In general, retention at any grade level has not improved student achievement or social adjustment. Skimpy data on transition rooms seem to indicate that they are not very successful either. The reasons that have been given to explain why retention has not worked range from the school's inability to diagnose student needs to rigid curriculum and…

This research summary presents findings and restates policy conclusions as to whether grade retention or promotion is more beneficial for students with serious academic problems. It is claimed that research to date does not provide a conclusive answer to this issue, that serious methodological problems prohibit all but tentative conclusions, and…

Discusses the practice of retaining children in grade, and presents evidence against the procedure. Posits that failing children only increases the likelihood that they will perform poorly in school, develop poor self-concepts, and eventually drop out of school. Retention also disproportionately affects poor and minority children, males, and…

Retention of pupils results in a need for additional teachers, facilities, and materials at a rate approximating the rate of retention. Retention is a more serious problem for the state, which needs to pay most of these increased costs. This paper reviews the research evidence to assess the cost-effectiveness of student retention policies.…

Reviews the history of grade repetition as a remedy for inadequate student achievement, examines recent trends in grade repetition policies, cites research findings relating to the effectiveness of grade repetition, clarifies the responsibilities of school personnel in making grade repetition decisions, and discusses alternatives to simple…

This study reviews research and looks at promotion policies in 85 school districts, including the United States' 40 largest districts, describes the practices that support social promotion, and identifies the policy changes that will be necessary to break the social promotion-retention-social promotion cycle. Social promotion prevails in these…

This booklet, part of a series of reports on "hot topics" in education review the research and conventional wisdom concerning retention and promotion and includes an exploration of alternative practices that can be used to prevent failure and improve a student's chances for successful remediation. The booklet also describes how two…

Using information gathered through a study funded by the New Zealand Minister of Education, this document examines the history and implementation of the New Zealand government's 1:20 teacher-pupil ratio policy first set in motion in 1985, pupil progress associated with the policy, and related literature about class size. The following papers, each…