This document comprises a report on retention patterns in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) showing the number and percentage of students retained in grade at the conclusion of the 1986-87 school year. Retention and enrollment data were collected from annual reports filed by all schools. Differences in sex, ethnicity, and grade level…

In 1980, the New York City Board of Education set reading standards that fourth- and seventh-grade students were required to achieve before being promoted. The Gates Program was established to provide remedial education to those students failing to meet the standards. A total of 15,705 students in the two grades failed to meet the standards in…

This study of the effectiveness of transitional bilingual education (TBE) programs for Hispanic students in five Massachusetts school districts analyzed data on students' personal and educational characteristics (place of birth, socioeconomic status, number of years in TBE, district mobility, attendance, test scores, academic grades, and…

The Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention (AIDP) program in New York City identifies and delivers services to middle school students who are excessively absent or otherwise at risk of dropping out. The AIDP program has the following components: (1) facilitation; (2) attendance; (3) guidance; (4) health; (5) school-level linkages; and (6)…

Students of the Austin (Texas) Independent School District who had been in first through sixth grade and had been retained at some point in their school careers were eligible to attend the 1982 summer school for retainees. A total of 1,193 students were enrolled for at least part of the summer school, with a 94 percent attendance rate for the days…

Pearce Academic Center for Excellence, Project PACE, involved one English/language arts teacher providing individualized instruction in the mechanics of basic English (e.g., parts of speech, rules on capitalization and punctuation, spelling, sentence writing, and library and dictionary skills) to grade seven and eight retainees in language arts…

To evaluate the long term impact of developmental placement, a longitudinal study was initiated with over 500 subjects from a variety of school settings across the state of Michigan. Three groups of subjects were selected: (1) children recommended for a "growth year" before entering kindergarten who followed the recommendation, thus…

As part of a larger study, this paper examines the factors that determine promotion decisions at the end of first grade. Determinants of first grade failure are of particular interest because at this stage there are alternatives to failure. (Author/RWB)

A significant amount of research treats students who speak a language other than English at home, or language-minority students, as a single demographic group and compares them to students who speak only English at home. If important disparities in early school experiences among language-minority students have been overlooked, then policies aimed…

This publication is a collection of articles written by the author, sometimes in conjunction with others, over a 25-year period from 1968 to 1993. It is of historical interest in that it covers a remarkably active period in American education, one in which the educational needs of minority children began to be addressed. The anthology serves as an…

This paper outlines two approaches for improving outcomes for students at risk for academic failure. Both take a systemic approach to the problem by focusing on how specific circumstances create a reality of failure for many students. One school analyzed factors related to retention/promotion decisions and determined that four factors directly…

Beginning in the 2002-03 school year, the revised Florida School Code required 3rd grade students to demonstrate reading proficiency by scoring at level 2 or higher on the reading portion of the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT). If not, the student must be retained, unless exempted from mandatory retention for special circumstances…

Provides for those involved in retaining a child a concise, cumulative report of recent literature and research on elementary grade retention. Most research indicated that elementary school level retention does not effectively increase academic achievement among low-achieving students. Research-based decision making on this issue is a must. (RJM)

Summarizes conclusions from a review on the effects of programs intended to prevent early school failure. Examines the effects of birth-to-three programs, preschool, kindergarten, grade retention, class size and instructional aides, nongraded primary programs, one-to-one tutoring, and others. Research on prevention and early intervention indicates…

Differences in the age of entry to kindergarten and the use of kindergarten retention as functions of a child's sex and ethnicity were assessed for over 1,800 Anglo and Latino kindergarten students in 3 California school districts. Impact of these policies on early school failure are discussed. (SLD)