Melissa: This last week of school we were just notified that our daughter Sarah will be retained in the first grade, When I asked why the teacher could only say that Sarah did not read fast enough. In my opinion I was not notified soon enough to get Sarah help and I don’t think reading slow is reason enough to hold back a child. We have just been told that this teacher loves to retain children and one year retained over half of her class. My daughter is very smart but also very shy if she read slow it was more likely so she would not be embarrassed. I Know My Child and would like to know what I can do about this. She does not deserve to be held back We live in West Virginia and when we called the school board they said it was up to the teacher and principal to pass or fail a child, the board would not help or tell me what I can do I Really Need to Know My Rights In This Matter PLEASE HELP!!!!! Thank you for taking the time to read this!
Did Bill 597 pass the Senate as of February 2023? The school wants to hold back my son another year for 10 points lower on comprehension on the Map Test.
Melissa, Despite plenty of evidence that retention does not work – and that it damages children – many school districts continue to use this outmoded policy. You must educate yourself before you can advocate for your child.
Download and read these articles:
“Position Statement on Grade Retention and Social Promotions” from the National Association of School Psychologists” at https://www.nasponline.org/assets/Documents/Research%20and%20Policy/Position%20Statements/GradeRetentionandSocialPromotion.pdf
“Holding Kids Back Doesn’t Help Them” (Education Week) http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/05/21/32stipek.h33.html
“Waiting to Fail Instead of Teaching a Child to Read” (Wrightslaw.com) https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/read.wait.fail.htm
Visit the Retention page at Wrightslaw for more resources and persuasive evidence. https://www.wrightslaw.com/info/retain.index.htm
Make copies of these documents for members of your child’s team. They support the position that retention is NOT an appropriate intervention and is likely to damage your child.
What data has been presented to support the teacher’s decision? What summer resources did the school offer, any summer school. Ask them for the data and how it compares to kids who move forward to the next grade.