Should I hold my daughter 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.

Is it beneficial to hold a 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.

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.

Does grade retention make a difference?

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.

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.

Is Holding Back Your Child Fair?

How does repeating a grade affect a child?

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).

How bad is repeating a grade?

Repeating a grade can damage students' confidence and subject them to bullying. Sometimes it can help academically, but those gains quickly fade. Some studies show that holding elementary students back can work, but only if they get key supports, such as tutoring, summer programs, or high-quality teachers.

How many kids get held back a year?

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

What are the disadvantages of retaining students?

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.

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.

Why students should not be held back?

Kids who will be taught the same skills in the same way without any different supports in place typically don't benefit from repeating. And kids who stay back tend to lose the positive gains within two to three years after being held back.

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.

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 is the most important grade for a child?

Third grade gives you a peek into the future.

It's possible to predict (with surprising accuracy) which kids are going to struggle through the rest of their school careers and even drop out of high school based on their reading ability in 3rd grade.

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

Time to improve: Students who are struggling academically or emotionally may benefit from an extra year to develop strong study habits, improve their academic skills, and build their confidence.

Should I let my child fail a grade?

It's not OK to let kids fail if it could cause danger to their physical or emotional health. Avoid putting kids in situations where the odds are stacked against them. For example, if they haven't had a chance to prepare or if they don't have the same resources as others to succeed.

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 is the downside of retention?

One of the main drawbacks to high employee retention is disengaged employees who stay in their jobs, hurt productivity, create toxic work environments, and drive good employees away.

Why is low teacher retention bad?

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

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.

Can you go to the next grade if you failed?

It depends on the school and how they deal with credit recovery. At some schools, they make you repeat the entire grade if you failed one semester of one class. At others, you can take a challenge exam or take summer school and move right along with the rest of your class.

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.

Is it shameful to repeat a grade?

Being held back does not mean that you are stupid or a bad student. It simply means that you need some more time to reach the benchmarks of that specific grade. Remember that your parents and teachers decided to hold you back because they want what's best for you, not because they want to punish you.

Can my parents make me 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 ...

Can a child fail first grade?

Retention in first grade, the topic of this study, is a clear indicator of early school failure. When a child fails to master grade-level skills, schools have to decide whether to pass the student to the next grade (social promotion) or to retain the student in the grade for a second year.