Student Handbook
2007-2008

PROFICIENCY BASED PROMOTION

The following policy describes the processes and regulations by which students in the Texhoma Public School, District ISD 61, may apply for and achieve course or grade level advancement based upon mastery of course or grade level content as measured by a criterion referenced test. These procedures are required by 70 O.S. Section 11-103.6. Oklahoma State Department of Education Standards for Accreditation of Elementary and Secondary School, 1992, requires the following: Upon request of a student, parent, or guardian, a student will be given the opportunity to demonstrate proficiency in the Learner Outcomes: State Competencies. Proficiency will be demonstrated by some means of assessment or evaluation appropriate to the curriculum area, for example: portfolio, criterion-referenced test, thesis, project, product or performance. Students demonstrating proficiency in a set of competencies at the 90% level shall be advanced to the next level of study in the appropriate curriculum areas. This decision will take into consideration such factors as social, emotional, physical and mental growth. The school will confer with parents in making such promotion/acceleration decisions. Elementary, middle level, or high school students may demonstrate proficiency in the Learner Outcomes: State Competencies for 9-12 High School curriculum areas. Appropriate notation will be placed on the high school transcript. The unit shall count toward meeting the requirements for the high school diploma. It is the policy of the Texhoma Public School, District ISD 61, that all students in grades 5 through 12 will have the opportunity to advance under a proficiency- based promotion option in either grade level, subject, or course by meeting the following requirements:

A. The opportunity for proficiency assessment will be provided at least once each school year for the 1993/94 and 1994/95 school years. Beginning with the 1995/96 years, this opportunity will be provided at least twice each school year. Beginning March 1, 1994, and continuing until April 1, 1994, applications for consideration for evaluation to advance may be filed by a student who has been enrolled in the Texhoma Public School a minimum of six (6) months, or by the student's parents, guardian, or teachers. Application shall be made with the building principal in the school in which they are enrolled.

B. Students must progress through a curriculum in a sequential manner. Elementary, junior high, or high school students may demonstrate proficiency and advance to the next level in a curriculum area.

C. Following application, initial testing utilizing an appropriate criterion referenced examination adopted by District ISD 61 will be administered to each applying student.

D. Students successfully achieving the 90th percent on the criterion referenced examination will be scheduled for an assessment involving performance and/or demonstration criteria conducted by members of the professional staff.

E. Students successfully completing the performance component will be awarded credit upon the official school transcript for completion of the course, subject or grade. No grading marks will be associated with the successful completion of the course, subject or grade. No reference or notation will be made on the official transcript of an unsuccessful attempt for advancement.

F. A placement conference will be conducted with the parents or guardian of a participating student in order to determine the next appropriate academic or placement steps to be taken. If the parent or guardian requests promotion/acceleration contrary to the recommendation of school personnel, the parent or guardian shall sign a written statement to that effect. This statement shall be included in the permanent record of the student.

G. Students, parents, guardians or teachers may request retesting of students at the next test date. Conferences to discuss the merits or timing of retesting are to be conducted prior to retesting or reassessing performance.

H. Assessment in grades 5 through 8 will consist of one test per grade with 5 separate subtests, plus one performance assessment model and scoring rubric. Each subtest will have approximately 50 items, a total of 250 items per grade. The subject areas are: Reading, Mathematics, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies.

I. Assessment for grades 9 through 12 will measure 20 subjects. Each test will have approximately 75 items per test with appropriate performance assessment models and scoring rubrics. The subjects are:

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