This report looks at student retention in Texas over a 4-year period, beginning with the 1993-94 school year. Grade-level retention is typically defined as having a student repeat an unsuccessful grade or holding back a child not developmentally ready to enter school. The information is analyzed by grade, ethnicity, and gender, as well as other student characteristics. The report is intended to provide the legislature, the Texas Education Agency, and educators with a basis for reviewing current policies related to grade-level retention. Data were collected using the Public Education Information Management System. Highlights of the report show that in 1996-97, a total of 147,202 students were retained in grade. The overall retention rate for students in grades K-12 was 4.2 percent. The highest retention rate was found in grade 9, at 17.8 percent. Retention rates were higher among males than females, among Hispanic and African American students compared to White students or others, and among economically disadvantaged students compared to advantaged students. The highest retention rates were found in large urban districts. Four-year trends in retention rates are presented in bar graphs and data tables. Four statistical appendices comprise the bulk of the report, detailing total grade-level retention by grade and ethnicity, by district characteristics, by campus characteristics, and by grade. (CDS)