DEMOGRAPHIC VARIABLES (X) DESCRIBING AGE, COLOR, SEX, RURAL-URBAN STATUS, EDUCATION OF PARENTS, AND INCOME OF PARENTS ARE USED AS EXOGENOUS VARIABLES TO EXPLAIN SCHOOL ENROLLMENT RATES (R)--THE FRACTION OF A GROUP WITHIN THE SCHOOL AGE POPULATION ENROLLED IN SCHOOL--AND RELATIVE PROGRESS (P)--THE FRACTION OF A GROUP OF STUDENTS WHO ARE AHEAD OF…

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…

Outlines the results from a three-year study on the effects of grade repetition. Results show that holding students back helps some students in the short term, but the number helped diminishes over time. Points out that the type of special help offered to students when retained is critical. (MD)

Examines the policies involved in promotion and retention of students in South Carolina and other states. Recommends alternatives to retention and considerations for policy development. Includes a discussion of legal issues, a list of six recommendations, and a reference list. (MD)

Part of a series of reports on the world of isolated children who are neglected, not rejected. This article discusses several developmental patterns and shared characteristics detected among such "forgotten" children, and suggests guidelines for teachers. (RH)

Reviewed court cases concerning student retention and found that courts generally defer to the promotion-retention decisions of school officials. However, courts may demand additional justification for retention decisions based on a single criteria and are likely to overturn school retention decisions that have a disproportionate impact on…

Pre-service teacher education is concerned with producing graduates who move into the field able, in terms of both skills and attitudes, to implement research-based conclusions that may not always coincide with the attitudes of previously trained teachers. We sought to assess attitudes and attitude change regarding contemporary issues in education…

It is estimated that around 2.4 million students per year were retained in U.S. schools in the late 1990s. Are these children receiving the best educational services to suit their needs? Are there differences between low-achieving students who are not retained and those who are? Researchers and practitioners are asking these and other questions as…

This paper examines the decision-making process in retaining a student and the empirical effects of such decisions within an economic framework. The article models the decision to retain a child as a parental decision in which a parent holds a child back because the benefit of retention is higher expected earnings. The costs of retention include…

Eliminating social promotion, retaining students in grade, and using proficiency standards to determine students' progress through grades was intended to make schools accountable and increase academic achievement. Research evidence demonstrates that grade retention does not improve achievement and may increase the chances of a student dropping out…

A central focus of this report is estimating whether retention had a positive impact in students' achievement growth. Evaluating the effect of retention means that the researchers have to find a comparison group of low-achieving students who might represent what would have happened if those students who failed to make the promotional cutoff had…

Research findings indicate that grade retention leads to problems in student self-esteem and raises the dropout level. A transition grade between kindergarten and first grade is also considered harmful to students. Cites changes in different states' retention policies. (MLF)

Issues concerning teachers' beliefs and practices about retention in kindergarten were explored in a study of 40 kindergarten teachers in one district. Teachers' beliefs and practices were found to be related. Teachers' endorsement of retention differed from extant propositional knowledge and from perceptions of other interested groups. (SLD)

The extent of truancy, dropout, and grade repetition in 36 Dutch secondary schools was correlated with contextual variables such as school size, class size, and percentage of non-Dutch pupils. Multiple regression showed that numbers of non-Dutch pupils and average class size were of importance regarding the extent of truancy. (SK)

Three programs which focus on at-risk kindergarten students are described. These programs feature kindergarten retention, transition classes, and child development specialists, respectively. (IAH)