A survey of 251 North Dakota parents of learning-disabled students found that retention occurred twice as frequently for students with learning disabilities as for the general student population. Parents of retained students tended to have lower educational aspirations for their children than did parents of nonretained students. Discusses…

New Haven (Connecticut) Public Schools realized that pushing students academically was useless without creating a positive school climate to address their social and emotional needs. James Comer's School Development Program is the district's guiding principle. Via planning and student-support teams, school community members decide on life-skills…

This paper constitutes a major part of the third phase of a longitudinal study in Swaziland investigating the short- and long-term effects of parental absence on primary children's school achievement. In 1998, 42 of the original sample of 80 students who entered grade one in 1990 were found remaining in the educational system but varied in their…

We use the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study to investigate national patterns addressing (a) who repeats kindergarten, and (b) the subsequent cognitive effects of this event. Using OLS regression techniques, we investigate 1st-time kindergartners who are promoted, 1st-time kindergartners who are retained, and children who are already repeating…

The purpose of this study was to analyze the perceptions of educators regarding the impact of grade retention on K-5 elementary students. Principals (N=384) and teachers (N=384) in K-5 elementary schools from 11 southern states were surveyed. The study included 169 responses from principals and 140 responses from teachers. The data revealed that…

This theme issue includes five articles that focus on educational policy in the Texas legislature in relation to student retention, Internet access, and sexual harassment. "1999 Texas Legislative Session--End of an Era?" (Albert Cortez, Maria Robledo Montecel) examines educational equity issues facing legislators: school funding,…

The Texas Advisory Committee to the U. S. Commission on Civil Rights conducted a public forum and gathered information on the extent to which early childhood education programs have affected equal educational opportunities for minority students in Texas. The hearings were held in response to the failure of public education systems to meet the…

This article describes the types of nongraded elementary schools that were prevalent from the 1950s through the 1970s, reviews research on the academic achievement effects of nongraded schools, and draws inferences from this research for application of nongraded systems in today's schools. Research in which an objective measure of achievement was…

This paper analyzes the value of student retention practices, or of flunking students, and presents viable options. Advocates of retention argue that it prevents future academic failure, ensures mastery of the basic skills necessary for success in higher grades, and motivates students. However, others argue that retention is associated with…

Seven strategies for improving the quality and efficiency of educational system in Latin American are delineated within the context of background information on the coverage and efficiency of school systems from 1970 to 1980, technical and institutional limitations to educational progress, and an estimate of the impact of the strategies.…

Included in this review of the literature on grade retention are annotations for 13 articles supporting nonpromotion policies, 13 articles refuting nonpromotion policies, and 5 articles arguing that both policies result in undesirable consequences. Articles are identified as being: (1) original research comparing students retained with students…

This document outlines general considerations and academic and non-academic guidelines to be observed by Milwaukee teachers and principals in making K-6 grade placement decisions in accordance with the School Board's new policy. The first section, "General Considerations for Grade Placement at All Grade Levels," considers: (1) evaluation…

Peer sociometrics, teacher ratings of academic performance, and self-concept scores were used to compare the social, academic, and psychological adjustment of 47 low-achieving/retained, low-achieving/promoted, and average achieving/promoted 2nd-, 3rd-, and 4th-grade students from two southern rural elementary schools. Because the sample was…

Grades awarded to secondary school students in the Cleveland (Ohio) public schools were analyzed to determine relationships between grades and selected school climate variables in a desegregated urban school district. Failures or F grades and schoolwide non-promotion rates were both related to rates of class attendance and school suspensions. Over…

A study was conducted to determine if participation in a pre-first grade transactional program would be more effective than grade repetition in enhancing first grade readiness. The transition program emphasized the acquisition of academic and behavioral skills necessary for a successful first grade experience. Students in the program were trained…