2025-2026 promotion policy

 

Students with Disabilities receiving special education and related services under an Individualized Education Program (IEP) are expected to meet the same promotion criteria as their same-age, same-grade, non-disabled peers unless the IEP modifies the promotion criteria in whole or in part (this includes English Learners with an IEP). For questions regarding promotion criteria for Students with Disabilities, please call the Office for Students with Disabilities at (773) 553-1800.

Promotion Criteria for English Learners
There are no separate promotional criteria for English Learners in the 2025-2026 school year. However, schools must ensure that ELs are not penalized for not being fully proficient in English (see District Bilingual Education Policy (603.1)).  The considerations below will work toward ensuring that grades assigned to ELs are appropriate:

 

• Students must receive instruction in core subjects appropriate to the EL program and English language proficiency.
- If self-contained TBE or TPI classrooms/courses are not offered, required instruction and supports must be provided through the TBE or TPI collaboration instructional designs.
- The collaborating classroom/course teacher and EL teacher must collaborate when assigning grades.
• Classroom assessments must be given in the language that aligns with the required language of instruction.
• Classroom assessments administered in English must allow for EL-specific accommodations to ensure assessment targets and content knowledge. WIDA’s English Language Development Standards and Can Do Descriptors should be used to determine students’ language proficiencies and level of accommodations/supports needed to demonstrate content knowledge.

Satisfactory Completion of Summer School
• To satisfactorily complete summer school, a student must receive at least a C in the subject(s) not passed or have evidence of meeting the identified goals in response to interventions in the related content area and have an attendance record of no more than 3 unexcused absences.

Retention
A student who does not satisfactorily complete summer school by earning at least a C in the subject(s) not passed during the school year will be retained in his/her current grade if this is a first time retention in the current grade cycle.

Students Turning 15 on or before September 1, 2026 (Age Cycle 15)
If the student is 15 years old on or before September 1, 2026 and has not met 8th-grade promotion criteria, the student may earn an elementary diploma upon successful completion of the Summer Acceleration program. Age Cycle 15 students in 6th and 7th grades must attend a High School Connection (Summer Acceleration) program.

 

Parent Promotion Appeal
At the completion of summer school, parents/guardians of retained students will have five (5) days after receiving the promotion determination notice from the home school to submit a written request (appeal) for an additional review to the Appeal Review Committee as designated by the Chief Officer of Teaching and Learning.

For questions regarding the Elementary School Promotion Policy (Board Report 23-0125-PO1), please call your Network Office, or the Office of Teaching and Learning at (773) 553-2535.

Promotion decisions for students in grades 2, 5, and 8 will be made two weeks before the last day of school.  Promotion status and applicable summer school requirement(s) will be determined by the student’s academic performance. To determine a student’s promotion status and applicable summer school requirement(s), please see grid below. Additionally, all students must receive a passing score on The Constitution of the United States of America and The Constitution of the State of Illinois exams to receive an 8th-grade diploma. Please see the reverse side for additional information regarding Students with Disabilities and English Learners (ELs). 

 

Academic Performance	June Achievement Level	Summer School Status & Requirement(s) No more than 3 unexcused absences	Summer School Final Achievement Level	Final Promotion
Grade 2: Final report card grade of “C” or above in SY26 in reading.   Grades 5 & 8: Final report card grades of “C” or above in reading, math, science, and social sciences in SY26.	1A	Summer School Not Required • Promote to the next grade in June • Participate in June graduation ceremony (Grade 8)
Grade 2: Final report card grade in reading below “C” in SY26 AND evidence of meeting identified goals in response to  interventions in the related content area. Grades 5 & 8: Final report card grade in reading or math or science or social science or all below “C” in SY26 AND evidence of meeting identified goals in response to interventions in the related content area.	1B	Summer School Not Required • Promote to the next grade in June • Participate in June graduation ceremony (Grade 8)
Grade 2: Final report card grade in reading below “C” in SY26 AND no evidence of meeting identified goals in response to interventions in the related content area. Grades 5 & 8: Final report card grades in reading or math or science or social science or all below “C” in SY26 AND no evidence of meeting identified goals in response to interventions in the related content area.	2A	Summer School Required • Final summer school grade of “C” or above in the subject(s) with final report card grade below “C” or have evidence of meeting the identified goals in response to interventions in the related content area.	Satisfactorily Completed               Not Satisfactorily Completed	Promoted with Supports • Promoted 8th grade students receive a diploma           Retained with Personal Learning Plan