Retention, Delays and Social Promotion
Articles l Resources l Flyers

We receive dozens of emails every week about retention, social promotion and high-stakes testing. Despite clear evidence that retention does not work - and that it damages children - many school districts continue to use this outmoded policy.

If you are dealing with a retention problem, you must educate yourself before you can advocate for the child. Download and read these articles, the Position paper from the National Association of School Psychologists, and the American Federation of Teachers.

Make copies of these documents for members of your child's team - they support the position that retention is not an appropriate intervention.

Articles

"Waiting to Fail" Instead of Teaching a Child to Read. Despite clear evidence that retention does not work - and that it damages children - some school districts continue to use this outmoded policy of "waiting to fail". Pam Wright explains the real issue is teaching a child to read.

Retention! Special Ed Teacher Needs Help, Ammunition - A special ed teacher disagrees with her mentor teacher about retention. She says, "research shows that retention is not successful, and inappropriate to recommend retention for students with IEPs." He says she is wrong. Sue Heath offers ammunition for teachers and parents who are dealing with retention.

10 Strategies to Fight Mandatory Retention & Other Damaging Policies by Sue Heath. Learn how you can find answers to questions in the law and strategies you can use to fight mandatory retention and other damaging policies.

High Stakes! Can the School Use a Single Test to Retain My Child? - Research editor Sue Heath answers questions from parents about high-stakes testing and mandatory retention.

Retention or Promotion? What's Best for My Child? For those who are dealing with retention, you must educate yourself before you can take a rational position and advocate for a child.

What Diploma Path is your Child On? Will Retention Push Him Off that Path? Retention would be a major setback for my son that I fear he will not easily recover from. What can I do to give my son every opportunity to get to 4th grade?

Why Retain? It Didn't Work the First Time. What to do when the school wants to retain your child. If your child could have learned to read with the previous type and level of instruction he would have already learned to read.

Sample Retention Letter. An excellent sample of a retention letter you can use to request the school not retain your child. This sample letter describes a parent's concerns about the child's lack of progress, their concerns about the school's proposal to retain her, and a proposal for a solution to the child's problems.

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Ammunition / Resources from Others

Grade Retention - Achievement and Mental Health Outcomes (National Association of School Psychologists) 6th grade students rated grade retention as the single most stressful life event, higher than the loss of a parent or going blind. Retained students are less likely to receive a high school diploma by age 20, receive poorer educational competence ratings, and are less likely to be enrolled in any post-secondary education program. Retained students receive lower educational and employment status ratings and are paid less per hour at age 20.

National Dropout Prevention Center Makes Policy Statement on Grade Retention. The issue of retention has been studied extensively. The evidence of its negative effect on students' emotional development, social behavior, academic achievement, and dropping out continues to be overwhelming.

Opportunity Deferred or Opportunity Taken? An Updated Look at Delaying Kindergarten Entry - Parents who concerned about their child's maturity and whether to enroll their child in kindergarten are often advised to give the child the "gift of time." Research does not support this practice. In a review of the latest research about the consequences of keeping children out of school an extra year shows that delaying kindergarten entry often has negative effects. Parents need to realize that by holding their child back, they may be depriving the child of important opportunities for learning — the "theft of opportunity.