Parents have options to elect students to repeat grade or coursework for 2020-21 school year

The 87th Texas Legislature, Regular Session passed Senate Bill (SB) 1697, which amends state law to allow parents and guardians to elect for a student to repeat a grade or retake a high school course, per Texas Education Code (TEC) §28.02124. 

The legislation, which went into effect on June 16, 2021, gives parents or guardians the right to opt for their child to –

 • repeat prekindergarten

 • enroll in prekindergarten if the child was eligible to enroll in prekindergarten in the previous school year under TEC, §29.153(b), and has not yet enrolled in kindergarten

• repeat kindergarten

• enroll in kindergarten if the child would have enrolled in kindergarten in the previous school year and has not yet enrolled in first grade

 • for grades one through three, repeat the grade the student was enrolled in the previous school year

 • for grades four through eight, repeat the grade the student was enrolled in during the 2020-2021 school year

 • for courses taken for high school credit, repeat any course in which the student was enrolled during the 2020-2021 school year.

Information for parents related to these options is available on two TEA webpages at: https://tea.texas.gov/repeatgrade; https://tea.texas.gov/restartkinder

Parents/guardians are required to notify the school district in writing if they elect for their child to retake a grade level or course. 

Should Marlin ISD disagree with the decision of the parent who elects to have their child retake a grade level or course, the district will convene a retention committee and meet with the parent/ guardian to discuss the proposed retention. After the parent/ guardian has participated in the retention committee meeting, the parent or guardian will decide if the student will be retained. In conclusion, Marlin ISD  is required to abide by the parent’s or guardian’s decision.

Please call Marlin ISD for further questions or concerns about promotion and/or retention relative to your student(s).