Research findings concerning the relationship of grade retention to the self-concepts and academic achievement of middle and junior high school students, and to school promotion standards are examined. The few studies conducted in this area of research seem to indicate that (1) failure to be promoted to a higher grade is related to children's…

The Academics Plus Program, which stresses basic skills, discipline and dress codes, homework assignments, promotion requirements, and special parent conferences, served more than 10,000 students in 29 elementary and middle/junior high schools in 1979-1980. There is a single-school model (Fitler) and a multi-school model (28 other schools). A…

Reviews historic approaches to grade retention, what research does and does not show about retention, and some factors to weigh when considering retention. Focuses on models developed by H. Wayne Light and Laurence Lieberman. Includes a sample elementary school promotion policy and a sample retention referral form. (IW)

Study showed that levels of repetition and dropping out in the primary schools of 121 countries in Africa, Asia and Oceania, Latin America and the Caribbean, and Europe and the USSR from 1970 to 1980 remain very high. This educational wastage is costing a great deal of money. (RM)

The transition from elementary to middle school can be an exciting as well as scary time for young adolescents. The stress of this transition can be decreased by incorporating transition programs that address student needs and concerns. This qualitative research study was designed to gain an overall sense of fourth grade in order to better…

This issue discusses talent development in gifted children and youth. Articles include: (1) "Good and Goodness" (Roman Herzog), which addresses the need to provide gifted youth with financial aid to enable them to attend one of ten higher education institutions sponsoring gifted persons; (2) "It Is Essential To Start at an Early…

What should educators do with students who do not meet standards? Ideas and strategies that educators can use to answer this question are outlined in this book. Rather than relying on forced social promotion, schools can and should offer students a variety of helpful options, such as remaining in the same classroom with the same teacher for…

Research regarding the promotion or retention of students has shown consistently that non-promotion is not an aid to pupil achievement, personal development, or motivation. Alternative strategies for dealing with underachievers are discussed. (PP)

Analyzes household and school survey data from poor counties in six Chinese provinces to examine the effects of poverty, intra-household decision-making, and school quality on educational investments and learning outcomes. Finds, for example, that being poor and credit-constrained does not significantly affect learning in school (as measured by…

Describes a study conducted to investigate the impact of faculty collaboration upon the transfer shock commonly experienced by students transferring from two- to four-year colleges. Suggests that faculty collaboration reduced transfer shock to a nonsignificant level, with grade point average increases experienced by half of the subjects. (19…

This paper examines the impact of multiple grade skipping on social adjustment and self-esteem of extremely gifted students. A survey of the literature and research in Australia and the United States on well-planned and carefully monitored radical acceleration finds no evidence that students suffered social or emotional problems; to the contrary,…

This study examined whether maternal resources of involvement and autonomy support might buffer children against the negative effects of the transition to junior high. School, cognitive, and personal involvement were examined. Findings highlight the importance of the home environment in children's coping with the transition to junior high.…

Teachers supported higher achievement standards and increased accountability, but expressed concerns about variations in student preparation, automatic promotion policies, and standards for homework and grading. Teachers also advocated more standardization and continuity in education, and agreed that raising achievement requires a measure of…

This study investigated differences in vocabulary knowledge as a potential explanation for perceived differences between placed and promoted students in a university EAP reading course. Students in an advanced reading course (N=59) were tested on their vocabulary knowledge using the Vocabulary Levels Test Form B [Nation, I. S. P. (2001). "Learning…

Too many freshmen students remain mired in the ninth grade, presenting a growing problem for America's secondary schools as they struggle to improve high school completion rates. In an effort to stem the tide of high school dropouts, a southeast Texas suburban school district with five comprehensive high schools engaged in a systemic reform effort…