Approved: 16 October 2024

Admissions and Attendance:  Enrollment Guidelines Including Acceleration or Retention

The Philosophy of the District is that all students can learn. Effort shall be made to assure that students move through the school system in a continuous manner which is best practice and research based. Students are expected to progress with their age and grade level peers.

GRADE PreK-8 GUIDELINES

Suggestions for acceleration or retention of a student, which will place that student in a learning environment other than with own-age peers, can be made by a parent/guardian or educator.

IMPLEMENTATION

• Decisions will be based upon a careful study of individual student needs. If acceleration or retention is proposed, the decision must be determined through an educational team (IEP team for special education students) convened to discuss the area of development outlined in this policy. The school principal, child’s teacher(s), school counselor, and child’s parent or legal guardian shall be included on the educational team to make decisions about acceleration or retention of a student.
    
• The areas of the student’s growth which must be considered before recommending acceleration or retention are academic progress, social development, emotional development, physical development, attendance, and placements/interventions.

CONSIDERATION FOR RETENTION OR ACCELERATION

• The educational team will consider the student’s academic progress, including but not limited to:
    
  1. whether a student has mastery of grade level expectations
       
  2. a summary of test score data
       
  3. the teacher’s observation of the child’s classroom performance
       
  4. achievement on daily work in basic skills areas
• The educational team will consider the student’s social/emotional development, including, but not limited to:
  1. the child’s attitude toward school
       
  2. the child’s peer and adult relationships
       
  3. the child’s behavior in a school setting
       
  4. the child’s attention span and task commitment
       
  5. the child’s confidence in school
• The educational team will consider the student’s physical development, including but not limited to:
  1. the child’s gross and fine motor coordination
       
  2. the child’s physical ability to perform expected tasks
       
  3. health factors
       
  4. the student’s age in relationship to other students in the grade level
• The educational team will consider the student’s attendance, including but not limited to:
  1. gaps in learning due to illness/excessive absences
       
  2. whether there was a change of school or other factors that created learning problems
• The educational team will consider any alternative placements/interventions, including but not limited to:
  1. previous alternative grade placement (transition room, developmental kindergarten, or grade level retentions)
       
  2. other interventions that have been attempted (additional instructional time for math or reading, extended year or extended day programs, language instruction, etc.)
• A parent or guardian requesting that their child remain in preschool for an additional year after turning 5 will need to have the approval of the educational team. The educational team will consider the student’s academic progress, including but not limited to:
  1. student birthday   
  2. whether student has mastery of grade level expectations compared to peers socially, emotionally, and behaviorally
       
  3. supported evidence of educational need from teacher i.e., observations, classroom performance, achievement on daily work in basic skills areas
       
  4. special needs have been identified
• Students entering preschool must show a certified copy of a birth certificate and immunization records. A physical examination including a vision screening is recommended.

EDUCATIONAL PLAN

• The educational team shall develop a plan for a child who is accelerated or retained to ensure success for the following school year. The plan should include:

5. Grade level expectations to be addressed both at school and at home.
     
6. Suggested program placements and instructional procedures, i.e., learning styles, delivery systems, classroom placement.
     
7. Additional support services to be provided for the student.

APPEAL PROCESS

• If the educational team’s recommendation is contrary to what the parent/guardian may desire, the parent/guardian may appeal the decision to the Superintendent, or designee, within two weeks of the team’s recommendation. The Superintendent, or designee, will review the educational team’s decision and determine, based on the information provided to the educational team and any additional information provided by the parent/guardian in the appeal, whether the educational team’s decision should be reversed. The Superintendent’s decision is final.

GRADE 9-12 GUIDELINES

Students enrolled in high school are expected to pass their courses in order to progress to the next level. The following guidelines will govern course acceleration and retention:

1. Course Acceleration
   • Students will advance from one course to the next upon successful completion of the current course.
   • Course progression is structured to ensure that students build on their knowledge and skills in a sequential manner, preparing them for more advanced coursework.
2. Course Retention
   • A student will be retained in a course if they fail to meet the minimum passing criteria as defined by the school’s grading policy.
   • Retention will require the student to retake and pass the course before moving on to the next level.

ENROLLMENT GUIDELINES FOR GRADES K-12

1. Utah state law permits only those children who reach the age of 5 on or before September 1st of the given school year to enter public school that year.
2. Typically, these children will be placed in kindergarten.
3. If there is a question of a student being placed in a different grade, parents must request assessment of the child’s ability and achievement levels, by contacting the school administrator.
4. Results of such an assessment will be discussed with parents, teacher, school counselor and principal. At this meeting, the appropriate grade placement will be determined.

ENROLLMENT GUIDELINES FOR PRESCHOOL

1. Entry into Wayne School District Preschool shall be determined by chronological age. Children must be 3(if a 3 year old option is available during the current school year) or 4 on or before September 1st of the given school year to be accepted.
2. Students entering preschool must show a certified copy of a birth certificate and immunization records. A physical examination including a vision screening is recommended.
3. Entrance during the school year will be made available to children that participate in early intervention programs and students that may require special education services.

ENROLLMENT PRIORITY

1. An application for enrollment may be submitted for any 3 or 4 year old child; however, enrollment is based on priority seating. We first serve:
   1. Students eligible for special education services.
   2. At-risk students ( risk factors as determined by a risk factors assessment OR an English Language Learner).
   3. 4-year-old tuition
   4. 3-year-old tuition
2. Buses will be provided according to WCSD policy for K-12 students.
3. Children placed on the waitlist will be accepted on a first come first served basis.
4. Children must be toilet trained to enter preschool unless the student has been identified as a student with special needs.