Retention and Acceleration Policy

We expect students to progress through each grade within one school year. To accomplish this, academic instruction at Tulare schools accommodates the varying interests and growth patterns of individual students and includes strategies for addressing academic deficiencies as needed.

Students progress through the grade levels by demonstrating growth in learning and meeting grade-level standards of expected student achievement. However, some students may benefit from the process of retention or acceleration.

When a student does not meet grade level standards, the teacher or parent, with the assistance of a Student Study Team, may recommend that the student be retained (“repeat a grade”). Academic, social, physical, and emotional maturity factors all play a role in determining if retention is appropriate for a child, along with determining if the potential benefits of retention outweigh the potential harmful effects.

As early as possible in the school year, school personnel shall identify students and notify the parents/guardians of who should be retained and/or who is at risk of being retained in accordance with law, board policy, administrative regulation, and the district criteria.

For more information regarding retention, please contact your school principal.

When high academic achievement is evident, the teacher or parent, with the assistance of a Student Study Team, may recommend a student for acceleration into a higher grade level (“skipping a grade”). Academic, social, physical, and emotional maturity factors all play a role in determining if acceleration is appropriate for a child, along with determining if the potential benefits of acceleration outweigh the potential harmful effects. The decision to accelerate a child into a higher grade level is made in accordance with law, board policy, administrative regulation, and the district criteria.

Acceleration is limited to one grade level only and one time only. Acceleration is not recommended for students in kindergarten and first grade.

For more information regarding acceleration, please contact your school principal.