Dear Parents/Guardians,

Nearly two years ago, our Board of Education began the process of creating a District-wide promotion/retention protocol to ensure all students are making appropriate grade level progress throughout their educational career. The 2018-2019 school year was designated as a “pilot” year for the promotion/retention protocol to enable the District to identify any instructional, operational, and financial resources needed for a successful implementation of the initiative moving forward. This year, after conducting significant research and soliciting additional input from stakeholders, this policy will officially go into effect.

As we undertake this paramount change, we want to ensure that parents, students and staff members are partners every step of the way. In addition to the brief overview of the protocol below, information on the promotion/retention protocol can be found on our District’s website. Furthermore, school sites will be sharing information with parents, students and staff during their ‘State of the School’ presentations this fall. Additionally, we are planning various town hall meetings throughout the community in the coming months to educate all stakeholders on the expectations of the new protocol. A schedule of these events will be available in the near future and posted on the District’s website.

Overview. Waukegan strives to promote students at all grade levels by providing a multi-tiered system of support to ensure the success of all students, as well as opportunities for acceleration. Student promotion considerations will continue on an annual basis, and those students identified as being eligible for accelerated learning opportunities or in need of supplemental support will receive opportunities for extended learning. The promotion/retention protocol will focus on students in 2nd, 5th, and 8th grade and at all grade levels in the High School. Students in these benchmark grades will be required to display academic proficiency across a variety of criteria designed to gauge overall student performance. Students identified as making inadequate academic progress at the conclusion of the benchmark year will be required to attend, and successfully complete, a rigorous summer program in order to be promoted to the next grade level.

With the advent of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) and the academic expectations established in Destination 2022, the District’s Strategic Plan, we believe this new initiative will create a heightened sense of urgency and accountability for our students, schools, and district, ensuring we are preparing students for the challenges that await in their academic careers and beyond.

Our intent is to be fully transparent and fair to the families, students, and teachers within our school district. In doing so, this requires an intentional effort to inform parents/guardians and students of the necessary requirements and steps within our promotion/retention protocol to be considered for accelerated learning opportunities and to avoid retention.

Thank you for your support of this new initiative, as we strive to ensure that all Waukegan Public Schools students are prepared for future success. We look forward to meeting with you in the near future to answer any questions you may have and working alongside you for your child’s success.


Sincerely,

Theresa Plascencia
Superintendent of School