Does holding back students work?

Recent research shows that, for the most part, holding kids back a grade isn't the best practice. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) reports that some kids do better in school the first year or two after being held back.

Is retaining a student a good idea?

Although most educational and psychological research confirms that grade retention is rarely a positive intervention, there are some children that do better if they are retained. For these students, retention is both necessary and beneficial.

How does being held back affect students?

In adolescence, retained students are more likely to experience problems such as poor interactions with peers, disliking school, behavior problems, and lower self-esteem.

Should students get held back?

For later grades, the research is fairly clear. Multiple studies have found that holding back middle schoolers increases their odds of dropping out of high school. “The evidence on retaining students in the later grades — I think that's unambiguously negative,” said Winters.

Is holding a child back beneficial?

A large body of research has indicated that holding a child back in school is associated with poorer academic outcomes and little social-emotional benefit. While some studies have found short-term social and academic benefits of grade retention, many of these effects fade after a few years.

Advantage of holding kids back

Is it bad to hold a kid back in school?

Recent research shows that, for the most part, holding kids back a grade isn't the best practice. The National Association of School Psychologists (NASP) reports that some kids do better in school the first year or two after being held back. But it also says that this effect doesn't last.

Can you move up a grade after being held back?

It can happen and occasionally does. Sometimes a student is retained for one reason or another and then gets up to speed and they are at the level of the next grade level. So they will bump the student back up a grade if the school and parents agree upon it.

Should students be held back pros and cons?

Grade retention has a negative impact on all areas of a child's achievement (reading, math, and language) and social-emotional adjustment (peer relationships, self-esteem, problem behaviors and attendance). Students who are retained are more likely to drop out of school compared to students who were never retained.

What percent of students are held back?

Overall, retention has decreased in the past decades. From 2000 to 2016, the percentage of students held back in a grade decreased from 3.1 to 1.9 percent.

Why students should not be retained?

Although additional research is needed to understand why negative impacts are more likely to occur when retention is implemented in the higher grades, one common argument against grade retention policies is that they place a significant emotional burden on students: because students can be stigmatized as failing and ...

Why do parents hold their kids back in school?

This practice, called academic redshirting , is intended to give students another year to mature emotionally, academically, or physically before starting kindergarten. Experts said it's become increasingly popular among upper middle class, college-educated parents .

What makes a kid get held back?

The reasoning behind grade retention may be based on maturity, behavior, absences, academic performance, or any number of factors. Getting held back is not a reflection of intellect. Your child is not “stupid” because they need to repeat a grade. Make this apparent with every discussion.

Does repeating a grade help?

Research suggests that repeating a grade, at any grade level, is associated with later high school dropout and other long-term effects. It also can affect a child's social and emotional development. In one study, sixth-grade students rated having to repeat a grade as "the most stressful life event."

What happens if you get held back 3 times?

States only pay for public school until 21, so if a student is held back more than twice, they won't be allowed to graduate in a traditional program.

Can I make my child repeat a grade?

Generally, parents can ask for children to be held back, but the final decision is up to principals, who make decisions based on factors including academic progress. California and New Jersey also passed laws that made it easier for parents to demand their children repeat a grade, although the option was only available ...

Is grade retention ineffective?

Research has found that for most students, grade retention had a negative effect on all areas of achievement (e.g., reading, math, and language) and social and emotional adjustment (e.g., peer relationships, self-esteem, problem behaviors, and attendance).

Is getting held back failing?

In fact, according to a recent study published in the Journal of Research on Educational Effectiveness, students who were held back in the first or the second grade performed worse on reading achievement tests in middle school than students who weren't retained.

Who got held back the most in school?

When should a child be retained?

4). A child may be considered for retention if he or she has poor academic skills, is small in stature or the youngest in the grade, has moved or been absent frequently, does poorly on a prescreening assessment, or has limited English-language skills.

Is being 13 in 6th grade bad?

Yes, it is common for students to be 13 years old while in the 6th grade. The age of students in a specific grade can vary based on individual factors such as birthdate, enrollment policies, and educational systems in different regions.

How do you know if your child should be held back?

The biggest factors to consider when deciding whether to promote or retain a child in school are the child's academic progress and level of maturity. Many school districts have developed tests to evaluate these factors, but as a parent you may wish to consider your child's abilities as well.

How many times can someone repeat a grade?

The number of times a student can repeat a grade can be limited, often to just once, but this can vary by school district and individual school. In terms of college admissions, it's important to keep in mind that admissions committees look for progress and improvement.

Who decides if a kid gets held back?

Who gets the final say? In California, it's the schools. California's Pupil Promotion & Retention policy in the state education code says a student can be promoted if the teacher decides retention isn't appropriate even if the student is failing.

What to do if your child gets held back?

Sit down and talk with them in private. Make sure they understand that there is nothing wrong with them and that being held back is not a bad thing. Explain that sometimes it takes longer to learn things, especially during a hard year with the pandemic.

How many F's does it take to fail 7th grade?

Most schools allow the students of 7th grade to pass with one F. However, some schools may have a more strict policy, requiring students to have a passing grade in all subjects to pass the grade.