Is it bad to hold your child back a grade?

Holding a student back may create significantly more issues than solutions. Even though research says that student retention is ineffective and could even be harmful, some schools still believe that making children repeat grades is a good idea.

Is grade retention harmful to children?

The long-run effects of early grade retention are not clear.

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.

Is it OK to stay back a grade?

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.

What causes a child to be held back a grade?

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.

Should I make my child repeat a grade?

Ideally, no. Repeating a grade―also known as "grade retention" ―has not been shown to help children learn. Children won't outgrow learning and attention issues by repeating a grade. In fact, repeating a grade may contribute to long-term issues with low self-esteem, as well as emotional or social difficulties.

Is Holding Back Your Child Fair?

Does grade retention make a difference?

Still, the researchers found that students who were retained had higher grade point averages and took fewer remedial courses in high school than students who had similar reading abilities but weren't held back.

Why is grade retention bad?

Here are a few studies. In 1984, Holmes and Matthews found that retained students showed lower academic achievement, poorer personal adjustment, and lower self-concept. In addition, they found that in all cases, the outcomes for students promoted were more positive than for those who were retained.

What grade do most kids get held back?

Most retentions occur in elementary school. Historically, roughly 5 percent of students in the first through the third grade repeated their grade, according to Child Trends.

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.

How many times can a child repeat a grade?

Is there a law or policy regarding the number of times a student can be retained? There is nothing in the EC that prohibits school districts from retaining a child in more than one grade.

How many kids get held back a year?

Nearly 450,000 first through eighth graders are retained each year.

How do I talk to my child about repeating a grade?

If your child gets held back a grade in school, it's important to approach the situation with empathy and understanding. You can reassure them that everyone learns and progresses at their own pace, and that it's okay to take the time they need to fully understand the material.

Do grades matter in real life?

So, once again, do good grades matter to one's future career? And unsurprisingly, the answer is, YES. Empirical studies as well as common logic actually shows this correlation.

What are the long term effects of grade retention?

Critics contend that retention detaches students from their peers and subjects them to social stigmatization and stress, which might negatively affect self-confidence, motivation, and interpersonal relationships (Anderson et al., 2005; Goos et al., 2021).

What are the social effects of grade retention?

Effect of retention on social acceptance

The results have been inconsistent. For example, when kindergarten teachers were asked to rate classroom behavior and peer acceptance, they rated retained students as being less well liked by classmates than low-achieving promoted students (Pianta et al., 1997).

What are the disadvantages of retention in school?

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).

Does retention help struggling students?

Evidence suggests that grade retention in middle or high school typically leads to worse educational outcomes, with little or no effect on academic achievement and higher levels of student disengagement.

How do you deal with being held back a grade?

Don't be too hard on yourself.

Try your best not to feel bad about yourself because of it. If you have a good attitude about it and use it as motivation to do better in school, being held back may actually do you a lot of good. Being held back does not mean that you are stupid or a bad student.

Can a child fail 3rd grade?

The rules in your school district

Some states have third-grade retention laws. (Schools refer to repeating a grade as “retention.”) Retention policies can vary from state to state and in some cases from district to district. Some school districts have strict policies that are guided by the scores on standardized tests.

What subject do most students fail?

Students on campus were asked “What do you think is the most failed class?” The responses were mostly College algebra and Calculus. However, one of the most common answers was Accounting. Many students in the degree field shared their struggle with the curriculum.

Do kids get held back in the UK?

Repeating a year is very rare in the UK, but it is relatively common in the USA, where the No Child Left Behind Act (2002) recommended that students be required to demonstrate a set standard of achievement before progressing to the next grade level.

What grade can you not get held back?

In the United States of America, grade retention can be used in kindergarten through to eleventh grade; however, students in grades seven through twelve are usually only retained in the specific failed subject, as each subject is taught by one specific teacher.

Why is low teacher retention bad?

Poor teacher retention has been shown to negatively impact students' educational achievement, according to the Learning Policy Institute.

Can you get held back for bad behavior?

Yes a student can be held back for bad behavior. Student must have so many school days in order to go to the next grade. Bad behavior could result in student being suspended from classes from school. If he doesn't go to school the required amount of days by law he's not able to go to the next grade.

Does retention help dyslexia?

There is a growing body of evidence against retention. The anecdotal evidence is even stronger against keeping a child in the same grade for another year. First, retention DOES NOT help children with learning disabilities including children with dyslexia.