Should I hold back my son?

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.

Is it good to retain a child?

Most children do not "catch up" when held back. Although some retained students do better at first, these children often fall behind again in later grades. Students who are held back tend to get into trouble, dislike school, and feel badly about themselves more often than children who go on to the next grade.

Can a parent choose to hold their child back a grade?

Yes, a parent can decide to hold their child back a grade, but it's important to discuss this choice with teachers and school staff as they provide valuable insights into the child's progress.

Do kids still get held back?

Is there a high school promotion and retention process? The state does not require school districts to have student promotion and retention criteria beyond the last year of middle school to the first year of high school. However, districts may set criteria for promotion for successive grades in high school.

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.

Is Holding Back Your Child Fair?

Should I hold my son back a year?

Recent research shows that, for the most part, holding kids back a grade isn't the best practice.

What percent of kids get 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. Still, there are disparities between student groups.

Is retaining a student a good idea?

In short, recent research has shown that grade retention in elementary school can increase test scores through middle school and reduce the need for future remediation.

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.

Why do parents hold their child back?

This choice is also often called holding your child back in school, which may be done as early as preschool or kindergarten. It's also done for non-athletic reasons, such as if a child doesn't seem emotionally ready for school. Holding kids back to give them extra time to mature cognitively and socially is nothing new.

Should I hold my son back from kindergarten?

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.

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.

Should my child repeat first 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.

At what age should you stop holding your child?

You can carry your kid for as long as you physically can, or mutually agree to stop (as in the case of the 14 year old.) I stopped carrying my kid when he was 4, because he is a big kid and I couldn't lift him up anymore. It depends on the child. It depends on the child.

What are the negative effects of student retention?

Research shows increased rates of dangerous behaviors such as drinking, drug abuse, crime, teenage pregnancy, depression, and suicide among retained students compared to similarly performing promoted students.

What are the pros of keeping a child?

Why repeating a grade is bad?

Key lesson from research on retention: Don't do the same thing again. The research on retention is littered with cautions and question marks. Repeating a grade can damage students' confidence and subject them to bullying. Sometimes it can help academically, but those gains quickly fade.

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.

Does grade retention make a difference?

The research is clear that grade retention is not effective over time, and it is related to many negative academic, social, and emotional outcomes for students — especially students of color who have been retained.

What are cons of 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 effects of holding a child back in kindergarten?

One study in the Economics of Education Review shows that kids who were redshirted kindergarten outperformed peers in their early school years and then, by eighth grade, were performing on the same level as their younger school peers, indicating a negation of any early advantage.

What did no child left behind do?

It changed the federal government's role in kindergarten through grade twelve education by requiring schools to demonstrate their success in terms of the academic achievement of every student.

Does holding back students work?

A child may not seem ready to advance to the next grade. Kids who get held back, however, tend not to do any better by repeating a grade. There is evidence, in fact, that students who repeat a grade are more likely to drop out of high school. The age of the student can make a difference.

Why is retention bad?

Research. There have been seventy-five years or more of retention research. 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.

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).