18.5-Retention & Promotion
(Updated 4/29/2024)
We strive to personalize learning for each student and make individual decisions based on the long-term, best interest of the whole child within the guidelines of state compliance.
Mission Vista Academy has a board-approved Promotion, Acceleration, and Retention Policy (23-24 policy) which you should share with parents/guardians. Please review the policy if you receive a request from a parent about retaining a student (sometimes phrased as “holding back” a child or repeating a grade) or mid-year accelerated promotion (sometimes called “skipping a grade”). The policy includes important guidelines and timelines pertaining to these grade-level changes.
Grade-level changes (acceleration or retention) are never guaranteed and are always driven by student achievement data.
Grade-Level Corrections & Placement Topics
Grade-Level Corrections
If you notice that a student's grade level in School Pathways is not correct, please contact Gillian at gradelevelhelp@missionvistaacademy.org. Include the following information:
- The student's first initial and last name
- The student's District ID number
- A brief note explaining the situation/correction
I will review the student's CALPADS record and request further documentation as needed.
Grade Level Placement Chart: 2023-2024 and 2024-2025
MVA's Enrollment Department places incoming students in a grade level based on their CALPADS record and/or their date of birth. Please refer to the chart linked below to see the appropriate grade-level placement for a child's date of birth.
Transitional Kindergarten & Kindergarten Topics
Transitional Kindergarten Eligibility
The TK eligibility birthdate ranges will change over the next few school years as California prepares to offer a universal pre-K program.
- For the 2023-2024 school year, students who turn 5 between September 2nd, 2023 and April 2nd, 2024 will be eligible for Fall 2023 TK enrollment.
- For the 2024-2025 school year, students who turn 5 between September 2nd, 2024 and June 2nd, 2025 will be eligible for Fall 2023 TK enrollment.
- Please refer to this chart to see all changes between now and the 2025-2026 school year.
Transitional Kindergarten vs. Kindergarten
Here is a little clarification on TK versus KN.
- During the 2023-2024 school year, only students whose date of birth falls between September 2nd, 2018 and April 2nd, 2019 are eligible for TK.
- Students whose date of birth falls after April 2nd, 2019 will be eligible to enroll during the 2024-2025 school year.
- During the 2024-2025 school year, only students whose date of birth falls between September 2nd, 2019 and June 2nd, 2020 are eligible for TK.
- Students whose date of birth falls after June 2nd, 2020 will be eligible to enroll during the 2025-2026 school year.
- Students born between September 2nd, 2017 and September 1st, 2018 will enroll in Kindergarten for the 23-24 school year.
- Students born between September 2nd, 2018 and September 1st, 2019 will enroll in Kindergarten for the 24-25 school year.
- Per California’s Education Code, we cannot enroll a student who turns 5 before September 2nd, 2023 in TK during the 23-24 school year. We enroll those students in KN.
- For 24-25, we will not enroll a student who turns 5 before September 2nd, 2024 in TK. We will enroll those students in KN.
TK to KN Acceleration - Updated for 2023-2024
- The deadline to request TK to KN acceleration is Wednesday, December 20th, 2023.
- Students can accelerate from TK to KN on or after their 5th birthday.
- Please review the following document before starting the request process:
- Please share this document with the requesting family:
- TK to KN Acceleration Request Survey (2023-2024)
Kindergarten Continuance - Updated for 2024-2025
ICYMI: KN Continuance Back-to-School 2023 Slides and Presentation Recording
KN Continuance requests for the 2023-2024 school year are now open. Please read the HST guidelines document carefully before completing the survey. Questions? Contact Gillian at gradelevelhelp@missionvistaacademy.org.
Accelerated Promotion
Updated for 2023-2024 - I will update the accelerated promotion information for the 24-25 school year in May (after we finish the LCAPs). Thank you for your patience!
ICYMI: Accelerated Promotion Back-to-School 2023 Slides and Presentation Recording
- Start here: MVA Accelerated Promotion Guidelines for HSTs (2023-2024)
- Available now
- We only consider accelerated promotion requests during the fall semester of each school year.
- We must complete all 8th-9th grade-level changes before the high school add-drop deadline (September 8th). That means that we must process all paperwork and change the student's grade in School Pathways before September 8th.
- Information for Parents and Guardians: MVA Accelerated Promotion (2023-2024)
- MVA Accelerated Promotion Survey (2023-2024)
- Please review the deadlines below.
Grade-Level Retention
Updated for 2023-2024
ICYMI: Grade-Level Retention Back-to-School 2023 Slides and Presentation Recording
2023-2024 Due Dates Related to Grade-Level Changes
- Kindergarten Continuance Requests: We must process all KN Continuance requests and paperwork before you claim attendance for LP 1.
- KN continuance requests for 2023-2024 are due by September 1st, 2023.
- Accelerated Promotion Requests:
- Grades KN-7: November 17th, 2023
- Grade 8: August 25th, 2023
- Remember, we must complete the acceleration process for students wishing to move from 8th to 9th grade before the fall 2023 high school add-drop deadline (September 8th, 2023).
- Accelerated Promotion Assessment Folders:
- Grades KN-7: December 8th, 2023
- Grade 8: September 1st, 2023
- Remember, we must complete the acceleration process for students wishing to move from 8th to 9th grade before the fall 2023 high school add-drop deadline (September 8th, 2023).
- TK to KN Acceleration Requests: December 20th, 2023
- Retention Requests: January 19th, 2024
2024-2025 Due Dates Related to Grade-Level Changes
- Kindergarten Continuance Requests: September 4th, 2024
- We must process all KN Continuance requests and paperwork before you claim attendance for LP 1.
- Accelerated Promotion Requests:
- Grades KN-7: November 20th, 2024
- Grade 8: August 28th, 2024
- Remember, we must complete the accelerated promotion process for students wishing to move from 8th to 9th grade before the Fall 2024 high school add-drop deadline (September 13th, 2024).
- Accelerated Promotion Assessment Folders:
- Grades KN-7: December 11th, 2024
- Grade 8: September 4th, 2024
- Remember, we must complete the accelerated promotion process for students wishing to move from 8th to 9th grade before the Fall 2024 high school add-drop deadline (September 13th, 2024).
- TK to KN Acceleration Requests: January 10th, 2025
- Retention Requests: January 17th, 2025
Questions?
Please contact Gillian Simcox, Director of Accreditation and Achievement, at gradelevelhelp@missionvistaacademy.org.