Enacted by the 76th Texas Legislature in 1999 and modified by the 81st Texas Legislature in 2009, the Student Success Initiative (SSI) grade advancement requirement apply to enrolled grades 5 and 8 students who take the Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) reading and mathematics tests at grades 5 and 8.
As specified by these requirements, a student may advance to the next grade level on by passing these tests or by unanimous decision of his or her grade placement committee that the student is likely to perform at grade level after additional instruction. The goal of the SSI is to ensure that all students receive the instruction and support they need to be academically successful in reading and Mathematics. Their effort depends greatly on schools, parents, and community members working in partnership to meet individual student needs.
A number of materials have been developed to help schools implement the SSI grade advancement requirements. These materials are available at the website below in a format that facilitates downloading and editing for local use. When modifying these materials, schools should be careful to include all the components required by the grade advancement law and commissioner's rules.