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BY REQUEST... JULY 1999
PDF Version Clear Policies Encourage Positive Strategies |
The Debate
The value of retaining low-achieving students is hotly debated among educators, politicians, and parents. Advocates of retention logically point out that promoting a child regardless of achievement puts an unprepared child out into the world. They maintain that holding a child back in the early grades can boost readiness and self-esteem by improving the child's basic skill foundation. In later grades, some hold that retention can be a consequence for low achievement, forcing students to be accountable for their academic work.
Retention has traditionally been used as a remedy for student failure, and without other targeted intervention or remediation it often places retained children in an environment almost identical to the one they didn't succeed in during the previous year. Opponents of retention point to years of research that shows retention does not help children academically or socially. Moreover, say critics, research shows a strong correlation between retention and long-term negative academic and social experiences for students. Adding to this confusion is the current national attention on high standards and accountability, and the swinging pendulum of public opinion. In such a climate it is difficult to design policies that clearly guide teachers through these critical decisions that can heavily impact children's lives.
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