This bilingual (English and Spanish) brochure explains why retention is common among migrant students and what parents can do to help their children succeed in school. By second grade, nearly 50 percent of migrant students in the nation are older than their classmates and only about 50 percent of migrant students graduate from high school.…

The extent of grade retention in Massachusetts is assessed in this report, which examines current research on grade retention and suggests alternative practices for dealing with low achieving students. Data were derived from the Chapter 188 Individual School Report for 1987-88, an annual survey of Massachusetts conducted by the Department of…

This study tested hypotheses regarding the relation of differences in kindergarten entry and rentention that relate to gender and ethnicity. Hypotheses were: (1) the age at which children enter kindergarten would vary as a function of their gender and ethnicity; (2) children who were held out of kindergarten would be in the younger part of their…

Seventeen Southern California school districts participated in a pilot study intended to develop a framework for classifying district policies on retaining students. It was assumed that differences in district policy created varying levels of objectification of standards for decision making and varying degrees of work effort needed to implement…

The 1984-85 age-grade distribution for the New York City Public Schools shows that one-third of the city's approximately 850,000 general education and resource room students were above the standard age for their grade. The proportion of overage students increased in the upper grades; in grades nine, ten, and eleven, over half were above standard…

The predictive validity of the Simultaneous Technique for Acuity and Readiness Testing (START), a developmental screening approach, was assessed with school performance as outcome criterion. The sample consisted of over 1,000 rural, preschool children between 54 and 66 months of age who were screened over 3 successive years. Follow-up achievement…

Based on research selected from a search of the ERIC database, this literature review covers material that concerns academic achievement of retained students, social and psychological effects of retention, and recommendations for educators making retention decisions. After a definition of terms, 31 articles are extensively annotated. Most research…

Austin Independent School District's (AISD's) elementary promotion/retention policy is designed to promote the full development of learners' potential and accommodate individual needs. It requires that all those at least one year behind in reading basals (grades 1-6) or math competencies (grades 4-6) be considered for retention. AISD tries to help…

This study addresses the effect that grade retention has on dropping out of school. A structural model was developed to test the effect of grade retention on dropping out while controlling for the effects of other possible mediating variables, especially achievement. This model with slight modifications was applied across four different school…

Nonpromotion of elementary school students is a highly controversial and emotional issue, and a vast amount of literature has been devoted to the topic. With the current emphasis on raising academic standards in public schools, more and more educators are viewing "social promotion" with disfavor. This study was conducted to determine current…

The doctrine of in loco parentis (that school authorities stand in the place of a parent while a child is attending school) was always used to measure the rights of authorities relative to student conduct. In 1969, however, the Supreme Court rang the death knell for unrestricted control by school officials over students in its decision on "Tinker…

Results of the Tennessee Basic Skills Test administered statewide to more than 64,000 grade 8 pupils in April 1980 demonstrate that achievement of pupils with kindergarten background is superior to that of non-kindergarten pupils in mathematics, spelling, language, and reading. The effect was greater for mathematics and language than for reading…

This research study describes the educational system, practices, and problems in Kwazulu, South Africa. Emphasis is given to the causes of pupil repetition. The study is one of a series intended to provide guidelines for the future planning of the educational systems of developing countries. To gather data, questionnaires were sent to principals…

Reviews research on the effects of grade retention and discusses two models for making decisions about promotion. Concludes that neither grade retention nor social promotion necessarily solves the academic difficulties of low-achieving students. Discusses possibilities for altering existing curriculum, teaching, and learning. (CB)

Reviews issues relative to retention of schoolchildren. Includes a historical perspective on the retention-promotion controversy, information on retention policies and retention prevalence rates, a review of research on the effectiveness of retention, and a discussion of factors that should be considered by psychologists making retention and…