I was wondering if anyone can answer my question?? My son failed 8th grade at a catholic school, but passes the LEAP test way above the national average. Can he be promoted to 9th grade at a public school?
You'd have to talk to the school. It depends on how they work things.
Just as an example... I scored near perfect on the SATs, but failed the classes I took that year (I had a HW issue... which were worth 60% of our grade, mandated by the school district). So even though I tested consistently in the 99th percentile, I had to repeat grades or classes.
M.,
It is very possible that if your son has an unidentified learning issue, that he can be promoted to 9th grade in public school. Why do you think he failed 8th grade? Was it a homework issue? An issue with how the catholic school expected him to show that he learned the matierial? If he has some kind of a processing or output issue that can be measured than you have a very good chance of getting him into 9th grade, because you have independent data that he knows the mateiral, but failed to show the catholic school in the way that they asked.
Your first step is to enroll him in public school, and appeal to them for the promotion and request that they identify any learning disablity or processing issue that may qualify him for services to make general education accessable for him.
You should be aware that retention is a very bad thing for kids. It is the most reliable predictor for dropping out of school. You should do everything in your power to see that your son stays at age-grade level. If your son has a learning issue, it is even more important that he recieve targeted instruction, intervention, and accomodations rather than another year of the same old same old which is absolutly the wrong thing for every child, from kindergarten on and has been shown again and again to be a very bad practice.
Be a squeaky wheel. Get him into 9th grade-you are holding the data that supports your case!
M.
M.,
Here in Livingston Parish, the public schools look at 3 criteria. 1. Grades for the year, 2. Leap scores and 3. I think the benchmark tests they do at the beginning of the year and again at the end of the year. Your child has to have passed 2 of the 3 to be promoted. I know here they have to pass LEAP to go to 9th grade. I am not a 100% sure if the 3rd option is correct but I know they have to pass 2 of the 3 and LEAP has to be one of them for promotion to 9th. Hope this helps a little!
Hi, M., I don't know the answer, but I am from Lafayette and just wanted to say "Hi". :)
I was always under the impression that the private and public schools were run completely differently, so i'd think he'd be promoted, but IDK.
There are many issues here, I suggest that you call the school board and ask them to give him a test that they would require for him to move on!
Good Luck God BLess
