2023-2024 Grades 6-8 Student Progression Plan

Middle School Curriculum and Instruction (pgs.5-7)

Charlotte County Public Schools provides all courses required for middle grades promotion and provides appropriate instruction designed to ensure that students meet State Board of Education adopted standards. There shall be instruction in every subject matter, field, topic or specific area required by law in accordance with the Florida Statutes and the Florida Department of Education. High school courses may be offered to middle school students who meet the appropriate entrance requirements. Students in grades 6 - 8 will be provided instruction at their appropriate instructional level(s).

Course of Study Requirements
Pursuant to F.S. 1003.4156, to be promoted to grade 9, students are required to successfully complete the following courses in grades 6-8:

• Three middle grades or higher courses in English Language Arts (ELA).
• Three middle grades or higher courses in mathematics. Each school that includes middle grades must offer at least one high school level mathematics course for which students may earn high school credit. Successful completion of a high school level Algebra I or Geometry course is not contingent upon the student’s performance on the statewide, standardized end-of-course (EOC) assessment.
• Three middle grades or higher courses in social studies, one-semester of which must include a civics education course that includes the roles and responsibilities of federal, state, and local governments.
• Three middle grades or higher courses in science.
• One (1) semester in physical education each year unless a district waiver is secured. 
• One (1) Career and Education Planning course to be completed in grades 6, 7, or 8. The Career and Education Planning course must result in a completed personalized academic and career plan for the student that may be revised as the student progresses through middle and high school; must emphasize the importance of entrepreneurship and employability skills.
• A variety of performing & fine arts, career & technical and other elective courses may be offered by schools to provide students opportunities to fulfill their interests and/or earn valuable industry certifications.
  
  • Applied Technology
  • Art
  • Band
  • Computer Literacy
  • STEAM

Promotion and Retention Between Grade Levels (pg.32)

Successful course completion is defined as passing a core course with a grade of “D” or better.

For promotion from 6th to 7th grade: students must successfully complete two full core academic courses (English Language Arts, Mathematics, Social Studies, Science).  Students who fail more than two of the four core academic courses will be retained.

For promotion from 7th to 8th grade: students must successfully complete three core academic courses and have no 6th grade missing core courses.

Students in grade 6 or 7 who fail two of the four core academic courses must attend the summer credit retrieval program to recover one or more of the courses or be retained. 

Grade 8 students may not be promoted to grade 9 until they have successfully passed all twelve middle grades core courses (which includes Civics) or higher. 

Grade 8 students missing only one course or several courses to qualify for high school, who do not successfully retrieve the credit(s) during the summer, will maintain their status as an 8th grade student at their middle school of enrollment and will repeat the missing middle school courses at the middle school.

The Principal has the authority to determine final placement of students grades 6 through 8.

Earning High School Credit Towards Graduation (pg.37)

Middle school students may earn credit toward high school graduation under the following conditions:

• Students are considered ninth graders during the periods in which they are enrolled in the high school credit courses offered at the middle school site;
• The courses are listed in the Florida Course Code Directory and meet high school requirements; 
• Courses are offered for the same number of hours of instruction as currently offered at the high school; 
• Students demonstrate mastery of district and state course performance standards; and 
• Placement of grades to the high school transcript is as follows:
  • All grades earned must be placed on the high school transcript;
  • Students who earn a grade of “C,” “D,” or “F” will have the opportunity for grade forgiveness by retaking the same course or a comparable course in high school; and
  • If the student retakes the course, only the higher grade and credit will be included in the grade point average calculation. The original course and grade will still be reported on the transcript.