Parents Need To Know About…
HB 656
Georgia Academic Placement
and Promotion Law
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is HB 656?
• Passed by the Georgia General Assembly
in 2001 as part of the A+ Education
Reform act of 2000
• Establishes rules that all public school
districts must follow regarding
promotion of students (Section 14 of
HB 656)
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is HB 656?
• Mandates rules regarding academic
promotion that apply to students in
grades 3, 5 and 8
• Impacts the content areas of reading
and mathematics
• Requires that the Criterion-Referenced
Competency Test (CRCT) will be used
primarily to determine promotion
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
When Does HB 656 Start?
• 3rd graders must pass the reading
section of the CRCT in spring 2004 to
be promoted to grade 4.
• 5th graders must pass the reading and
math sections in spring 2005 to be
promoted to grade 6.
• 8th graders must pass reading and math
to go to grade 9 in spring 2006.
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is the school’s role?
• Conduct an analysis and interpretation
of existing test data for each student
to determine strengths and weaknesses
• Examine classroom work of each student
and compare it to test data to look for
patterns in achievement
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is the school’s role?
• Offer PTAs and other forums to discuss
the school’s instructional program
• Call and, or send notices to parents
inviting them to discuss academic
progress with teachers
• Provide support programs during the
school day and beyond the school day
for additional academic assistance
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is the school’s role?
• Develop individualized instructional plans
for students who need greater
assistance with academic development
(fall 2004)
• Plan meetings with parents to discuss
instructional support plans to improve
achievement and provide suggestions to
parents on how to help at home
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is the parent’s role?
• Create an environment at home that
contributes to success at school
• Ensure that your child attends school
regularly and on time
• Attend conferences about your child’s
progress or communicate with teachers
by phone, notes or e-mail
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What is the parent’s role?
• Communicate first with teachers
regarding concerns or problems
• Ask for updates on your child’s growth
socially, emotionally and academically if
long periods of time have elapsed since
communicating with the school
• Expose your child to opportunities
beyond school that will contribute to
academic success and READ, READ !!
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What happens if the child
doesn’t pass the CRCT?
• The law requires schools to plan/revise
an individualized program that will
accelerate, differentiate and, or
provide additional instruction to help
bring the student to grade level
• A second CRCT will be given during
summer school.
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What happens if the child
doesn’t pass the CRCT?
• The law states that if the second CRCT
is failed, … “the principal or the
principal’s designee shall retain the
student for the next school year”
• A letter is directed to the parents
regarding the child’s inability to pass
the second CRCT that includes a
description of the optional appeal
process that a parent, guardian or
teacher may pursue
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What happens if the child
doesn’t pass the CRCT?
• If the appeal process is pursued, then a
Placement Committee meeting is held to
discuss and compare the failure on the
CRCT to the child’s overall academic
achievement
• A determination to promote must be
unanimous by the committee or the
student shall be retained as mandated
by the law
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
What happens if the child
doesn’t pass the CRCT?
• When deciding to promote, the
committee is also reasonably sure that
the student will be successful on the
next grade level’s CRCT
• The individual plan follows the student
whether promoted or retained
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
Are special needs students
in the law?
• Students with disabilities are included in
the promotion law and their Individual
Education Plan Committee makes
decisions about testing and promotion
based on federal and state laws
• Students with Limited English
Proficiency are also included in this law
and must take the CRCT
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System
Useful Information
(Hyperlinks)
• Nettrekker Internet Resource for
Subject Areas
• Family Education Network
• CRCT Resources - Georgia
Department of Education
Department for Assessment/Accountability, DeKalb County School System