Private School Needs an Academic Probation Policy

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Private School Teachers Chatboard

Private School Needs an Academic Probation Policy

by Jenni

Jun 14, 2009

I teach at a private elementary/middle school in southern CA, and we've always threatened an academic probation policy in the past, but we never followed through. The students continue doing miserably year after year, holding back the other students, and they really aren't getting the quality education that they deserve and could get in a public school with a special needs program. We've designed a committee to write up an academic probation policy for the fall that we will stick to; students not performing up to our standards will be dismissed from the school; this is one of the perks of a private school! My question is, would anyone be willing to share their school's academic probation policy? Do your parents sign a contract at the beginning of the year with certain steps to be followed or attained? Thanks so much for your time. This is my summer project, and I want to get it out of the way!

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Jenni/1st We're losing students too, and had to cut a few teachers for the coming fall. We talk a big talk, but when push comes to shove, I also wonder whether we can actually afford to boot out these students despite them holding back the rest of the class. Our waiting list is much shorter than previous years unfortunately.

On 6/16/09, wondering w...See More

Jun 17, 2009

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Anon Are these students failing all the classes? What is GPA of the students? Does your school practice social promotion?

I think most students are expected to achieve at least a C average in most private schools and are then put on probation. Students with diagnosed learning disabilities are not usually subject to this, but most show continue...See MoreAre these students failing all the classes? What is GPA of the students? Does your school practice social promotion?

I think most students are expected to achieve at least a C average in most private schools and are then put on probation. Students with diagnosed learning disabilities are not usually subject to this, but most show continued progress.

If students can't achieve a passing average, they are held back. At that point, a lot of parents take their children out of the schools and put them in either public schools or a school that will socially promote them. If a student has already been held back for several years, the schools may not allow them to continue.

However, even though most private schools have academic probation policies, a lot of them don't enforce them because they need the "numbers." In the case of the socially promoted student, they are often given a certificate of attendance rather than one of academic achievement.

Times are hard and are getting worse, so perhaps your school may want to consider holding off on that get tough policy and perhaps require that the children receive after- school tutoring or join a "homework" club instead of "booting them out." Some kids get motivated when they find out they can't participate in sports or cheerleading unless they have a C average.

Regarding parents agreeing to the academic policy - most of the schools in my area require that as part of the admissions procedure.

On 6/17/09, Jenni/1st wrote: > We're losing students too, and had to cut a few teachers for the > coming fall. We talk a big talk, but when push comes to shove, > I also wonder whether we can actually afford to boot out these > students despite them holding back the rest of the class. Our > waiting list is much shorter than previous years unfortunately. > > > On 6/16/09, wondering wrote: >> Do you still have a waiting list in these times? Can your >> school afford to boot students in these times? I'm impressed. >> We're starting to lose students to the times. >> >>> I teach at a private elementary/middle school in southern >>> CA, and we've always threatened an academic probation >>> policy in the past, but we never followed through. The >>> students continue doing miserably year after year, holding >>> back the other students, and they really aren't getting the >>> quality education that they deserve and could get in a >>> public school with a special needs program. We've designed >>> a committee to write up an academic probation policy for >>> the fall that we will stick to; students not performing up >>> to our standards will be dismissed from the school; this is >>> one of the perks of a private school! My question is, >>> would anyone be willing to share their school's academic >>> probation policy? Do your parents sign a contract at the >>> beginning of the year with certain steps to be followed or >>> attained? Thanks so much for your time. This is my summer >>> project, and I want to get it out of the way!

Jun 17, 2009

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veteran private school teacher I'm wondering what interventions your school employs to help these kids? One answer you've gotten assumes the problem is a lack of motivation to - buckle down? Is this a new school? In the old days, parents put kids in private schools believing their kids would have smaller classrooms and get more attention from their teachers - teachers they belie...See MoreI'm wondering what interventions your school employs to help these kids? One answer you've gotten assumes the problem is a lack of motivation to - buckle down? Is this a new school? In the old days, parents put kids in private schools believing their kids would have smaller classrooms and get more attention from their teachers - teachers they believed were more motivated to work with kids as they sought out the smaller place that was a private school.

Things have changed ... only the special needs private schools still tout themselves as places where kids will get special attention - but parents still come to your school and mine thinking we're going to do something different for their kid and so they pay what - here, $26,000 a year(!) for us to do basically the same as any other school - but we're got this lovely campus and we still do have somewhat smaller class sizes.

I'm wondering if in these new times we live in we might as schools be able to return to what was once our mission - doing something more, doing something extra, trying to be schools that do more than boot kids out the door when they don't pass muster.

Here I'm trying to get my school to have a different 'track' within the school. Do we want these kids to struggle all the way through? Unless your admission office is perfect, ours lets kids in with some weak skills. How do kids with weak skills keep up with those who have strong skills?

It comes down to two things - why are your kids who are doing poorly doing so? What's their skill level? Do they need more support than they're getting? Do they need a different curriculum or a 'track' just for them until they're back on the regular track?

And how motivated is your school to live up to the older tradition of private schools that was a tradition of working with kids and not booting them out the door but for big time behavioral issues?

All that said, I'm still amazed that in these times any administrator thinks this is time to formulate a successful 'boot you out the door' policy. How large an endowment does your school have?? I see these times as an opportunity to return to the old tradition and try to be schools of excellence with teachers committed to being the same and going the extra mile or two or more.

> I teach at a private elementary/middle school in southern > CA, and we've always threatened an academic probation > policy in the past, but we never followed through. The > students continue doing miserably year after year, holding > back the other students, and they really aren't getting the > quality education that they deserve and could get in a > public school with a special needs program. We've designed > a committee to write up an academic probation policy for > the fall that we will stick to; students not performing up > to our standards will be dismissed from the school; this is > one of the perks of a private school! My question is, > would anyone be willing to share their school's academic > probation policy? Do your parents sign a contract at the > beginning of the year with certain steps to be followed or > attained? Thanks so much for your time. This is my summer > project, and I want to get it out of the way!

Jun 18, 2009

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PattyCA Our school is hurting for students and we try to help struggling students every way we can. However, I have one boy on academic probation for the fall. He failed most of his subjects on his last report card. The main issue is the parents. They did not have any follow through on any of the suggestions we gave to help him. They excused him not doing ...See More

Jun 19, 2009

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Pat In our policy manual to parents we tell them students will: * receive a report card each quarter * grades will be reviewed every three weeks and parents will be notified of anything under a C- * if it is an athlete they have two weeks to bring up the grade or be put on the bench - they have three tries then they are off sports for the rest of the y...See More

Aug 15, 2009

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