Historical Relevance

Retention of students for academic failure has been a common practice in American schools since the beginning of public education. In the early 1900s approximately 20 percent of the students in U.S. public schools failed and were retained each year. During this long era, a high drop-out rate was expected (Doyle, 1989).

In the 1930s, as interest in child psychology became a focus for educators, retention was used more sparingly, making social promotion a common feature. Failure or retention was linked to negative social and psychological effects, and the policy of social promotion gained momentum. By the 1980s a backlash against social promotion appeared. This backlash was crystallized in A Nation at Risk: The Imperative for Educational Reform, a 1983 report by President Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education that brought increased attention to the school reform movement. In a 1986 Gallup Poll, 72 percent of U.S. citizens favored stricter grade-to-grade promotion standards (Center for Policy Research in Education, 1990). On a national level, in-grade retentions grew dramatically during the early 1990s (Sherwood, 1993). During the last 15 years, 19 states have established specific standards for grade promotion and graduation requirements. Community pressure to maintain high standards has also created strong support for retention policies.

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