Does School Retention Help Struggling Students?

     Educators and policymakers have been debating for decades on the pros and cons of student retention. They often wonder how a student can succeed in 3rd grade if they can't perform well as a 2nd grader. Would moving them forward with their peers be beneficial, or will they fall even further behind? The National Association of School Psychologists says that retention is “an ineffective and possibly harmful intervention.” Professor Shane Jimmerson, PhD., of the University of California in Sanra Barbara describes retention as “educational malpractice.” It is my belief that school retention does not benefit students and that intervention would be more effective. To find more information and statistics on school retention, click here to read an article from greatschools.org.

     What do students have to gain from being held back? Students may do better the second time around, but after a few years, they will face the same issues that got them held back in the first place. They will face new, more challenging topics without receiving the help they need to conquer the challenges of the next grade levels once they get there. Especially when students are held back several times, they are much older and have different interests than their peers. They also feel isolated in incapable which can drive their self-esteem down even further. This instability leads to behavior issues and exponentially affects the likelihood they will drop out of school altogether.  This article delves further into the negative social outcomes of retention. In urban schools, retention rates are much higher. This can be as high as 50% for Hispanic and African-American students. With Chicago’s high dropout rate, alternatives must be considered to holding students back in school.

In 2014, Michigan legislators proposed a bill that require the retention of 3rd graders who did not meet the minimum benchmark on standardized test for reading. Oakland Schools opposed this bill and released the following video regarding school retention.

     Schools should incorporate alternative interventions to increase student achievement as opposed to retaining students. There is no universal alternative to holding students back, so each student must be assessed individually to determine the more appropriate action. Parents can play a huge role in preventing retention. Schools should first try communicating with parents on how to supervise homework and what programs are offered that might improve achievement. It is especially important in an urban setting to ensure any language barriers are addressed that might deter parents from being involved in their child’s education. When a school’s retention rate is high, a school should be responsible to hiring professionals and implementing culturally responsive interventions to prevent students from falling behind. This might include hiring reading specialists and tutors as well as implementing a more culturally responsive curriculum and behavior management system. Support groups, mentor programs, and longer school days are also effective strategies for improving achievement. Teachers and administrators should take responsibility for delivering research based evidence to board members, teachers, and parents on the effectiveness of these interventions. Click here to find resources and strategies from he National Association of School Psychologists. When all stakeholders agree that intervention is more effective than holding students back, justifying additional costs and effort will be much easier. Given the clear advantages intervention has over retention, we as educators must promote more effective means of improving achievement for struggling students. 

The opinions expressed here by me (and those providing comments) are mine or theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of AUSL, NLU, or any employee thereof. Neither AUSL nor NLU are responsible for the accuracy of any of the information supplied here or in any linked web site.