Increases in competency testing as a basis for student promotion and graduation are described. Examines the complexities and implementation of minimal competency testing and argues for consideration of unresolved issues: (1) definition of "minimal competency," (2) determination of appropriate measures, and (3) use of minimal competency concept in…

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)

Are students who attend full-day kindergarten better prepared for future academic success than their peers who attend half-day kindergarten programs? Much of the current research on full-day kindergarten programs suggests they are. Researchers cite gains such as increased academic achievement, lower grade retention rates, improved attendance, and…

This booklet discusses strategies for reducing repetition of grades by students at primary, secondary, and higher education levels. Large numbers of pupils repeat their grades every year, and these repetition rates are considered good indicators of an educational system's effectiveness. A high repetition rate indicates that a large number of…

This paper responds to President Clinton's call for an end to social promotion. The article reports on a study that examined the effects of social promotion on students, looked at alternatives to social promotion, and investigated how teachers in a representative public school district perceive social promotion. Data were gathered from 46…

Results of the study showed a higher failure rate for boys than for girls. In a comparison of the races, the results that more whites than Negroes are retained in the first grade contradict those of other studies. (BY)

Though kindergarten was originally intended to be innocent and provide children with rich experiences, it is now more like a mini-first grade, with tremendous pressures for students to achieve academically. It is important for children to find kindergarten pleasurable because it is a bridge to their future in education. (SM)

Examines the extent to which retaining low achieving students affects the average reading scores of the grade in which they are retained and the next higher grade. Analyzes data from one elementary school in Kansas City (Missouri). (FMW)

Beliefs about retention in kindergarten through grade 7 of 135 regular, special education, and special area elementary school teachers were studied through questionnaires and interviews. Teachers often believe that retention is appropriate in some circumstances, but teacher beliefs about retention are complex. (SLD)

Discusses looping, or multiyear assignment of children, as a strategy to ease the retention/social-promotion dilemma. Multiyear assignment gives teachers extra time to bring low-performing students up to grade level and develop stable, caring relationships with students. A suburban Kansas school's successful program is profiled. (24 references)…

Discusses a 21-year, prospective, longitudinal study providing evidence that retained students have a greater probability of poorer educational and employment outcomes during late adolescence. Results found that retained students had lower levels of academic adjustment and received lower employment competence ratings in comparison to a group of…

This study uses survival analysis to investigate when maltreated children may become at risk in their school performance. While past research captures the average effect of maltreatment on academic achievement, it has not addressed how the effect is distributed across time. Using a sample of 330 maltreated and 330 non-maltreated children,…

This study assesses three methods of forecasting school enrollments: the cohort-sruvival method (grade progression), the statistical forecasting procedure developed by the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) Institute, and a simple ratio computation. The three methods were used to forecast school enrollments for kindergarten through grade 12 in a…

This study investigated the effectiveness of an intervention year prior to kindergarten for at-risk children age-eligible for school. The central question of the study asked if the experience of a developmental kindergarten was worth the extra year participating children must spend in the educational process. The format for the study was that of a…

This collection of essays discusses some of the general concerns and issues related to tracking the flow of community college students through higher education. The chapters in the volume include: (1) "Tracking Systems and Student Flow," by Trudy H. Bers; (2) "Beyond the College: State Policy Impact on Student Tracking…