Kindergarten

All students entering kindergarten will be evaluated within the first 30 days of the school year to determine how ready they are to learn. Students who fall below expectations on these early assessments will be further evaluated to find out where they are having problems and how the school can help.

Some students might perform well on these evaluations but struggle in the regular classroom. If your child’s progress is not satisfactory, the school will contact you. You and your child’s teacher can work together to address your child’s needs.

If your child is performing below expectations at the end of the first semester and is at risk for retention, you will receive a letter asking you to come in and discuss your child’s progress. During the second semester, school staff will continue to work closely with you to help improve your child’s skills.

At the end of the school year, the school will test your child again and review his or her progress to determine whether or not he/she is ready to move on to first grade.

First and Second Grades 

First- and second-graders will be assessed in reading and math to measure their early literacy and math skills. If the assessments show that your child has not yet developed the pre-reading and math skills needed to be successful, you will be asked to attend a conference to help address your child’s needs. Together you and the teacher will work out a plan to provide additional support at school and at home to help your child learn the skills necessary for success in reading and math.

At the end of the first semester, your child’s progress will be evaluated. If your child is still experiencing difficulty and there is a possibility that your child may be retained, you will be notified and asked to meet with the teacher.

If your child has not made enough progress by the end of the year to succeed in the next grade, he/she will be retained for another year. The decision to retain your child is based on grades, test scores and academic progress.

Third Grade – A Critical Year

The 3rd grade is a critical year for academic assessment and performance. During the 3rd grade, it is very important that you stay closely connected with your school and your child’s teacher(s).

During the 3rd grade, your child’s academic performance will be assessed in a variety of ways. The Florida Assessment of Student Thinking (F.A.S.T.) reading and math tests will be given to your child.  If this or any other assessment indicates that your child is not performing at grade level standards, you will receive a letter asking you to come in for a conference so that a plan for boosting your child’s skills can be developed. If your child is still below grade level by the end of the first semester, you will receive a second letter notifying you that your child may not advance to the 4th grade. You will also be asked to attend another conference. If you have been following your child’s progress and communicating regularly with the teacher, you should already know if there is a serious concern.

At the conference, you and the teacher will review your child’s performance and revise the plan for improving that performance. If your child is not academically ready for 4th grade by the end of the year, he/she will be retained in 3rd grade. Under state law, any 3rd-grade student who does not score above a Level 1 on F.A.S.T ELA reading must be retained unless they meet criteria to be promoted for good cause. Additional support will be provided through summer programs and a variety of other strategies.

Fourth and Fifth Grades

In 4th and 5th grades, there is a special emphasis on F.A.S.T. scores. The F.A.S.T. ELA and Math (4th and 5th grades) and the Statewide Science Assessment (5th grade) are designed to measure how well your child has learned what he/she will need to know to succeed in school.

The F.A.S.T. and SSA are not the only tools used to measure your child’s abilities. At the beginning of the school year, teachers and other officials will study your child’s past report cards and test scores. If any of these indicate that your child is not meeting grade level standards, you will receive a letter asking you to come in for a conference so that a plan can be developed to help your child boost those skills.

By the end of the first semester, if your child is still not meeting grade level expectations, you will receive a letter notifying you that your child may not advance to the next grade. You will also be asked to attend another conference. Again, if you’ve followed your child’s progress and communicated regularly with the teacher, you should already be aware that there is a concern.

Your child’s plan may change at any time during the school year, and the teacher will detail any extra support needed at school and at home. If your child has not made enough progress by the end of the year, he/she will be retained for another year. The decision to hold your child back will be based on grades, F.A.S.T., and SSA scores and your child’s ability to be successful in the next grade.