The latest efforts in reform and accountability, most of which are replays of efforts enacted in the early 1980s, include the use of required minimum standardized test scores to end the practice of social promotion. Greater reliance is being placed on the use of single test scores in making all or a large part of the retention decision, despite the overwhelming consensus in the educational literature that retention of elementary and middle school students often produces negative results in academic achievement. In this article, the author argues that, since retention of students is estimated to cost the country on average about $10 billion per year, it would be more cost effective to increase educational resources to improve student performance and thereby eliminate the need for retention. Some effective ways to assist the struggling learner are systematic individual student plans and instruction, individual assistance, and the use of frequent assessment of progress to adapt the curriculum to meet the needs of the learner.