To Retain or To Put in the Next Grade

As the 2016-2017 school year begins to wind down parents will start to hear from teachers or guidance counselors via letter or phone call informing them if their child has not earned enough credits to move to the next grade. This phone call will not be a surprise to many parents who receive it. If it is a surprise, it probably means the parent has not seen a single report card throughout the year, nor have they contacted the school to ask for a copy of the report card. (Yes, that’s on parents.)

Student retention is a topic educators often find themselves grappling with. Some educators, supported by research, believe student retention is a punitive action most often resulting in increased disciplinary actions and suspension in the year to follow.¹ Other educators believe, also supported by research, promoting a student to the next grade will negatively impact them as they do not have the knowledge base or skill set that was taught that year to academically succeed in the next academic grade. Some people worry promoting a student who failed will hold back students in the same class as the teacher slows down delivery of instruction for the student who was not retained but put into the next academic class. There is no research to support this concern but it is understandable.  However, research does tell us “if a child goes an entire year without learning the material, teaching them the same material in the same way for another year probably won't offer much extra benefit.”²

If your child is in high school and has not earned enough credits in a few classes, this means your child will take those classes again sometime before they graduate. The classes your high school student has earned credit(s) allows them to continue onto the next class. It is the classes your child has failed that needs to be retaken during the next academic school year or in summer school if that is an option. Students cannot graduate high school until all of their credits are earned.

If you child is in middle school and has not earned enough credits, or failed too many classes, a middle schooler’s option are limited. There might be a summer school your child can attend within your district to make up those classes. However, if your middle school child has failed too many classes retention may need to be considered.

When younger students struggle academically and retention is a possibility, there are many factors that need to be considered. At a meeting with the teacher and principal, ask to see why they recommend holding your child back a year. Ask to see (reading) running records, math scores and supporting data, and antidotal about your child’s social interactions. If your child has been struggling all year, ask the teacher and principal what programs or interventions were used to address your child’s learning struggles throughout the year.

If the school has not used any interventions or additional supporting programs with your elementary school aged child, the question begs: will retaining your child be truly beneficial? If the school has used interventions and has tracked your child’s progress statistically showing a lack of progress, it is time to consider having your child evaluated for special education.

When making the decision to retain your child or not to, ask your child’s teachers and ask yourself some important questions, keeping your child’s best interest in mind. Some suggested questions you should ask your child’s teacher and yourself are as follows:

1)   Why does the teacher think your child failed his/her class or the grade?

2)   Was your child organized? Did he come to class prepared?

3)   Was extra help offered and did you child take advantage of it?

4)   Will extra support be offered to your child in the next academic school year to address his struggles?

5)   Were my child’s friends a good influence on him? Was he a good influence on his friends?

6)   How could I have supported my child more so at home?

Be open minded when you ask these questions. The responses will not be an attack on your parenting skills or your child. Each question can give you a clue as to how and why your child is struggling academically. (We would love to support you with any questions or clarification you may need.)

No matter what you read about student retention, it becomes a choice parents need to be a big part of making. Once that decision is made: to retain your child in their current grade, or advancing them to the next grade, it is imperative the parent in conjunction with the school creates a plan so the student and his family are not in the same stressful situation next year. We’ll chat more about that mid-August!

Let me know if you have questions or thoughts. I am always here to help!

Anne C.

1 - http://www.caldercenter.org/publications/hold-back-move-forward-early-grade-retention-and-student-misbehavior

2 - http://www.businessinsider.com/holding-kids-back-waste-time-money-2016-10