In order to identify factors which indicate a student would benefit educationally from retention, and to provide information and recommendations to educators, parents, and others involved in the decision to retain a child, this paper addresses the issue of retention in four major areas: the historical basis of retention, negative and positive…

Seventeen tables of statistical data on students in New York City Public Schools are provided for the years 1970-81. The data are briefly discussed under seven categories. (1) Enrollment: from 1971-72 to 1981-82, enrollment in the public school system declined by 19.5%, most of the decline being in elementary school enrollments. A considerable…

A school's promotion policy is an integral component of its overall educational policy. In conjunction with achievement goals, it defines the levels of performance that permit students to move through grade levels and to graduate. This digest reviews the various promotion policies and practices in current use by secondary schools, particularly…

Decisions about whether to promote a student should be made on a variety of both academic and social grounds, and the curriculum should be restructured to meet the student's needs if retention is chosen. As with other academic/punitive measures, poor Blacks and Hispanics tend to be retained disproportionate to their numbers because minorities are…

The children followed at the University of Oregon Medical school site of the Collaborative Study on Cerebral Palsy, Mental Retardation and Other Neurological and Sensory Disorders of Infancy and Childhood comprised the research population. This study included 910 children--all of those completing the seven-year examination. About 65 percent were…

Examining the history of a "promotion by achievement" program begun in 1973-74 in Greensville County, Virginia, the authors argue that the effects of the program were not racially discriminatory as alleged by a 1980 suit that led to the program's termination in 1981. (JBM)

This research brief describes a study of the readiness for high school of eighth-graders who participated in the Southern Regional Education Board's (SREB) Middle Grades Assessment in spring 2000. The assessment included testing in reading, math, and science, and surveys of students and teachers. Following the 2000-01 school year, SREB gathered…

A survey of 45 dental schools concerning policies and procedures for advancing predoctoral dental students found much time and effort of both dental faculty and administrators were devoted to advancement decisions, and considerable variability was found on certain issues, including the right to reexamination or remediation, nature/composition of…

The impact of retention in kindergarten on academic achievement and behavior was studied for 53 retained children and 53 matched promoted peers. The academic advantages indicated in the second year of kindergarten were not maintained past kindergarten. Results do not support retention as an effective policy for young children. (SLD)

Evaluates the impact of education policy initiatives on academic achievement and educational equity for Latino students, particularly bilingual learners. Examines the impact of California's Proposition 227 and concurrent laws regarding promotion and retention and approaches to literacy instruction. Suggests that the impact of state and federal…

Research indicates that while grade retention does not typically increase student performance, it is widely practiced in schools throughout the country. Arguments for retaining a child include immaturity, the belief that an extra year of schooling will produce successful academic outcomes, and failure to meet criteria for promotion. Those who…

Data from the 1988 Phi Delta Kappa National Research Study on at-risk students were used in an analysis of variables associated with being classified as "at risk." The study collected information on over 22,000 at-risk and not-at-risk students from 274 schools and 9,600 teachers from across the United States. This analysis identified…

Issues surrounding the statewide competency testing of at-risk students are discussed. Sanctions, such as negative evaluations of educational programs associated with such tests, used to fall most heavily on schools and staff, but tests are increasingly becoming prerequisites for promotion and graduation, with increasing impact on students.…

Academic decisions related to grouping, grading, and student promotion are discussed in this legal memorandum for secondary school principals. Federal and state court cases involving enrollment, student placement, promotion, grading, graduation, and gender-based classification are examined. Conclusions are that judges tend to respect an educator's…

The effect on achievement of the timing of the transition from elementary to intermediate school was investigated. Focus was on determining whether it matters if children transfer to an intermediate school at grade 6 or at grade 7. The Otis-Lennon School Ability Test was administered to grade 5 students in spring of 1981. The sixth and…