Grade Retention: Prevalence, Timing and Effects - This study investigates the consequences of grade retention on student academic progress and social and emotional development. The report finds that when students are retained, classroom organization, academic content and teaching approaches often do not differ significantly between the regular school year and the retained year. While the study found some benefits to students from being retained, overall such students continue to perform inadequately. (Nancy L. Karweit, Center for Research on the Education of Students Placed At Risk, 1999) ...

High Stakes: Testing for Tracking, Promotion and Graduation - This study focuses on the use of tests to make “high-stakes” decisions regarding individual students. The report finds that promotion and retention are really only two of many strategies available to educators when test scores and other information indicate that students are experiencing serious academic difficulty. According to the report, neither strategy by itself is an effective treatment for low achievement. (National Research Council, 1999) ...

Taking Responsibility for Ending Social Promotion: A Guide for Educators and State and Local Leaders - This report contends that social promotion and retention are ineffective policies and that policymakers must take a more comprehensive approach to improving student achievement. Such an approach might include increased emphasis on early childhood literacy, providing summer school for students who are not meeting academic standards, reducing class sizes especially in the primary grades, strengthening professional development for teachers and extending learning time through before- and after-school programs and tutoring. (U.S. Department of Education, 1999) ...

The Grade Retention vs. Social Promotion Trap: Finding Alternatives that Work - This manual is designed to educate school board members on issues related to retention and social promotion. It offers an introduction to the issues and attempts to summarize what research says about the effectiveness of promotion/retention practices. In addition, the manual provides an overview of available strategies for assisting low-performing students. (Lisa A. Banicky and Helen K. Foss, Delaware Education Research and Development Center, 1999) ...

Social Promotion and Students with Disabilities: Issues and Challenges in Developing State Policies - This study looks at existing and emerging state policies on social promotion to determine the extent that students with disabilities are included or excluded. Analysis showed that policies varied considerably in terms of the bases for promotion decisions, but that all states used test performance as the primary basis for decisions. To provide remedial coursework to students, most states relied on summer school, extended-day or after-school programs. (Rachel F. Quenemoen, Camilla A. Lehr, Martha L. Thurlow, Sandra J. Thompson and Sara Bolt, National Center on Educational Outcomes, Synthesis Report #34, June 2000)...

Critical Issue: Beyond Social Promotion and Retention: Five Strategies To Help Students Succeed - This issue brief from the North Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL) discusses research findings that social promotion and retention polices are ineffective in improving student performance. The brief offers five alternative strategies to help students succeed. (Debra Johnson, NCREL, 2001)...

Finding Alternatives to Failure: Can States End Social Promotion and Reduce Retention Rates? MS Word - Using data from the 16 member states of the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB), this report analyzes the negative consequences of social promotion – for both the student and the community – and presents several strategies for helping struggling students reach and remain at grade level. (David R. Denton, SREB, January 2001)...