will soon have a new policy in its district handbook, related to promotion and retention.
Due to enter the handbook as policy 5411 Third Grade Promotion and Retention, the new policy is required by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction and meant to help “at risk” students, assigning them a reading plan if needed and assessing their readiness to progress to fourth grade.
Drafted in response to Act 20 per definitions set forth in chapters 118.016(5) and 118.33(5m)(a) of the state statutes, the new policy seeks to ensure that those promoted from third to fourth read at grade level. Those who do not will be assigned a personal reading plan by the district to get up to speed. Those who fail to complete their assigned reading plan may be held back.
“The District will not promote a student from third to fourth grade who has not completed their personal reading plan by the end of third grade unless the District, in consultation with the student’s parent(s), believes retention is not in the best interest of the student,” the policy reads in part.
Several factors will be considered for student promotion or retention under the policy, including the following:
• Whether a team of interested individuals with knowledge (including parents and school representatives) believe promotion is in the best interest of the student.
All relevant and available data demonstrating the student’s response or progress to reading instruction and intervention, and data demonstrating the student’s progress towards meeting personal reading plan goals
• Why the student has not completed their personal reading plan
• Whether or which alternatives to retention can help the student to achieve reading fluency
• Any other relevant factors in deciding whether to retain or promote a student
• Those factors or conditions considered elsewhere in District policy or administrative guidelines pertaining to student promotion and retention
• Whether the student is eligible for an exception contained under the policy
• The potential long-term adverse risks of retention.
Based on these factors the district will make one of four possible determinations, as follows:
• A. Promotion to fourth grade with applicable supports and services is more appropriate than retention to grade
• B. Promotion: The student’s non-completion of their personal reading plan was not primarily due to the student’s lack of reading proficiency
• C. Promotion: The District recommends retention with applicable supports and services but the student’s parent(s) do not agree with the District’s recommendation
• D. Retention: The District determined that, in consultation with the student’s parent(s), retention with applicable supports and services is more appropriate than promotion to fourth grade.
Post promotion requirements will be followed for those student promoted with an incomplete reading plan, providing the student with intensive instructional service and notifying the parent in writing that the student did not complete their reading plan while providing a description of the instructional services and supports that will be provided to remediate areas of deficiency. The District will providing the student with an intensive reading program each summer until the student scores at grade level reading on a summative assessment.

A full policy read is available at the district website. The policy becomes official upon a second board reading.