Is it good to hold kids back grade retention?

Research shows that retention isn't the best plan for most kids. Academics are only one thing to think about when considering retention. You can talk to your child's school about all the options before making a decision.

Does holding kids back a grade help?

The long-run effects of early grade retention are not 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 retention good for kids?

Answer: Yes. Several recent studies have found that retention in elementary school can be beneficial for students in improving middle school outcomes when the students most likely to benefit are identified and retention is paired with appropriate instructional supports.

Does retention help struggling learners?

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.

What causes a child to be held back a grade?

Common Reasons Children Get Held Back in School

The goal is to give the child a second chance at a grade they found challenging, so they can be better equipped in years to come. The reasoning behind grade retention may be based on maturity, behavior, absences, academic performance, or any number of factors.

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.

What are the negative effects of retention?

Students who are held back experience negative academic, social, and emotional outcomes over time. In general, students who are retained score better on math and English standardized tests during the year they repeat a grade and sometimes up to four years after.

What are the disadvantages of student retention?

Retention does not reduce the range of academic achievement in any particular classroom and, in fact, usually creates even greater differences among classmates. Research on grade retention has shown that this particular practice results in a negative impact on a child's social and emotional development.

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).

Is retention a good idea?

Retaining students based on reading proficiency can produce large improvements in academic performance when compared to grade-level peers. Retention is not an academic death sentence. In fact, it can lead to better preparation when entering high school.

Should 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.

How many kids get held back a year?

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

Should I hold my dyslexic child back?

Expert answer. The evidence suggests that simply holding a child back is not helpful. If a child is falling behind, he needs hel — he requires reading instruction that is proven to be effective and it needs to be delivered to him intensely (small group) and frequently (60-90 minutes/daily).

What are the benefits of holding a child back in school?

Holding kids back to give them extra time to mature cognitively and socially is nothing new. Redshirting in kindergarten has been studied for decades, and in truth kids who are a bit older than the norm do tend to excel both academically and athletically compared with their younger peers.

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.

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.

What are some pros of grade retention?

Maturity: A student who is younger or less mature than their peers may benefit from an extra year to develop socially and emotionally. Individualized attention: Grade retention may provide an opportunity for more individualized instruction and support for the student.

Why is retention a problem?

A disconnect between management and employee expectations can cause conflict and even create a rift in team dynamics. Without clear communication on collective objectives and company values, employees may find it challenging to stay engaged with their work.

Why is low teacher retention bad?

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

What grade do most kids get held back?

Who Gets Held Back, and Why? 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.

Is it bad to be held 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.

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.

How does retention affect learning?

Learning retention is a person's ability to transfer new information into their long-term memory so that it is easy for them to recall and put that knowledge to use in the future. In simpler words, learning retention is all about making new knowledge stick for a long time.

What are the effects of teacher retention?

Research shows that increases in teacher turnover consistently correspond with decreases in achievement in core academic subjects. Attrition disproportionately affects schools with the greatest needs, low-achieving and high-poverty schools.

What are the factors affecting retention in learning?

The retention among students depends on various factors, i.e., attention, self-efficacy, relevance, satisfaction, mnemonics, testing, and rewards. So to have long-term retention, the students need to pay complete attention while learning process.