Much research on the effectiveness of keeping a student in the same grade for a second year has shown that the practice is not effective and is often harmful. Children who repeat a grade often develop behavior problems and drop out of school before graduating. Yet many teachers continue to hold children back, believing that retention, at least for some children, can result in improved academic performance.
Students Most Likely to Fail
In a paper for the National Association for School Psychologists, “Grade Retention: Achievement and Mental Health Outcomes,” Gabrielle E. Anderson, Angela D. Whipple, & Shane R. Jimerson reported that the students most likely to be retained are:
- Males
- Minority students
- Students who act out in class
- Students with learning disabilities
- Students who have changed schools often
The paper also noted that students who come from large families, whose parents have little education, and whose parents are not involved in the school are also likely to be retained.
Affects of School Retention
The authors report that although achievement scores of retained students may be better for a few years, they fall below average after several years. Other results reported are:
- Dropping out of school
- Low employment ratings
- Lower pay per hour
- Low attendance rates
- Low self-esteem
- Mental health problems
- Chemical abuse
- Criminal activities
Interventions to Prevent School Failure
Certain interventions can be made to help a child who is failing in school, but it's crucial that these interventions be used as soon as the child begins to experience failure. In her article, "Repeating a Grade: the Pros and Cons," Colleen Stump, PhD., lists interventions recommended by the National Association for School Psychologists.
- Work with the child's teacher to identify accommodations that could increase her success in the classroom. If interventions are working, ask if they will be continued.
- Find out if the child is receiving extra support. and if she gets one-on-one or small group help to understand new ideas and complete work.
- If the child receives special education services, find out if her individual education plan's goals and objectives/benchmarks are related to the standards established by the school. If not, the IEP team may need to revise them to focus on outcomes leading to promotion to the next grade.
- Ask what type of curriculum materials and instructional strategies the teacher uses. How effective are they with the child?
- Could one-on-one tutoring or counseling be helpful?
- Are options such as summer school, extended day or extended year available?
- Does the child resist the parents' help with schoolwork? If so, the parents could find alternatives - have another relative help with homework or ask a high school or college student to help.
- Does the child participate in the school's homework club or other school programs that provide support?
- Would the child's participation in extracurricular activities, such as soccer, dance, scouts or choir, help her make friends and become more motivated to do better in school?
Who Has Failed When a Student Is Held Back?
Teachers, principals, curriculum specialists, counselors, and parents are all responsible for seeing that a student succeeds in school. Retaining a student in the same grade for a second year does not succeed in improving his or her academic achievement, and often causes more problems. Responsible adults must look for other alternatives--interventions that can be started early so that every child has a chance to succeed in school. They must ask themselves the hard question, "Who is really failing? Have we done everything that we could to help this child succeed?"
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