-Sixth Grade Students
(For Promotion to 7th Grade)
A student enrolled in 6th grade must pass four of five subjects for the school year, with Connections classes being averaged as one grade each semester. (First semester grades are the average of progress report grades for the 1st and 2nd nine weeks. Second semester grades are the average from the 3rd and 4th nine weeks.) Language Arts and Mathematics must be two of the four subjects passed each semester.

*Should a student not earn promotion to 7th grade, he or she will have the opportunity to attend summer school to learn the AKS not demonstrated during the school year.

-Seventh Grade Students
(For Promotion to 8th Grade)
To earn promotion to the 8th grade, Gwinnett 7th graders must earn a passing score on each of the following Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) subtests: Reading, English/Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

*Should a student not earn promotion to 8th grade, he or she will have the opportunity to attend summer school and to take needed retests. A student who does not meet all promotion requirements after summer school and retests will not be promoted to 8th grade. Instead, the student will receive extra help the next year through a transition program.

Eighth Grade Students
(For Promotion to 9th Grade)
The state requires that Georgia 8th graders score in the “Meets Standards” (Level 2) range or higher on the Reading and Mathematics subtests of the Criterion-Referenced Competency Tests (CRCT) to earn promotion. In addition, GCPS students must earn a passing score on the Grade 8 Writing Assessment, which is a Gateway test in Gwinnett. A student enrolled in 8th grade also must pass four of five subjects for the school year, with Connections classes being averaged as one grade each semester. (First semester grades are the average of progress report grades for the 1st and 2nd nine weeks. Second semester grades are the average from the 3rd and 4th nine weeks.) Language Arts and Mathematics must be two of the four subjects passed each semester.

*Should a student not earn promotion to 9th grade, he or she will have the opportunity to attend summer school and to take needed retests. A student who does not meet all promotion requirements after summer school and retests will not be promoted to 9th grade.

Special Education and English Language Learner Programs – Grades 6, 7 & 8
Promotion decisions for students in special education programs are determined by the IEP.
Special Education students must participate in either GAA or CRCT.
Promotion decisions for 6th and 7th grade ELL students are guided by the AKS Modification/Intervention Plan.
8th grade ELL students must meet state promotion requirements unless exceptions are approved by a SST.
If first year in a U.S. school, ELL students must participate in ACCESS as well as Math and Science CRCT.
All other ELL students must participate in ACCESS and all sections of the CRCT.

Summer School Opportunity
Students may participate in summer school to make-up a semester failure, but not a year long failure in a particular subject. Middle school students who attend summer school may take no more than two subject area classes for promotion.
Additionally, summer school is recommended for students who have not passed one or more of the following:
a 7th or 8th grade CRCT subtest that is required for promotion
the Georgia 8th Grade Writing Assessment that is required for promotion (These students will be provided retests prior to the end of the school year and, if necessary, may attend summer school.)

Retests for these state and local assessments will be provided at the end of summer school.