Seemingly endless tinkering and adjustment of the structure of education in the United States over the past century have led to the adoption of different school forms (grouping particular grades into separate schools) at different times. These different school forms necessitate transitions between schools (e.g., from a middle school to a high…

The OEYP state-funded program provides extended learning for students who are at risk of academic failure. This report summarizes Austin Independent School District's OEYP activities during 2008-2009.

This study examined the reactions and feelings of students and their parents in regard to the nonpromotion experience. Families from four different school districts with children who had been retained at least once in grades one through eight were selected for the study. A total of 52 individuals from 22 families participated in 46 separate,…

A study compared two groups of children attending two urban elementary schools who were unready for first grade at the conclusion of kindergarten. One group of 23 students was retained in kindergarten while the other group of 117 was promoted to the first grade. The California Test of Basic Skills was used to measure the reading ability of both…

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…

As part of an effort to reduce the dropout rate in New York City public schools, a new project called Replicating Exemplary Holding Power Programs was created in June, 1983. Five schools participated as "demonstrators" because they were judged to have noteworthy holding power programs. Five additional "buddy" schools were…

Forty-five elementary school teachers participated in a study to determine aspects of how teachers evaluate students. Three aspects in particular were studied: references used to assign grades; procedures to combine evaluations of a student; and the process to determine promotion. Results are reported. (JL)

Examined usefulness of the Gesell Preschool Test (GPT), a developmental readiness test used by teachers and school psychologists to determine a child's readiness to begin formal instruction. Results revealed that, after accounting for effects of math and reading achievement, GPT failed to contribute to the discrimination of 30 retained and 58…

Using data from the 1967 Survey of Economic Opportunity, this study investigates the effects of migration on the progress of children in school. Concludes that migration negatively affects school progress only among students with less-educated parents. (Author/JDH)

At some time in most teachers' professional lives, they will be faced with making a decision about retaining a student. Although many teachers choose to retain students because they believe it will benefit the student, most studies find the practice of retention either harmful or ineffective. After a review of the literature, a survey was…

A study investigated whether retention is an effective method for remediating low-level readers. It was hypothesized that there would not be a significant difference in reading test scores of low level readers between those who were retained in second grade and those who were promoted to third grade. The Metropolitan Achievement Test was used as a…

No longer will New York City elementary school children be promoted to the next grade, even though they are known to be over two years behind grade level in reading. (Author)

Data was collected to check on the validity of the assessment at age 14 as a criterion of secondary school performance, and to provide further information on the predictive value of primary school assessments and on social class factors in secondary education. (Authors/CB)

This follow-up study reports the failure-promotion experience of Kentucky first-graders of 1968-69 and relates their academic success or failure to their ages of entering first grade. The rate of first grade repeaters in Kentucky is disappointingly high and a youngster who attempts first grade twice is not substantially better off than he was the…

Reviews the history of the practice of having students repeat grades and examines the research both for and against the practice. (FL)