In this appendix to our Occasional Paper, we review 14 recent rigorous studies on how entrance age affects student outcomes in the short and long term, paying particular attention to aspects that are most relevant to state-level policy decisions. We summarize findings related to elementary and secondary academic achievement, grade retention,…

This study duplicated the procedures used by Greene and Winters (2006) on data from the Miami-Dade school system with the advantage of an additional two year's worth of information. The results indicated that the effects of the retention policy are far from clear and arguably negative. There is considerable evidence to suggest that the apparent…

This report describes various methods for computing graduation and completion rates, and how they compare.

This paper examines whether having school students repeat a year improves their performance, focusing on learning English as a foreign language. It takes students' English examination results from five years from a Chinese-medium school, together with data on their learning styles and learning strategies. Drawing on local cultural and pedagogic…

This summary presents highlights of "The Cost Burden to Minnesota K-12 when Children Are Unprepared for Kindergarten" [ED511612]. A number of studies document the long-term public and societal benefits of early childhood education, including the reduced costs associated with child welfare, public assistance, crime and incarceration, and…

This article presents a summary of results from a Swiss nationwide empirical study of the determinants of grade retention, its effects on learning, and its social and emotional consequences. Results show that the decision for grade retention does not rest only on the pupil's actual academic performance but also on the teacher's attitudes and…

This study examined the impact of grade repetition or retention on the subsequent academic performance of students in rural and urban areas in northeast Tennessee. A total of 40 students who were retained in grades 3 or 5 during the 1985-1986 school year, and 70 students who were not retained, completed the Stanford Achievement Test yearly between…

Over 75 percent of the students enrolling as freshmen in Chicago's public high schools during 1978, 1979, and 1980 made up the sample for a study of the student characteristics that affected dropout rates. The characteristics assessed were reading achievement (as indicated by eighth-grade standardized test scores), age at enrollment in high…

The Austin Independent School District (AISD) is now in its third year of study on the effects of a new retention policy adopted in 1981-82. Reviewing the results of the first two years led to the conclusion that traditional methods of studying retention might not be the most appropriate. These evaluations have primarily focused on the impact of…

Eighty-seven children relinquished at birth and adopted before the age of three years into different social classes were assessed in late adolescence. Findings indicated that the school failure of adoptees varies as a function of the social class of the adopive parents: the higher the social class, the lower the number of repeated grades. (RH)

Background: A linguistic mismatch between school and community creates problems in both access to school services and the quality of those services. Consideration of mother tongue is the key for making schools more inclusive for girls. Purpose: To argue that education in mother tongue results in making schools more inclusive for disadvantaged…

This series tracks the performance of Chicago, Illinois, public high school students from 1993 to 2000 using data from the last 2 years of Phase 1 reform as a baseline for looking at the first 5 years of Phase 2. This report tracks changes in high school enrollment and explores possible causes. Analyses of data from various sources show that the…

Retention of students...has detrimental effects, not only on academic achievement but also on the students' self-concepts and attitudes. (Author)

A survey of teachers indicates that they practice grade repetition although research does not show any benefits from it. Suggestions are made for inservice programs acquainting teachers with research and alternative practices. (CMJ)

Citing selected studies and experiences at the Gesell Institute of Human Development, the author argues that grade repetition benefits children whose behavior age is less than their chronological age. She emphasizes parent cooperation for dealing with the child's temporary emotional upset over being retained. Condensed from "Early Years," December…