"The basic finding of this report is that minority students in the Southwest--Mexican Americans, blacks, American Indians--do not obtain the benefits of public education at a rate equal to that of their Anglo classmates. This is true regardless of the measure of school achievement used." The U.S. Commission on Civil Rights has sought to…

Examines the relationship between 14 social process variables and the reading performances of 180 slow learners, ages 7-15. Finds that two of those factors (brith trauma and being held back in school) emerge as predictors of reading comprehension, word recognition, and spelling. (RL)

This report examines the efficacy of the Boston Pilot Schools, an innovative model of urban schools created to promote innovation and increased choice options within the Boston school district. The report uses school and district level data to examine student demographics, achievement, and engagement at the 11 Pilot Schools that were in operation…

Noting that the rate of grade retention has risen nearly 40 percent over the past 20 years, this case study examines whether being retained for 1 school year helps children academically by giving them more practice and time to succeed or harms their self-esteem and causes them to eventually drop out of school. Participating in the study were five…

This paper reports on the number and percentage of students repeating grades in Louisiana public schools in the years of 1997-1998 to 2000-2001. The findings are grouped by grade, economic status, education classification, gender, and ethnicity. Grade retention trends and the impact of high stakes testing policy on student retention are discussed.…

This policy study looks at existing and emerging state policies on social promotion to determine the extent to which students with disabilities are included or excluded. Results reflect the status of state polices at one point in time, as determined from publicly available state documents and statutes of 14 states with promotion policies. The…

This guide presents the Department of Education's strategy for ending social promotion in public schools. It opens with a description of social promotion and the pervasiveness and the consequences of this practice. The volume outlines the high standards that all students should be held to and emphasizes the importance of creating reliable measures…

"Communique" is the "official newsletter of the National Association of School Psychologists" (NASP). This "Special Edition" of "Communique" is a compilation of previously published articles all of which bear on information frequently requested by families. NASP is dedicated to building partnerships between…

Teachers appear to decide whether or not to promote girls partly on the basis of their behavior and not just on their achievement. Study compared boys and girls and their respective behaviors in the classroom as they influenced teachers to promote or retain them. (Author/RK)

Studies comparing the reading, mathematics, and language arts achievement of retained students with the achievement of promoted students are analyzed, using meta-analysis. Overall, research indicates that retained students fall behind the first year of retention and spend the rest of their academic careers in a vain attempt to catch up. (PP)

Suggests ways the classroom teacher can spot learning problems in the earliest grades and work with other staff and parents to intervene. (SJL)

The author argues that failing grades and grade repetition harm students and should be removed from the middle school. He presents a grading system of A-B-C-Incomplete which would eliminate grade repetition, encourage individualized instruction, and promote student self-esteem. (SJL)

Reviews popular literature-based propositions pertaining to student retention and non-retention. Surveys the scope of the problem of retention and suggests that retaining a child so as to repeat an unsuccessful experience is inappropriate, whereas retaining a child and using resources to correct well-documented, individual problems is appropriate.…

Offers a portrait of an inspiring teacher who created an environment of celebration for a group of students repeating first grade. Shows how these students achieved beyond what they or others thought was possible, relishing and sharing their newly acquired literacy abilities. (SR)

Examines the effects of nonpromotion on achievement and effort of junior high school students. Finds that students who were retained improved significantly with respect to academic achievement and effort when compared to students who had been considered for retention but had been promoted. (KEH)