Education is the key to young people becoming full partners in shaping a global future and in shaping the nation's future. Quality basic education for young people is key to maintaining Alberta's standard of living and ensuring competitiveness in the world market. The education system must focus on what all students need to learn and be able to…

This Digest reviews the historical background on grade retention and promotion and examines research, criteria, and policies concerning these options. The historical overview points out changes in attitudes toward mastery-based promotion and social promotion practices in the schools. Valid and invalid approaches to research on grade retention are…

Certain conclusions can be drawn from the fact that both entering school late and being retained in grade have negative effects on children. Children should start school as soon as they are eligible. Retention should be avoided whenever possible. The best alternative to retention in grade seems to be promotion in combination with individual…

This teacher's guide reviews the literature on grade retention and promotion to help teachers make decisions concerning students in the primary grades. A brief introduction provides a statement of the problem; outlines the purpose, organization, and limitations of the study; and presents a glossary. Annotated citations for 34 studies are…

The purpose of this paper is to present different aspects of the effects of grade retention on students and to consider what is best for the total development of the child. Studies show that grade retention does not ensure significant gains in achievement. However, studies seem to be less conclusive regarding retention due to the immaturity of…

Student promotion or retention is determined by various criteria: grades, student performance, competency tests, attendance records, and conduct. Representative court decisions bearing on each of the criteria are discussed, and guidelines for the development of promotion and retention policy are outlined. (MD)

Presented are various approaches said to be effective in educating economically and educationally disadvantaged students. The document offers general guidelines to teachers and emphasizes the value of a "structured classroom environment." Automatic promotion of economically disadvantaged students is said to be harmful. Also noted is the need for…

Today's administrators must exercise caution in using student retention as a means of responding to changing social values and to the current media attention on declining standardized test scores. Recent reviews of hundreds of studies of student retention have concluded that some low achieving students do benefit from retention, but the majority…

This handbook, issued in conjunction with the Governor's "Agenda for Excellence in Pennsylvania Public Schools," provides recommendations for revising promotion policies and practices in Pennsylvania schools. After a brief introduction, the results of a survey of promotion and retention practices are presented in summary form, followed…

Personal interviews with teachers, administrators, and counselors in grades 1-6 at two elementary schools in the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) examined their attitudes toward two sets of DCPS guidelines governing student promotion and retention. One set of guidelines was in use before 1976, the other afterwards. Questionnaires…

The demand for Bulletin 1915 No. 44, School Administration in the smaller cities, having been so great that the supply was soon exhausted, and the demand for it still being great, a new-bulletin regarding the administration of schools in the smaller cities has been prepared. The information contained in it was collected by means of a…