Overview of Promotion Standards

On May 4, 1998 the Board of Education of the Houston Independent School District (HISD) adopted a new policy that redefined promotion/retention criteria and abolished social promotion. The purpose of these criteria is to assure that all students in the elementary and middle school grades mastered all the requirements for their current grade level before being promoted to the next level. To be promoted to the next grade, students are required to meet all three standards: grades, criterion-referenced assessments, and norm-referenced assessments. The 2006 districtwide promotion standards program includes a summer program utilizing accelerated instruction in addition to the regular school year. Successful completion of the promotion standards summer program is based on a combination of attendance and performance. Evaluation of the promotion standards program is conducted annually.