Nash County Public Schools provides all students with quality instruction in order to be competitive for college and career readiness. A team effort is needed to provide quality instruction and ensure student success in meeting the high standards expected by institutions of higher learning, the community, and work partners. Each student must take responsibility for his/her own learning and strive to meet grade-level competencies. Each family must provide support at home that allows students to be ready to learn and reinforces learning activities from school. Each educator must provide a rigorous learning environment that enables students to succeed and challenges them to excel. Principals and teachers shall develop a Personalized Learning Plan for any student retained in kindergarten through grade 8 or any high school student who is retained in the current grade or fails a core course in Math, Science, English, Social Studies, or CTE.

Regular and consistent student attendance is critical for success at all grade levels:

Students are expected to meet minimum proficiency standards on the North Carolina End-of-Grade (EOG) Tests in reading and mathematics as well as earn satisfactory grades on student report cards. As required by G.S. 115C-83.7(a), third grade students who do not pass the North Carolina End- of Grade English Language Arts/Reading test or retest with an achievement of level 3 or higher shall be retained in the third grade, unless the student qualifies for a good cause exemption.

Good Cause Exemptions from Mandatory Retention – Third Grade Students may be exempt from mandatory retention in third grade for good cause, but shall continue to be eligible to participate in reading camps and receive literacy interventions appropriate for their age and reading level. Good cause exemptions shall be limited to the following:

1. Limited English Proficient students with less than two school years of instruction in an English as a Second Language program.

2. Students with disabilities, as defined in G.S. 115C-106.3(1), and whose individualized

   education program indicates (i) the use of the NCEXTEND1 alternate assessment, (ii) at

   least a two school year delay in educational performance, or (iii) receipt of intensive

   reading literacy interventions for at least two school years.

3. Students who demonstrate reading proficiency appropriate for third-grade students on

   an alternative assessment approved by the State Board of Education.

4. Students who demonstrate, through a student reading portfolio, reading proficiency

   appropriate for third-grade. Student reading portfolios and review processes used by

   local school administrative units shall be approved by the State Board of Education.

5. Students who have (i) received literacy interventions and (ii) previously been retained

   more than once in kindergarten, first, second, or third grades.

The Superintendent shall determine whether a student may be exempt from mandatory retention on the basis of a good cause exemption. The following steps shall be taken in making the determination: 

1. The teacher of a student eligible for a good cause exemption shall submit to the principal documentation of the relevant exemption and evidence that promotion of the student is appropriate based on the student’s academic record. Such evidence shall be limited to the student’s personal education plan, individual education program, if applicable, alternative assessment, or student reading portfolio.

2. The principal shall review the documentation and make an initial determination whether the student shall be promoted. If the principal determines that the student shall be promoted, the principal shall make a written recommendation of promotion to the Superintendent.

3. The Superintendent shall make a final determination of whether the student may be promoted. The Superintendent’s acceptance or rejection of the principal’s recommendation shall be in writing.

Notification to Parents of Students Regarding Mandatory Retention in Third Grade for Students Retained in the Third Grade for Failure to Demonstrate Reading Proficiency

1. Parents or guardians shall be notified in writing, and in a timely manner, that the student shall be retained, if the student is not demonstrating reading proficiency by the end of the third grade unless he or she is exempt from mandatory retention for good cause. Parents or guardians shall receive this notice when a kindergarten, first, second or third grade student (i) is demonstrating difficulty with reading development; (ii) is not reading at grade level; or (iii) has a personal education plan under G.S. 115C-105.41.

2. Parents or guardians of any student who is to be retained in third grade for failure to demonstrate reading proficiency shall be notified in writing of the reason the student is not eligible for a good cause exemption. The written notification shall also include a description of proposed reading interventions that will be provided to the student to remediate identified areas of deficiency.

3. Parents or guardians of retained students shall receive at least monthly written reports on student progress toward reading proficiency.

4. Teachers and principals shall provide opportunities, including, but not limited to

Special Intervention and Mid-Year Promotion Opportunity for Students Retained in the Third Grade for Failure to Demonstrate Reading Proficiency

1. Parents or guardians of students not demonstrating reading proficiency will be encouraged to enroll their student in a reading camp provided by Nash County Public Schools. Parents or guardians of a student not demonstrating reading proficiency shall make the final decision regarding a student's reading camp attendance. Before retaining students, the school system shall provide at least one opportunity for students not participating in a reading camp to demonstrate reading proficiency appropriate for third grade students on an alternative assessment or through a student reading portfolio process approved by the State Board of Education.

2. Students retained in third grade shall be provided with a teacher selected based on demonstrated student outcomes in reading proficiency and shall be placed in an accelerated reading class or a transitional third and fourth grade class combination, as appropriate. Classroom instruction shall include at least 90 minutes of daily, uninterrupted, evidence-based reading instruction, not to include independent reading time, and other appropriate instructional supports and services and reading interventions.

3. Parents or guardians of students who have been retained twice under the provisions of shall be offered supplemental tutoring for the retained student in evidence-based reading services outside the instructional day.

4. Students in third grade who by November 1 demonstrate reading proficiency through administration of the alternative assessment of reading comprehension or student reading portfolio review may be promoted mid-year in accordance with guidelines established by the State Board of Education.

Students in grades 9-12 are expected to meet promotion standards based on the following:

High school students are promoted from grade to grade by attaining credits earned through successful completion of high school courses. To receive credit for a high school class, students must have a class grade of 60 or above in the course. They must also score a Level 3 or higher on the North Carolina End-of-Course (EOC) Tests to receive course credit. Final exams count as 20% of a student’s grade in the class.

Promotion requirements for students that have been approved to seek an alternative diploma will be adjusted, when appropriate, by the building level principal.

When a student is not making adequate progress, the classroom teacher shall notify his or her principal. The teacher will then communicate with the student’s parent/guardian by letter and/or telephone call by the end of the first semester and no later than the end of the third grading period. If this is the first contact between the teacher and parent/guardian, the meeting shall be face to face.

Teachers shall provide documentation of the student’s performance during a review process. Documentation may include student work samples, other test data, information supplied by the parents, information included in the Individualized Education Program (IEP), or other information that verifies that a student is achieving at grade level.