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BY REQUEST... JULY 1999
PDF Version Clear Policies Encourage Positive Strategies |
Introduction
Retain or promote. Flunk or pass. Repeat or advance. All are phrases that represent a hotly debated issue in education. The issue is in-grade retention and the stakes are high-for both the policy makers, who often champion its ability to whip low-performing schools and students into shape, and for the kids themselves, whose lives can be forever changed by promotion policies and legislation. In-grade retention has been extensively researched and practiced, yet the research and practice often diverge, and no one can say exactly why.
What should schools do with struggling students? Determining what to do when a child is not succeeding in school is a difficult task. Such decisions often weigh heavily on teachers, principals, and parents. Many times, the decision boils down to retaining students for a second try at a particular grade level. The goal of this booklet is not to determine what is the one right way to handle students who are not meeting standards. Instead, we hope to:
1) raise awareness among educators about the practices of retention and social promotion, and 2) share with them alternatives
to what has traditionally been an "either/or" decision. Because
of the political nature of this issue, we know that it may be
difficult to address in many school systems. This booklet is intended to provide an overview of this issue, and to be used as both a resource tool and a starting point for discussion. Far too many factors contribute to decisions about promotion and retention to allow one document or publication to provide a definitive answer. Such life-changing decisions require everyone involved to have the long-term interest of every child at heart. This booklet reviews the research and conventional wisdom concerning retention and promotion, and includes an exploration of alternative practices that can be used to prevent failure and improve a student's chances for successful remediation. The booklet also describes how two Northwest school systems are creating alternatives to social promotion and retention as traditionally practiced. Definitions Grade Retention: Holding a child back to repeat a particular grade level for a second year Social Promotion: The practice of promoting students to the next grade level even when minimum competencies have not been met
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