I. Placement of students in kindergarten and grade 1

Kindergarten

The parent or legal guardian of a child who resides in Louisiana and who is age five by September thirtieth of the calendar year in which the school year begins through eighteen shall send their child to a public or nonpublic school, as defined by R.S. 17:236, unless the child’s parent or legal guardian opted to defer enrollment of his child in kindergarten pursuant to R.S. 17:151.3 (D) or the child graduates from high school prior to his eighteenth birthday. A child below the age of five who legally enrolls in school shall also be subject to the provisions of this Subpart.  

Grade 1

Any child admitted to kindergarten pursuant R.S. 17:151.3 (D) shall be eligible to enter first grade upon successful completion of kindergarten and shall have satisfactorily passed an academic readiness screening, provided all other applicable entrance requirements have been fulfilled. 

The age at which a child may enter the first grade of any public school at the beginning of the public school session shall be six years on or before September thirtieth of the calendar year in which the school year begins. 

Any child transferring into the first grade of a public school from another state and not meeting the requirements herein regarding kindergarten attendance shall be required to pass an academic readiness screening administered by the LEA prior to the time of enrollment for the first grade. 

In the space below, please describe any additional placement considerations or policies required by the LEA. Include the names of any required assessments and explain how results will be used.

Desired Results Developmental Profile for kindergarten (DRDP-K) will be used in kindergarten. Star/DIBELS will be used as a placement test for intervention purposes for kindergarten-fifth grade.. Freckle and iReady will be used for remediation and intervention purposes in math and reading. Intervention will be provided for students in grades K-5 scoring below benchmark on the Star and/orDIBELS assessments.  Intervention will be explicit and systematic phonics instruction in small groups either in the regular classroom or intervention room.  RTI is completed for 30 minutes a day in grades K-5.  RTI is included in the daily schedule and completed by the regular education teacher. DIBELS Next Literacy Screener will be used for grades K-3 three times a year (beginning, middle and end) High dosage tutoring will be offered to students in grades K-5 who meet the requirements as set forth by the LDOE.  This tutoring will take place during the school day.

II. Promotion and retention of students in grades K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7

Promotion for students in kindergarten and grades K, 1, 2, 4, and 5

Teachers shall, on an individual basis, determine the promotion of each student according to the local PPP. Particular emphasis shall be placed upon the student’s proficiency in grade-appropriate skills.  Students who have not met the acceptable level of performance may be retained or promoted, but in either case, shall be provided with an expanded academic support plan that adheres to requirements in Section V. Support for Students.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations used to determine promotion of students at the end of grades K, 1, 2, 4 and 5.

Kindergarten to Grade 1 To be eligible for promotion, kindergarten students must successfully complete the following: 1.       Must not have more than 10 unexcused absences in a school year. (See attendance policy included at end of PPP.) 2.       Must have mastered 75%  of kindergarten LDOE standards-based skills in the following areas: a.       Reading/ELA b.       Math 3.       Must test above Urgent Intervention on the Star Early Literacy assessment & above Intensive Support on DIBELS.  Grade 1 to Grade 2 & Grade 2 to Grade 3  To be eligible for promotion 1st and 2nd grade students must successfully complete the following: 1.       Must not have more than 10 unexcused absences in a school year. (See attendance policy included at end of PPP) 2.       Must pass reading and math with at least an average of 60% (D).  (Failing Reading OR Math will result in the student failing for the year). Grade 4 to Grade 5 & Grade 5 to Grade 6 To be eligible for promotion to grade 5, 4th grade students must successfully complete the following: 1.      Must not have more than 10 unexcused absences in a school year. (See attendance policy included at end of PPP) 2.      Must pass reading and math with at least an average of 60%(D).  (Failing Reading OR Math will result in a student failing for the year). 3.      Must not fail THREE or more subjects.

Promotion and mandatory retention of students in grade 3

Except for mandatory retention consideration as described below, teachers shall, on an individual basis, determine the promotion of each student according to the local PPP. Particular emphasis shall be placed upon the student’s proficiency in grade-appropriate skills. 

Retention will be considered for a student scoring at the lowest achievement level on the state end-of-year literacy screener (DIBELS 8.0) as follows:

·   The student shall be provided two additional opportunities to score a higher achievement level on the literacy screener prior to the beginning of the subsequent academic year.

·   Any student still scoring at the lowest achievement level after three attempts shall be screened for dyslexia.

·   Such a student shall be retained in the third grade unless he or she is found to meet at least one of the good cause exemptions in Bulletin 1566 – Pupil Progression Policies and Procedures, §701.

·   Promotion on the basis of good cause exemption is subject to the consent of the parent, principal, and superintendent.

·   The Student Information System (SIS) must reflect the promotion and the good cause exemption under which promotion was determined.

·   Students promoted for good cause shall be provided an expanded academic support plan (see Section V. Support for Students). 

·   Students retained in third grade pursuant to this requirement shall be provided an expanded academic support plan, 90 minutes of daily reading instruction, and 30 minutes of daily reading intervention.

LDOE will provide to each LEA a roster of third grade students who have been identified for the purposes of this section, assisting the LEA in making final determinations relative to students’ required plans.

·   The decision to retain a student as a result of his/her failure to achieve the standard on the LEAP shall be made by the LEA in accordance with this PPP. 

·   The expanded academic support plan shall continue to be in effect until such time as the student achieves a score of “Mastery” in each of the core academic subjects that initially led to the development of the student’s individual plan.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations used to determine promotion of students at the end of grade 3.

The requirements set forth by the LDOE concerning the promotion/retention of students in the 3rd grade will be followed by the LEA.

Promotion of students in grades 6 and 7

Teachers shall, on an individual basis, determine the promotion of each student according to the local PPP. Particular emphasis shall be placed upon the student’s proficiency in grade-appropriate skills.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations used to determine promotion of students at the end of grades 6 and 7.

Grade 6 to Grade 7 & Grade 7 to Grade 8: To be eligible for promotion, students in the 6th and 7th grades must successfully complete the following: 1.       Must not have more than 10 unexcused absences in a school year. (See attendance policy included at end of PPP) 2.       Must pass reading and math with at least an average of 60% (D). (Failing Reading OR Math will result in student failing for the year). 3.       Must not fail THREE or more subjects. Promotion decisions for all students with disabilities, as defined in R.S. 17:1942(B), except a  student who is identified as gifted and talented and who has no other exceptionality, will be made by the SBLC committee.

III.  Promotion and support of students in grade 8 and high school considerations

Regular Grade 8 Promotion

Eighth grade students shall score at least at the “Basic” achievement level in either English language arts or mathematics and “Approaching Basic” in the other subject in order to be promoted to the ninth grade. Students who do not meet the promotion standard after taking the eighth grade state assessments may be placed on a high school campus in the transitional ninth grade. For any student who recently completed the eighth grade and is transferring into the LEA from another state or country, the LEA shall review the student’s academic record to determine appropriate placement in ninth grade or transitional ninth grade. Such placement shall occur no later than October 1 of each school year.

Grade 8 Promotion Waivers

An LEA, through its superintendent, may grant a waiver on behalf of individual students who are unable to participate in LEAP testing or unable to attend LEAP summer remediation, including summer remediation required for placement in transitional ninth grade, because of one or more of the following extenuating circumstances as verified through appropriate documentation:

·   Physical Illness―appropriate documentation must include verification that the student is under the medical care of a licensed physician for illness, injury, or a chronic physical condition that is acute or catastrophic in nature. Documentation must include a statement verifying that the illness, injury, or chronic physical condition exists to the extent that the student is unable to participate in remediation.

·   Custody Issues―certified copies of the court-ordered custody agreements must be submitted to the LEA at least ten school days prior to summer remediation.

Transitional 9^th Grade

Any first-time eighth grade student who does not meet the passing standard set forth in BESE Bulletin 1566, §703, and any student not eligible for any waiver pursuant to §707 of the bulletin, after completing summer remediation, may be placed on a high school campus in transitional ninth grade.

LEAs shall follow the guidelines set forth in §703 to determine, based on evidence of student learning, whether eighth grade students may be promoted to the ninth grade or placed on a high school campus in transitional ninth grade. The percentage of an LEA’s eighth graders placed in transitional ninth grade is expected to remain stable over time. In the event that the percentage of an LEA’s eighth graders placed in transitional ninth grade exceeds the percentage of eighth graders in that LEA eligible for transitional ninth grade at the conclusion of the prior school year, the local superintendent of that LEA shall provide a written justification to the state superintendent.

The initial decision to place a student in the transitional ninth grade or to retain a student in the eighth grade shall be made by the school in which the student is enrolled in the eighth grade, in consultation with the student’s parents.

The LEA shall admit transitional ninth grade students, subject to any admissions requirements approved by the school’s governing authority or charter authorizer.

For any student who recently completed the eighth grade from another state or country and is transferring into the LEA after summer remediation has taken place, the LEA shall review the student’s academic record to determine appropriate placement in ninth grade or transitional ninth grade. Students placed in the transitional ninth grade shall complete the remediation program offered by the LEA. Such placement shall occur no later than October 1 of each school year.

After one full year of transitional ninth grade, students shall be included in the ninth grade graduation cohort for high school accountability purposes. 

Students enrolled in transitional ninth grade shall receive appropriate academic support in any subjects in which they did not score at or above proficient, as determined by BESE. A plan outlining such academic support shall be included in the student’s individual graduation plan (IGP). Progress pursuant to such specified academic support shall be reviewed at least once throughout the school year in order to determine effectiveness and any needed adjustments.

Grade 8 to 9: To be eligible for promotion, 8th grade students must successfully complete the following: 1.       Must not have more than 10 unexcused absences in a school year. (See attached policy included at the end of the PPP) 2.       Must pass reading and math with at least an average of 60% (D).  (Failing Reading OR Math will result in student failing for the year). 3.       Must not fail THREE or more subjects. Students scoring below benchmark on TWO of the following assessments MUST attend summer school and comply with all summer school requirements in order to be considered for promotion to the 9th grade:      Mastery Connect Benchmark Assessments (Reading and Math) 2.       Star Reading  3.       iReady Math  Summer school post-test results and LEAP 2025 assessment scores will be reviewed prior to the  student promotion to the 9th grade.  Students not meeting the state-mandated requirement of  scoring Basic/Basic or Basic/Approaching Basic in ELA and Math on the LEAP 2025 assessment and who do not attend summer school will not be promoted to the 9th grade.   Students not meeting the requirement for the LEAP 2025 assessment who do attend summer school MAY be promoted to the 9th grade TRANSITIONAL class. Students must comply with all summer school rules in order to be considered for promotion.  If a student is promoted as a 9T student, he/she will be required to receive remedial instruction for the subject in which they did not demonstrate proficiency and it will be documented in the Individual Graduation Plan (IGP). As stated above, 8th grade students are expected to meet state-mandated requirements of scoring Basic/Basic or Basic/Approaching Basic in ELA and math on the LEAP 2025 assessment in order to meet promotion requirements.  Students not meeting this expectation shall be provided an Individual Academic Improvement Plan (IAIP), reviewed with and signed by the student’s parent or legal custodian by October 30th of each school year.  The plan must outline at least two allowable interventions/supports that include: ·         Enrollment in a summer program ·         Placement in the classroom of a teacher rated “Highly Effective” or “Effective Proficient” ·         Additional in-school support (in-school or after-school tutoring, RTI, etc.) ·         Guaranteed access to Tier 1/high quality curriculum The plan shall remain in effect until such time as the student performance in identified subjects increases to appropriate levels.

High school promotion and transition considerations

Instructional Minutes: When awarding credit based on instructional time, LEAs shall provide a minimum of 7,965 instructional minutes for one Carnegie credit, and students shall be in attendance for a minimum of 7,515 minutes. In order to grant one-half Carnegie credit, LEAs shall provide a minimum of 3,983 instructional minutes, and students shall be in attendance for a minimum of 3,758 minutes.

Individual Graduation Planning: By the end of the eighth grade, every student (with the assistance of his parent or other legal custodian and school guidance personnel, counselor) or IEP team (when applicable) shall begin to develop an IGP.  An IGP guides the next academic year's coursework, assisting students in exploring educational and career possibilities and in making appropriate secondary and postsecondary education decisions as part of an overall career/post secondary plan.

Financial Aid Planning: The linked memorandum outlines the updated Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) policy BESE approved at its March 2024 meeting, a repeal of the policy requiring graduating seniors to complete steps related to the FAFSA application. This policy change will be effective starting with the graduation cohort of 2024-2025 and does not remove the requirement of LEAs to provide students and their parents or guardians with information regarding financial aid programs to support postsecondary education and training.  LEAs must ensure that each student receives adequate support in completing and submitting an application for financial aid. However, a student action related to FAFSA completion will not be required. An updated parent and student financial aid planning toolkit will be made available to school systems. Please contact ldefinancialaid@la.gov with questions.

Early Graduation: Each LEA shall develop an early graduation program allowing students to accelerate their academic progress, complete all state graduation requirements, and receive a high school diploma in less than four years.

·   The early graduation program may include distance education (§2326), dual enrollment (§2327), and Carnegie credit and credit flexibility (§2314).

·   LEAs shall not have any policies or requirements that would prevent students from graduating in less than four years.

Credit Recovery Courses and Units

1.      Beginning in 2020-2021, the LEA credit recovery program and policy will be included in the local PPP submitted to LDOE. 

2.                  Students may earn a maximum of seven credit recovery units that may be applied towards diploma graduation requirements and no more than two Carnegie units annually. The school system must annually report to LDOE the rationale for any student: 

                             i.receiving more than two credit recovery credits annually; and/or

                               ii.            applying more than seven total credit recovery Carnegie units towards graduation requirements. 

3.                  Students earning Carnegie credits in a credit recovery course must have previously taken and failed the field. Previously attempted coursework is considered an academic record and must be recorded on the official transcript. 

4.      Completed credit recovery courses must be recorded and clearly labeled on the official transcript. 

5.      Students enrolled in credit recovery courses are not required to meet the instructional minute requirements found in §333.A of this Part. 

6.      Credit recovery courses must be aligned with state content standards and include a standards aligned pre-assessment to identify unfinished learning and a standards aligned post-assessment to demonstrate course proficiency for content identified as non-proficient. 

7.      Credit recovery courses taught in a classroom setting using online courses designed for credit recovery must have an assigned certified Louisiana teacher of record or certified teacher of record recognized through a state reciprocity agreement facilitating the instruction. 

8.      The end-of-course exam weight in a student’s final grade determined by the LEA must be the same for a traditional course and a credit recovery course. Students who have previously passed the end-of-course exam, but have failed the course, may choose to retain the previous end-of-course exam score in lieu of participating in an additional administration of the exam. 

NCAA Update

Nontraditional courses are taught online or through distance learning, hybrid/blended, independent study, individualized instruction, correspondence or similar means.

Generally, for a nontraditional course to count as an NCAA-approved core course, it must meet all of the following requirements:

·   The course must meet all requirements for an NCAA-approved core course.

·   All students in the course must have regular instructor-led interaction for the purpose of instruction, evaluation and assistance for the duration of the course. This may include, for example, exchanging emails between the student and teacher, online chats, phone calls, feedback on assignments and the opportunity for the teacher to engage the student in individual or group instruction.

·   The course must have a defined time period for completion. For example, it should be clear how long students are required to be enrolled and working in the course and how long a school would permit a student to work on a single nontraditional course.

·   Student work (e.g., exams, papers, assignments) must be available for evaluation and validation.

·   The course should be clearly identified as nontraditional on the student’s official high school transcript.

A nontraditional course may not be approved for any of the following reasons: 

·   Does not have teacher-based instruction. 

·   Does not require regular and ongoing instructor-led interaction between the student and teacher. 

·   Does not require students to complete the entire course. 

·   Does not prepare students for four-year college class work. 

·   Does not have official student grade records. 

·   Does not meet NCAA core-course requirements.

Note: See Nontraditional Courses (NCAA Bylaw 14.3.1.2.2) for a complete list of requirements.

If a nontraditional course or program at your school/district has not yet been reviewed by the NCAA, please contact Eligibility Center Customer Service staff at 877-622-2321. 

Credit recovery programs

Many high schools offer credit recovery or credit retrieval programs, which allow students to receive credit for a course they previously failed.

These courses are also reviewed by the High School Review staff. For a credit recovery program to be approved, the courses must meet the following requirements:

1.      The courses must meet NCAA core-course requirements and, in some instances, nontraditional course requirements.

2.      The high school must follow its credit recovery policies regardless of whether the student is an athlete. The Eligibility Center may request the high school’s policy if necessary.

3.      Repeated courses must be substantially comparable, qualitatively and quantitatively, to the previously attempted course.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations used to ensure that online classes meet NCAA requirements.

Any courses that are taken online will meet requirements set forth by LDOE.

Early Graduation: In compliance with Act 660, no LEA shall have a policy or practice whereby students are prohibited from graduating in less than four (4) years. Any student wanting to graduate early must adhere to the following guidelines: ·         Provide a written request to graduate early to the guidance counselor by May 1st of their sophomore year ·         Once the written request from the parent is received, the guidance counselor will verify the courses that the student has received credit for and what courses he/she still needs in order to graduate early. ·         If the student has enough credits to be eligible to graduate early, the guidance counselor, high school principal and director will create a written plan for the student to follow in order to meet all requirements. ·         A meeting will be held by the guidance counselor and high school principal with the student and his/her parent/guardian to discuss the written plan. ·         The plan must be approved by the parent, guidance counselor, high school principal and director. ·         Students will be required to complete missing coursework during summer school. Credit Recovery: Credit recovery courses may be offered to students in grades 12 after the first semester of each school year.  Credit recovery will be gained by taking online courses through an approved online platform.  In order for a student to receive credit for the course that he/she is taking, during the second semester, he/she must meet the following criteria: Score 60% or higher in the course by the specified end date

IV.Placement of transfer students

·         The local school board shall establish written policies for the placement of students transferring from all other systems and home schooling programs (public, nonpublic, both in and out-of-state, and foreign countries). 

·         Students in grades 5 and 9 transferring to a public school from any in-state nonpublic school (state-approved and not seeking state approval), any approved home study program, or Louisiana resident transferring from any out-of-state school, shall be administered the English language arts and mathematics portions of the LEAP placement test. Students who have scored below the “basic” achievement level shall have placement and individual academic support addressed in the same manner as non-transfer students in accordance with §701 and §703.

·         Any child transferring into the first grade of a public school from out of state and not meeting the requirements for kindergarten attendance shall be required to pass an academic readiness screening administered by the school system prior to the time of enrollment for the first grade, in accordance with the state law. 

In the space below, please describe any additional considerations or local policies related to placement of transfer students.

A kindergarten student transferring from a kindergarten program outside of the LEA will be accepted into the LEA program if they are five years of age by September 30th of the entering school year. Students entering first grade without attending a full day public or private kindergarten for a full academic year will be evaluated using the same kindergarten readiness tools (Star Early Literacy, DRDP-K, Freckle) as kindergarteners that have met required kindergarten skills. Approved Out-of-State or In-State schools: ·         Parents/guardians will have 30 calendar days to provide all necessary information.  Adjustments to the student’s schedule may be necessary upon receipt of official documentation. ·         Students who fail to meet proficiency requirements will be referred to the SBLC committee and the student’s records will be reviewed to determine placement.  Approved Home Study (in and out of state) or unapproved non-public schools: ·         Please see above for students entering grade K. ·         Students entering grades 1, 2, 3, 6 and 7 may be administered the District placement test to determine placement if information received by the school from the student’s previous school does not clearly indicate which grade the student should be enrolled in.  If a placement test is required, students in grades 1 and 2 will be administered a phonics screener, Star Reading and Star Math assessments.  Students in  grades 3, 6 and 7 will be administered Mastery Connect’s previous grade-level end-of-year comprehensive assessment, Star Reading and Star Math.  Students entering grades 5 and 9 will be administered the state approved placement test.  Students in grades 5 and 9 transferring to a public school from any in-state nonpublic school, any approved home study program, or a Louisiana resident transferring from any out-of-state school, shall be required to pass the English language arts and mathematics portions of the LEAP placement test. ·         Students who fail to meet proficiency requirements will be referred to the SBLC committee and the student’s records will be reviewed to determine placement. ·         If the 5th grade student fails to meet the requirement of “Basic” in at least two academic core areas, the LEA shall make promotion and retention decisions based on a preponderance of evidence of student learning.  See Bulletin 1566, Section 701. ·         If the 5th grade student fails to meet the requirement of “Basic” and is promoted or retained: o    The student shall be provided an Individual Academic Improvement Plan (IAIP), reviewed with and signed by the student’s parent or legal custodian by October 30th.  o    The plan must outline at least two allowable interventions/supports that include: ·         Enrollment in a summer program ·         Placement in the classroom of a teacher rated “Highly Effective” or “Effective Proficient” ·         Additional in-school support (in-school or after-school tutoring, RTI, etc.) ·         Guaranteed access to Tier 1/high quality curriculum The plan shall remain in effect until such time as the student performance in identified subjects increase to appropriate levels. A student entering 9th grade must meet state-mandated requirements of scoring Basic/Basic or Basic/Approaching Basic in ELA and math on the LEAP 2025 assessment in order to meet promotion requirements  The following will apply to transferring 9th grade students:. ·         If a student entering 9th grade transfers into the district and did not take the 8th grade LEAP 2025 assessment, the district will administer the state approved placement test and they will be required to score Basic/Basic or Basic/Approaching Basic in ELA and math.  ·         If a student participated in the previous year’s LEAP 2025, those scores may be used in lieu of placement tests. ·         If the student fails to meet the minimum requirement, they will be required to attend summer remediation prior to placement in 9th grade.  Students with disabilities attending summer remediation shall receive special support as needed.  After completion of summer remediation, the student may be placed on a high school campus in the 9T program. If the 9th grade student transfers into the district from another state, country, home schooled or private school after the completion of summer remediation the district will administer the state approved placement test. ·         If the student passes the LEAP placement test, they will enter as a 9th grader or 9T student. ·         If the student fails to meet the state-mandated requirements, the LEA shall make promotion and retention decisions based on a preponderance of evidence of student learning.  See Bulletin 1566, Section 701. Procedures for Determining Carnegie Credit for Transfer Students: ·         Students transferring in from an approved out-of-state or in-state school will be given full credit for a Carnegie unit earned at one of these schools.  ·         Students transferring in from an unapproved out-of-state or in-state school or from an approved home study program may be administered the District placement test to determine if the student will receive Carnegie credit for a particular course.  If administered, the student must score 67% on the placement test to receive credit. Evaluation information for exceptional students transferring from another school system shall be reviewed by pupil appraisal and approved by a supervisor of special education before the student is enrolled in a special education program. For students with an IEP: ·         Delta Charter School will follow the procedures described in Bulletin 1706: Regulations for the Implementation of the Children with Exceptionalities Act for enrollment of a transferring student with an IAP or IEP. ·         Students with an IAP or IEP who transfer from another district in Louisiana shall be provided services that are comparable to those received in the previous district, until Delta Charter School either: o    Adopts the student’s IAP/IEP from the previous public agency; or o    Develops and implements a new IAP/IEP that meets the applicable requirements in Section 320 through Section 324 of Bulletin 1706. ·         Records of students with an IAP or IEP who transfer from a district out-of-state shall be given to the designated pupil appraisal staff within five (5) days of receipt of the records.  If records do not indicate compliance with Louisiana Bulletin 1508 criteria, the student shall be offered either interim placement in a special education program while an evaluation is completed OR shall be referred to SBLC, which will review student information and follow procedures outlined in the SBLC handbook. ·         Additionally, interim IAP/IEPs may be considered for students who enroll in public school with no record or history of services, but who show signs of significant disabilities.

V.  Support for students

Uniform grading policy

LEAs shall use the following uniform grading system for students enrolled in all grades K-12 for which letter grades are used.

Grading Scale for Regular Courses
Grade	Percentage
A	100-90
B	89-80
C	79-70
D	69-60
F	59-0

 

School year support

Each LEA shall identify students in kindergarten through fifth grade who fail to achieve mastery in reading or math. Such students shall be provided with an expanded academic support plan that adheres to the following requirements:

·   For students in kindergarten through third grade, the school shall convene a meeting with the student’s parent or legal custodian, teachers of core academic subjects, and specialized support personnel, as needed, to review the student’s academic strengths and weaknesses relative to literacy or mathematics, discuss any other relevant challenges, and formulate a plan designed to assist the student in achieving proficiency. 

·   All participants shall sign the documented plan, using a template provided by LDOE, and shall meet to review progress at least once before the next administration of the LEAP assessment.

·   Students not meeting performance expectations in literacy shall be provided with focused literacy interventions and support based on the science of reading designed to improve foundational literacy. Students not meeting performance expectations in mathematics shall be provided with focused mathematics interventions and support designed to improve foundational numeracy or mathematics skills.

·   The student shall be identified as requiring an expanded academic support plan in the state SIS.

·   The student shall be afforded the opportunity to receive on-grade-level instruction during the summer. For students not meeting performance expectations in literacy, summer instruction must include focused literacy interventions based on the science of reading.

·   A plan for a student may include the following specific student supports according to local policy: high-dosage tutoring, placement with a highly effective teacher, daily targeted small-group interventions, before and after school intervention provided by a teacher or tutor with specialized literacy or numeracy training, and at-home programs that include workshops for the parents and legal guardians of students,web-based or parent-guided home activities, and summer learning opportunities. For students below proficiency not placed with a highly effective teacher, high-dosage tutoring must be included in the plan. The expanded academic support plan may serve as the individual reading improvement plan and individual numeracy improvement plan pursuant to R.S. 17:24.10. 

·      LDOE may audit a random sampling of students identified as needing an expanded academic support plan in each local education agency each year.

Summer remediation

LEAs shall continue to offer summer remediation pursuant to R.S. 17:401.12 and Bulletin 1566.  The LEA will provide transportation to and from the assigned remediation summer site(s) from, at a minimum, a common pick-up point. Students with disabilities attending summer remediation will receive special support as needed. 

VI. Literacy support standards for grades K-3

• Each local education agency shall identify all students in kindergarten, first, second, and third grade who score below grade level on the literacy assessment. 

 

• The school shall notify the parents or legal custodian of students identified in writing regarding the student’s performance within 15 days of identification. Such notification shall:

 

o    Provide information on activities that can be done at home to support the student’s literacy proficiency.

o    Provide information about support and interventions that will be provided by the school to support the student’s literacy proficiency. 

o    Provide a timeline for updates as a result of progress monitoring that includes a middle-of-year and end-of-year update. 

o    Provide information about the importance of being able to read proficiently by the end of the third grade. 

 

• The school shall provide mid-year and end-of-the-year updates to the parent or legal custodian of students identified as scoring below grade level on a beginning-of-year or mid-year administration of the literacy screener. 

VII. Promotion and placement of certain student populations

Students with disabilities 

• Students with disabilities attending summer remediation shall receive special support as needed.
• IEP teams shall determine promotion to the next grade level for a student with a disability who fails to meet state or local established performance standards for the purposes of promotion. Such determination shall be made only if, in the school year immediately prior to each grade level in which the student would otherwise be required to demonstrate certain proficiency levels in order to advance to the next grade level, the student has not otherwise met the local requirements for promotion or has not scored at or above the basic achievement level on the English language arts or mathematics components of the required state assessment and at or above the approaching basic achievement level on the other (Bulletin 1530 §403). IEP determinations regarding promotion to the fourth grade for students must be in accordance with Bulletin 1566 §701.

English learners 

• The requirements of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are as follows:

• Establish procedures to identify language minority students.

• establish procedures to determine if language minority students are Limited English Proficient.

• Establish procedures for age-appropriate placement and determine the specialized language services or program the district will use to address the linguistic and cultural needs of the Limited English Proficient student.

• Limited English Proficient (LEP) students shall participate in the statewide assessments pursuant to Bulletin 118 - Statewide Assessment Standards and Practices.  Increasing the expectations for the academic content that students must master in grades K-12 requires a parallel increase in expectations for English language acquisition.    

• Establish procedures to monitor former Limited English Proficient students for two years. 

• Ensure that no LEP student shall be retained solely because of limited English proficiency.

• Decisions regarding promotion of English learners to the fourth grade must be in accordance with Bulletin 1566 §701.

In the space below, please describe any local policies or additional considerations related to the promotion and placement of students with disabilities, English learners, or other student populations.  

 

VIII.  Alternative education placements

Alternative schools/programs serve students who are not succeeding in the traditional educational setting and offer a venue that aids in preventing these students from dropping out of school. Alternative schools/programs provide educational and other services to students who have a variety of behavioral and other needs that cannot be adequately met in a traditional school setting.  (Refer to Bulletin 741 - Louisiana Handbook for School Administrators, §2903 and Bulletin 131 - Alternative Education Schools/Programs Standards)

In the space below, please describe the LEA’s policies for placement of students in an alternative program or school, including any promotion policies that may differ from what was provided above. 

Delta Charter School does not have an off-site alternate education site.  However, an online program through an approved online platform will be utilized in the following situations:

 

IX.  Due process related to student placement and promotion

In the space below, please describe the LEA’s due process procedures related to student placement for regular education students, students with disabilities having an Individualized Education Program plan, and students having an Individual Accommodation/Section 504 plan. 

Regular education students:

X.  Additional LEA policies related to student placement and promotion

In the space below, please describe any additional LEA policies related to student placement and promotion that have not been addressed in other sections of this document.

Ex.   Determination of Valedictorian

        Homework policy

        Minimum number of classes for a graduating senior

       Summer school credit

Class enrollment:

Once a student in grades 9-12 enrolls in a class, he/she will have ten (10) school days from the first full day of school to change classes.  This applies to regular classes, honors classes, Pre-AP/AP classes, and dual enrollment classes.  After the then (10) day period is up, a student will remain in the class for the remainder of the semester or school year whichever applies.  Other date specifications may be made by the partnering universities for dual enrollment students.  This information will be given to those students at the beginning of each semester in which they are taking the dual enrollment course

Dual enrollment/AP courses:

In order for a student to enroll in a dual enrollment or AP course, he/she must meet the guidelines set forth by the college offering the course.  The student and his/her parent or legal guardian must sign a contract prior to entering the class.

Students will be allowed to take dual enrollment or AP classes for math and elective courses during his/her junior year and for core and/or elective courses during his/her senior year.  Dual enrollment courses may not be taken for a course in which there is a LEAP 2025 (EOC) test required.  No dual enrollment courses will be offered to students prior to his/her junior year in high school.

Students who drop dual enrollment courses with a W through the college or those who receive a final grade of F in the dual enrollment course will still be required to complete the course for LDOE graduation requirements.  These students may be required to take two semesters at once in order to get credit for the course they received a W or F in.  According to the Louisiana Board of Regents, in order for a student to be eligible to take dual enrollment classes as a junior or senior, he/she must meet ALL of the following requirements:

1.Must have a 19 composite score on the ACT

2.Must have a 19 sub-score on the Math portion of the ACT

3.Must have an 18 sub-score on the English portion of the ACT

4.Must have a 2.75 GPA. 

Dual enrollment/AP policies:

Eligibility

 In order to be eligible to take dual enrollment courses, a student must:

1.Be a junior or senior

2.Have an overall ACT score of 19 with a sub score of 18 in English and 19 in Math.  If  student is within 1 point of the English or Math subscore, then he/she may take the Accuplacer at CLTCC.  The Accuplacer may only be taken for one subject.

3.Meet ACT requirements by June 30th in order to be enrolled in dual enrollment courses for the fall semester.

4.Meet ACT requirements by December 1^st in order to be enrolled in dual enrollment courses for the spring semester.

Student Expectations

1.Student must print a syllabus the first day of class and provide a copy to the proctoring teacher.

2.Student must purchase the book required for each course that they are enrolled in within the first week of class.

3.Student must meet all deadlines set by the teacher of the course.

4.Student must work on dual enrollment work during the scheduled class for that course.  Work must also be done outside of school hours.

Requirements to remain in course:

1.Students must end the course with a grade of D or higher.

2.Students who receive a final grade of D in any dual enrollment course will be put on academic probation and will be required to maintain a grade of C or higher in each course that they enroll in the semester following the one in which they received the D. (LSUA and ULM require students to have an overall GPA of 2.0 in order to enroll in additional dual enrollment courses the following semester.  If the student does not meet this GPA requirement, they must wait one full semester before they will be allowed to enroll in additional DE courses through that   college.)

3.Students who receive a final grade of F in any dual enrollment course will not be allowed to enroll in any dual enrollment courses the semester following the one in which they received the F.

4.Students will only be allowed to withdraw from a course with a W twice.  After receiving a W twice, a student will not be allowed to enroll in any dual enrollment courses the semester following the one in which they received their second W.

5.Students must meet the college’s minimum GPA requirement in order to enroll in additional DE courses at that college.

6.Any student who becomes ineligible for one of the reasons listed above will be 

evaluated at the end of their probation period or the semester following their   ineligibility.

Important Information:

1.Dual enrollment courses are college level courses.  Students who enroll in these courses will be treated the same way as the college students who are enrolled in  the course.

2.Professors of dual enrollment courses will only communicate with the student enrolled in the course.  They will not communicate with the DCS proctor, guidance counselor, administrator or parent.

3.Students are expected to monitor and complete their assignments as required by the college professor.  The proctor is only there to help the student with proofreading or to provide extra clarification/explanations.  It is the student’s  responsibility to complete his/her work as assigned.

4. Parents are required to pay the school back for the tuition fee of any course in which the student receives a grade of F or withdraws from the course with a grade of W. (LSUA is up to $150 per course and ULM is  up to $350 per course).

5. Any student who owes the school money for receiving a grade of F or W will not be allowed to enroll in any additional DE courses until this fee has been paid.

6. Dual enrollment courses are a part of a student’s high school schedule.  Therefore, the attendance policies of Delta Charter School still apply to these courses.

7. The colleges in which students are enrolled in for dual enrollment courses do not follow the same calendar as Delta Charter School.  Therefore, students are responsible for completing work according to the schedule provided to them by the college.  This means that even if Delta Charter School is out on break, dual enrollment students will be required to complete their work as assigned.

8. Parents and students must attend a mandatory dual enrollment meeting BEFORE a student will be enrolled in any DE course.

9. If a student fails the first semester of a DE course in English Comp, World History, Biology or any required course for graduation purposes, the student will have to go back and take the entire year of that course, in the regular class or they will not meet the LDOE requirements for graduation.

Classes at CLTCC:

Students may be eligible to take courses at CLTCC once they reach sixteen (16) years of age and meet all the requirements set forth by the college and those needed to complete their selected graduation pathway.  Parents and students will be required to sign a contract prior to being enrolled in any courses at CLTCC.

CLTCC Dual Enrollment Policies:

Eligibility:

In order to be eligible to take dual enrollment courses, a student must:

1.Be a junior or senior (sophomores may be able to attend if they meet the age requirement, however, this will be determined on a case-by-case basis.)

2.Meet age requirements set forth by the CLTCC for particular programs.                                           

3.Must pass background check and drug screening for certain programs as required by CLTCC.                                                 

Student Expectation:

1. Student must purchase required materials for class (books, clothing, etc.) within the first week of class.

2. Student must meet all deadlines set by the teacher of the course.

3. Student must attend class at the scheduled times each day.

4. Student must notify guidance counselor of his/her intent to enroll in an approved CLTCC program by August 1^st for the fall semester and by December 1^st for the spring semester.

Requirements to remain in courses:

1. Students must end the course with a grade of D or higher. 

2. Students who receive a final grade of D in any dual enrollment course will be put on academic probation and will be required to maintain a grade of C or higher in each course that they enroll in the semester following the one in which they received the D.

3. Students who receive a final grade of F in any dual enrollment course will not be allowed to enroll in any dual enrollment courses the semester following the one in which they received the F.

4. Any student who becomes ineligible for one of the reasons listed above will be evaluated at the end of their probation period or the semester following their ineligibility.

Important information:

1. Dual enrollment courses are college level courses.  Students who enroll in these courses will be treated the same way as the college students who are enrolled in the course.

2. Most teachers of CLTCC courses will only communicate with the student enrolled in the course, however, some will communicate with the guidance counselor from time to time.

3. Students are required to complete the course requirements each semester in order to receive credit for the course that they are enrolled in.

4. Parents are required to pay the school back for the tuition fee of any course in which the student receives a grade of F or withdraws from the course with a grade of W.  (CLTCC tuition ranges from approximately $1000 to $1200 each semester depending on the program in which the student is enrolled).

5. Any student who owes the school money for receiving a grade of F or W will not be allowed to enroll in any additional DE courses until this fee has been paid.

6. Dual enrollment courses are a part of a student’s high school schedule. Therefore, the attendance policies of Delta Charter School still apply to these courses.

7. CLTCC does not follow the same calendar as Delta Charter School. Therefore, students are responsible for attending class and completing assigned work according to the schedule provided to them by the college. This means that even if Delta Charter School is out on break, students will still be required to attend classes on the CLTCC campus.

8. If a student must miss a class at CLTCC for an approved school function, they must notify the instructor at CLTCC BEFORE the day of the absence.  They must make arrangements with the CLTCC teacher to complete any assignments that they will miss as the result of the approved absence. Examples of approved school functions include field trips and out-of-town sporting events which necessitate leaving the school earlier than the CLTCC dismissal time.

9. Parents and students must attend a mandatory dual enrollment meeting BEFORE a student will be enrolled in any CLTCC course.

10. Students must pass all courses taken on the CLTCC campus in order to satisfy the graduation requirements set forth by the LDOE.  Failure to pass all courses could result in the student not being able to graduate.  

LEAP 2025 (EOC):

Students may not take the LEAP 2025 (EOC) test for a subject prior to taking the required course.  A student will take the LEAP 2025 (EOC) test in the spring of each school year in which they are enrolled in the course.

Final Tests Exemptions:

Students in grades 3-12 may be exempt from final tests if he/she has maintained all A’s in the class.  Eligibility will be determined using the first three nine weeks and the grades up to the time of the final exam of the fourth nine weeks.  Midterm test grades will not be used to determine a student’s eligibility for final test exemption.

Residency Requirements:

Students enrolling for the first time at Delta Charter School, MST must provide proof of residency within the state of Louisiana.  There must be a minimum of two acceptable proofs of residency presented to the guidance counselor. 

Nine Weeks Honor Roll and End-of-Year Awards Day: 

At the end of each nine-week grading period, students who have earned grades of all A’s will be recognized at the nine-week honor’s assemblies for having met the requirements for the Principal’s award and students who have earned grades of all A’s and B’s will be recognized for having met the requirements for the Honor Roll. Students must not have a grade of C in any subject in order to be recognized.

Students who have maintained a grade of A in each individual course that they are registered in for the first four grading periods will be recognized at the end of the year award’s day for having met the requirements for the Principal’s award. Students who have maintained a grade of A and B in each individual course that they are registered in for the first four grading periods will be recognized at the end of the year award’s day for having met the requirements for the Honor Roll. Students must not have a grade of C in any subject in order to meet the requirements. Midterm test grades will not be used in the calculation of the Principal or Honor Roll awards.

Students in grades K-2 will also be recognized at the end of the year award’s day for accelerated reading achievements, Storm Pride acknowledgements and attendance. Students in grades 3-5 will also be recognized at the end of the year award’s day for accelerated reading achievements, Storm Pride acknowledgements and attendance. 

At the beginning of each school year, in September, students in grades 4 -11 will be recognized for Mastery and Advanced scores on the state LEAP 2025 assessment.  Students in grades 4-11 will also have their end of the year award’s program at this time.

Testing Programs: 

DCS will participate in all appropriate state required tests, for all grade levels whereby a standardized test is required, including LEAP Connect, LEAP 2025, English Language Performance Test (ELPT), and ACT. Students who do not successfully pass the required tests shall be retained or retested as directed by the Louisiana Department of Education. Please see our website, www.deltacs.org, for our testing policy.

Accelerated Reading Policy: 

Grades K-5: Accelerated Reader Point Clubs are recognized at the end of each 9 Weeks. Point Clubs begin at 10 points and move up in increments of 10. Students must move up a point club each 9 Weeks in order to be recognized. For example, a student recognized for the 10 point club the 1st 9 Weeks cannot be recognized for the 10 point club for the 2nd 9 Weeks. The student must progress to the 20 point club to be recognized. Point clubs will be awarded in 10 point intervals. The 2 students from each grade who earn the most points each 9 Weeks will be recognized. The Top Readers for grades K-2 and 3-5 will be recognized at the End of Year Awards. 

Grades 6-12: Students in grades 6-12 will be allowed to read AR books for extra credit in one class each nine weeks. In order to qualify, the following guidelines must be met:

• Students must obtain 10 AR points by reading grade-level appropriate texts as determined by the librarian.
• Once students reach their 10-point goal, they will be given a coupon.
• The coupon must be used by the 8^th week of the nine-week grading period in which it is earned.
• The coupon may be used in any subject chosen by the student.
• The coupon will be good for an extra grade of “100” in the student’s chosen subject.
• Only one coupon may be earned in each nine-week grading period.

Students are not required to participate and will not be penalized if they do not, however, they are strongly encouraged to do so.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian Guidelines:

In order for a student to qualify for valedictorian of his/her graduating class, he/she must meet the following guidelines:

o   Attend Delta Charter School for the four semesters prior to graduation

o   Have the highest cumulative numerical average in the class

In order for a student to qualify for salutatorian of his/her graduating class, he/she must meet the following guidelines:

o   Attend Delta Charter School for the four semesters prior to graduation

o   Have the second highest cumulative numerical average in the class

Graduation Requirements:

Tops University:  24 credits needed

o   4 English courses

o   4 Math courses

o   4 Science courses

o   4 Social Studies courses

o   ½ credit Health

o   1 ½ credits of PE

o   3 elective courses

o   2 Foreign language courses

o   1 Art course

For a specific list of courses needed to satisfy the above requirements, please see the guidance counselor.

Jumpstart Tops Tech:  23 credits needed

o   4 English courses

o   4 Math courses

o   2 Science courses

o   2 Social Studies courses

o   ½ credits of Health

o   1 ½ credits of PE

o   9 units of courses to meet chosen Jumpstart pathway

For a specific list of courses needed to satisfy the above requirements, please see the guidance counselor.

Grading Policy Grades K-11:

Regular education and special education students in grades 1-12 shall be assigned numerical and letter grades.  LAA 1 students may be assigned “S” for satisfactory, “U” for unsatisfactory, and “N” for needs improvement.  Kindergarten students shall receive grades of “M” for mastered, “P” for progressing, and “N” for needs practice according to the LEA kindergarten skills checklist.

Regular education and special education teachers should plan and collaborate on a weekly basis to determine the level of support needed for students with disabilities in the general education classroom.  In addition, they should collaborate to determine appropriate grades to be given.  Grades should reflect accommodations documented on the IEP, and consideration should be given to modifying the content (what is taught), process (how it is taught), and product (how it is tested) if required by those accommodations.

A minimum of one grade per student shall be assigned in each subject weekly.  A student in grades K-12 shall have a minimum of 9 grades for a nine-weeks grading period.  These grades may consist of a combination of classwork, homework, and test/quiz grades.

Semester exams shall be given to students in grades 3-12. The exam will count as 20% of the semester average with each of the nine-week grading period’s average counting 40% each.  Therefore, the semester average would be the 1^st nine weeks (40%), the 2^nd nine weeks (40%), and the semester exam (20%) for a total of 100%. 

High school students are required to take the following LEAP 2025 assessments:  Algebra I, Geometry, English I, English II, English III, Biology and U.S. History.  These students will have their final course grade calculated by averaging the first semester average (40%), the second semester average (40%), and the LEAP 2025 assessment score (20%) to get the final course grade.  The LEAP 2025 assessment score will be determined by using the state conversion chart based on the student’s score on the corresponding LEAP 2025 exam. 

 

Eligibility for participation in extracurricular activities:

Students may participate in a variety of extracurricular activities (extracurricular activities can be defined as an activity that occurs after school hours, but is still a school sponsored activity) at DCS. Such activities may include football, boys’/girls’ basketball, baseball, softball, cheerleading, soccer, tennis, yearbook staff, 4-H club, Beta Club, and other teams or clubs. There are certain requirements that students must meet in order to participate in such extracurricular activities. DCS will adhere to the eligibility requirements of the Louisiana High School Athletic Association (LHSAA).

Academics:

1.11.1 First Semester Eligibility: To be eligible for the first semester of the school year, a 

          student shall have earned at least six (6) Carnegie credits from the previous 

          academic year (fall, spring and summer), which shall be listed on the student’s 

          transcript and shall have earned at least a “C” average as determined by the 

          Local Education Authority within their Pupil Progression Plan when considering all 

          “graded” subjects.

1.11.2 Second Semester Eligibility: To be eligible for the second semester of the school 

          year, a student must enroll in and successfully pass the number of courses which 

          will allow him/her to earn a minimum of 3 Carnegie credits for the first semester. 

          Note: This can be accomplished by earning any combination of Carnegie units.  

          Six (6) one-half (.5) Carnegie credits will meet this requirement.

Behavior:

• All participants must meet the behavior guidelines set forth in this handbook.
• To remain eligible for participation, any student not meeting behavioral expectations may be placed on an individualized student support plan.
• Any student who is suspended from school shall be removed from participation in any/all extra-curricular activities for the duration of the suspension. 
• Numerous suspensions or other violations of this handbook may result in permanent removal from extra-curricular activities/teams/clubs. 

• Students who receive a suspension or other disciplinary consequence out of season for the sport/team/club they are participating in may affect the student’s eligibility to participate in that extra-curricular activities/team/clubs when the season starts.

Other Requirements:

• All students participating in any extra-curricular activity are subject to the DCS Drug Testing & Substance Abuse Policy. 
• Parents are required to sign permission slips for students to participate in any extra-curricular activity at DCS. 
• Parents are required to sign a liability waiver prior to their student’s participation in any extra-curricular activity. 
• Parents are required to provide two (2) emergency contact numbers and two (2) modes of transportation for their students for after-hours dismissal as a result of the extra-curricular activity. 

** PLEASE NOTE THAT ANY DCS STUDENT MAY BE REMOVED FROM A CLUB, TEAM, OR OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY AT ANY TIME AT THE DISCRETION OF THE ADMINISTRATION**

Guidelines for taking Algebra I in the 8^th grade:

In order to be placed in the 8^th grade Algebra I class, students must have met the following criteria:

Must meet ALL of the following:

·         Student must score BASIC or above on the LEAP 2025 state assessment 

·         3.0 overall GPA in core subjects only (Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies)

·         90 or better final average in math for the 7^th grade year    

Guidelines for taking Chemistry in 10^th grade:

In order to be placed in Chemistry during their sophomore year, students must meet three out of the four of the following criteria:

·         Must have a final average of  A or B in their biology course

·         Must have a final average of A or B in Algebra I

·         Must have scored a Basic or above on their Biology EOC

·         Must have scored a Basic or above on their Algebra 1 EOC

Guidelines for taking Physics in 12th grade:

In order to be placed in Physics during their senior year, students must meet the following criteria:

·         Must have a final average of  A or B in Chemistry

·         Must have a final average of A or B in Algebra II

·         Must be enrolled in or have taken Advanced Math. If taken, must have a final average of A or B in Advanced Math.

Guidelines for taking Regular Advanced Math (11th or 12th grade):

 

In order to be placed in regular advanced math during their junior or senior year, students must meet the following criteria:

• Must have a final average of A or B in Algebra II

Specific course requirements:

The following courses have specific requirements for enrollment in the class:

1.   Customer Service:  must be 15 years of age

2.   EMR: must be 16 years of age and a junior or senior

3.   Psychology:  must be a junior or senior

4.   Physics:  must be a senior

5.   Microenterprise:  must be a junior or senior

Literary Rally:

Each year the state holds a district and state level literary rally at various colleges across the state.  Our district rally is held in the spring each year at Louisiana College in Pineville.  Each teacher is allowed to send two students per subject to the district rally.  Teachers choose the students to attend based on academic success, willingness to participate, ability to attend the event and work ethic displayed throughout the school year.  All students are encouraged to strive to attend the district rally by displaying the qualities mentioned above. 

The district rally committee notifies our counselor of students who qualify for the state rally, which is held at LSU in Baton Rouge.  Delta Charter School has no say as to which students qualify for the state rally.

School Building Level Committee (SBLC):

Goal: 

The goal of the SBLC is to provide more efficient delivery of educational services to children.

Membership: 

The school shall establish a committee of knowledgeable persons.  SBLC membership may consist of the following individuals:  the director and his/her designee, an elementary

teacher representative, a junior high teacher representative, a high school teacher

representative, and a special education teacher representative. Individual teachers of students as well as needed pupil appraisal staff or ancillary personnel will be called to meetings as needed.

Functions:

The functions of the SBLC committee will be as follows:

1. To facilitate communication among school staff concerning students having difficulties.
2. To provide support to teachers who are trying to individualize instruction.
3. To design educational/behavioral interventions for students who are experiencing various kinds of difficulties in school.
4. To serve as a point of entry for determination of section 504 eligibility

SBLC Referral Procedures;

SBLC Procedures Academic:

1. Renatta D form completed and returned by parent.

OR

             Teacher referral

            Before the student can be brought before the SBLC committee based on 

            teacher referral the following things must have already occurred…

·     The teacher must have observed the student in their classroom for a minimum of 3-4 weeks without any interventions. We will need this data!

·         The teacher must have documentation of a meeting with the parent to discuss concerns about the student’s progress.

2.            Have an initial SBLC meeting---find out concerns, document in minutes, identify interventions needed (math, reading, behavior, etc.).  Teacher needs to bring all documentation to this meeting---tests, grades, interventions used, etc. 504 Coordinator needs to bring test scores, etc. Discuss possible interventions to try at this time. Try these interventions for at least 4 weeks.  Always start with least restrictive interventions (chunking, shortening tests, color overlays, etc). 

3.                   Have a 2nd meeting — Discuss intervention data at this time.  YOU MUST PROVIDE DATA

A.            If not progressing with interventions, have screeners done at this time. (Get screeners signed at this point.)  SEE BELOW.

B.                  If progressing, continue interventions.  Provide parents documentation of intervention progress at progress report time.

4.                   Have 3rd meeting 

A.                 Discuss results of screeners at this time. The data from the teacher as well as the screeners and student grades and test scores will all be used to determine if the student needs to be referred for special education or if we will implement a 504 plan at this point.  

B.                  If the student’s data and grades do not warrant any further testing or a 504 plan, the student will continue to be monitored by the teacher. 

SBLC Procedures Behavior:

Administrators and teachers will follow PBIS guidelines in relation to student behavior consequences. 

1. When a student is suspended for the first time, both the student and a parent will meet with the administrator and counselor before returning to school.
2. Referral to the SBLC Committee by administrator after 2nd OOS suspension.
3. Have an initial meeting---The administrator should bring behavior reports.
4. Interventions for 4 to 6 weeks (CHICO, allow breaks, etc). The school counselor will be responsible for monitoring these interventions.  
5. Have a 2nd meeting---Discuss intervention data at this time.  Bring intervention data to the meeting.

A.                 If interventions are working, continue for 4 to 6 additional weeks.

B.                  If interventions are not working, then switch type/amount of intervention and continue for 4 to 6 additional weeks.

6.                   The school counselor will notify the SBLC committee if the student’s behavior continues to disrupt the school learning environment and other meetings will be scheduled as needed.  

7.                   Students receiving 3 suspensions within the same school year shall be recommended for expulsion according to Act 337 (see below).

*The ultimate goal of behavior interventions is for the student to learn to self assess and self correct his or her behavior so that school interventions will no longer be necessary. 

*Act 337 states that 6th-12th graders who are suspended a third time within the same school year for any offense except those related to dress code or tardiness, shall be recommended for expulsion.  This law also updates expulsion requirements for offenses involving firearms,  knives and drugs. 

SBLC Procedures Attendance:

1. Mrs. Fairbanks will follow the procedures for warning letters, etc that are listed in the student handbook.
2. Once a student has reached 14 unexcused absences, Mrs. Fairbanks will refer the student to SBLC. 

SBLC Procedures SEL:

*A parent, teacher, or administrator may refer a student when there are social/emotional concerns. 

1.       Teachers will fill out a SAEBERS form on the student if there is a concern and give the completed form to Mrs. Perry.

2.                   Mrs. Perry will score the form and determine if the Student Well Being Questionnaire is necessary.  The parent will be notified in writing by Mrs. Perry of the concerns at this point. 

3.                   Once permission is received from the parent, Mrs. Perry will give the student the Student Well Being Screener. 

4.                   Based on the results of the student screener, Mrs. Perry will refer the student to SBLC if necessary. 

(Any student receiving counseling from Mrs. Perry must be brought before the SBLC committee before services begin.)

Speech/Language and OT Referrals:

A parent, teacher, or administrator may refer a student when there are social/emotional concerns. 

1.       Notify by email the SBLC chairperson or coordinator when you have SPL or OT concerns about a student. 

2.       The SBLC team will notify the proper service providers that a referral has been received.

3.       The service provider will send home permission forms for screening.

4.       Return the signed permission form to the SBLC chairperson or coordinator.

5.       The screener will be administered and results will be given to Mrs. Hargis and the parent(s).  

6.       If the student does not pass the screener, they will be placed in RTI for 6-9 weeks.

7.       After the RTI period, the service provider will determine if further actions are needed.  

8.       If additional services are needed, an SBLC meeting will be held at this point.  

Gifted & Talented Referral:

1. Referral from teacher or parent

a.                   Send email to Mrs. Hargis, Mrs. Hairston, & Mrs. Gilbert

b.                   If talented referral, the referring person MUST complete the referral form. 

c.                   The SBLC committee will get a gifted referral packet completed.

2.                   Have an initial meeting to notify parents of referral.  Have parent sign permission to screen form.

3.                   Notify Barbara Moseley (gifted) or Darlene Gilbert (talented) that a student needs to be screened for gifted or talented services.

4.                   After completing the screener, Barbara or Darlene will notify the committee within 30 days of further evaluation or strengths/weaknesses.

Failure Due to Absences:

Attendance Policies:

DCS recognizes that the fundamental right to attend the public school places upon students the accompanying responsibility to be faithful in attendance. Regular attendance can be assumed to be essential for a student’s successful progress in the instructional program. Louisiana’s Compulsory School Attendance Law (La. R.S. 17:221) requires that all students aged 5 to 18 attend a public or private day school until they graduate from high school. 

The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) classifies a student’s absence into one of four categories. These categories are:

1.       Exempted and excused: The student is allowed to make up the missed work and the absence is not counted against the student’s attendance requirement. Examples are absences documented by a doctor’s note or absences as the result of a school sponsored event. There is no limit to these absences.

2.                   Non-exempted and excused: The student is allowed to make up the missed work, but the absence is counted against the student’s attendance requirement. An example is a personal or family illness documented by a parent’s note. A student may not have more than five (5) of these absences per semester or no more than ten (10) of these absences in a year.

3.                   Unexcused: The student is not allowed to make up the missed work and the absence is counted against the student’s attendance requirement. An example is skipping school.

4.                   Suspension: The student is allowed to make up the missed work, but the absence is counted against the student’s attendance requirement.

Per Bulletin 741, students in grades K-8 are required to attend school 60,120 minutes each year. Students in grades 9-12 are required to attend school 60,120 minutes each year or 30,060 minutes each semester in order to receive the Carnegie unit for the course that they are enrolled in. Therefore, a student may not have more than five (5) non-exempt or unexcused absences per semester or more than ten (10) non-exempt or unexcused absences per year. The accumulation of days absent need not be consecutive. Per Louisiana Department of Education attendance guidelines, the number of unexcused absences for students in grades K-8 will be accumulated according to entire days, while the number of unexcused absences for students in grades 9-12 will be accumulated according to individual class periods.

Attendance is taken daily during homeroom/first period for students in grades K-8 and at the beginning of each class period for students in grades 9-12. Parents may monitor student attendance by logging in to the Student Progress Center. The login for the Student Progress Center can be found on our website, www.deltacs.org. Student attendance reports will be run daily by the attendance clerk. The attendance clerk will call the parent/guardian of any student who is absent from school on the day the report is run. At the time that the reports are run, the following guidelines will be adhered to concerning the number of non-exempt or unexcused absences a student has.

Number of Non-Exempt or Unexcused Absences	Color Level	Consequence
3	Yellow	Warning letter
5	Orange	Mandatory parent contact from principal or his/her designee
10 or more	Red	Referral to FINS

 

Excuses for student absences must be turned in to the front office within five (5) days of a student’s absence in order for the absence to be marked as excused in the computer. If a student is absent for 14 consecutive days, the school may automatically withdraw the student and a report will be made to the appropriate authority.

Attendance Recovery: 

Attendance recovery will be offered to students in grades K-12 at the end of each nine-week grading period for the first three nine weeks. Attendance recovery will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. For nine-week attendance recovery, absences will be based on the total number of absences the student has for that nine-week grading period. Attendance recovery for the fourth nine-week grading period will be held during summer school. For end-of-year attendance recovery, absences will be based on the overall number of unexcused absences for the year. In order to receive credit for nine-week attendance recovery, a student must adhere to the following attendance recovery guidelines:

Number of Unexcused Absences	Required Number of After-school Detentions for Attendance Recovery
9	9
More than 10	Truancy referral to parish truancy officer

We understand that extenuating circumstances occur. These should be documented with a doctor’s excuse and will be handled on a case by case basis.

Truancy: 

Truancy means absence from class or school for any portion of a period or day without permission from home or school. As DCS is a closed campus, students shall not be allowed to leave the campus without proper permission at any time during the school day, including before school begins or after school while waiting on the school bus. Students shall remain on campus at all times unless granted permission from their parent/guardian to be off campus and any violation of this rule shall result in appropriate discipline.

Please review our attendance policy for requirements concerning student attendance. Violations of attendance laws and regulations are a very serious matter and those who violate it may be turned over to the Concordia Parish truancy officer.

Student Failure Due to Absences:

If a student fails due to excessive absences, parents and/or legal guardians may make a formal appeal in accordance with the due process procedures listed below:

·         The parent/guardian may contact the designated principal (Grades K-5:  Mrs. Nicholson and Grades 6-12: Mrs. Dawkins) to inform them of their appeal.  The parent/guardian must provide the designated principal with a written appeal describing in detail the reason for their appeal.

·         The designated principal will notify the SBLC committee chairperson of the parent’s appeal and provide them with a copy of the written appeal. 

·         An SBLC committee meeting will be scheduled for the committee to hear the parent’s appeal.  Once the committee hears the parent’s appeal and is provided documentation of why they are appealing the decision regarding their child’s attendance, the committee will make a decision as to whether the decision for the child to be retained will remain or be reversed.

·         If the parent does not agree with the SBLC committee’s decision, then they may appeal to Mrs. Miller.  In order to this, the parent/guardian must provide a written request to Mrs. Miller.  This request must include a detailed description of why the parent is appealing the SBLC committee’s decision.  Mrs. Miller will conduct an investigation and will provide the parent/legal guardian with her decision within ten (10) school days from receipt of the parent’s written appeal.

Delta Charter School recognizes that extenuating circumstances may occur, such as a lengthy illness or hospital stay, and wishes to accommodate such unfortunate circumstances. Each situation will be overseen by the attendance clerk and SBLC committee who will review any documentation that the parent/guardian provides.  The SBLC chairperson will grant guidance to ensure that a student’s situation and the mandated seat requirements are met. 

Physical Education Credit Waiver:

A student may be allowed to receive a waiver or take an alternate class for the physical education credit requirement if there is a medical reason that would prohibit them from participating.  A doctor’s note is required for the waiver or alternate class to be approved.

XI.  LEA assurances and submission information

 

Assurance is hereby made to the Louisiana Department of Education that this 

Delta Charter School, MST

2024-2025 Pupil Progression Plan has been developed in compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. If any local policy outlined in this plan conflicts with federal or state laws or regulations, I understand that federal and state laws and regulations shall supersede the local policy.

 

 

Date approved by local school board or governing authority: