We’re approaching the fourth grading period at our school, which leads some teachers and parents to think about whether a struggling child should be retained. It’s never an easy conversation to have.

Research just doesn’t support grade retention, particularly for students in the older grades. I’ve blogged about this before and included a few good readings for those interested in reading position statements and a meta-analysis on grade retention. The March 2008 issue of Educational Leadership also includes a short summary of the research on the topic.

There is little research on the impact of retention for younger kids, particularly for students retained after their kindergarten year. One thing is clear: if a child is retained, his instruction the second year must be different. Doing the same thing for a second year is not a solution.

In some situations, a carefully planned and executed intensive delivered during the repeated year by a reading specialist or other professional may produce the types of results teachers and parents hope for. There are other options for providing additional instruction besides spending another whole year in school — summer school and extended day programs are two options.

What’s your experience with grade retention? Have you seen it help or hurt?

About the Author

Joanne Meier has more than 20 years of experience in the field of education, including serving on the faculty at the University of Virginia for six years where she trained reading specialists and future classroom teachers. Dr. Meier was Reading Rockets’ research-to-practice consultant from 2002 to 2014, where she wrote the Page by Page blog — sharing best practices in supporting young readers at home and in the classroom.

Publication Date
March 18, 2008

Related Topics

Dyslexia, Struggling Readers
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