Is Retention Really a Good Idea?

Laura Efford
READ 650
March 14, 2017
• What do you think about retention?

• Please take 2 minutes to write reflections.

 Share Reflections
• Discuss your reflections with a neighbor.
 What Research Says
• Retention negatively impacts the ability of
students to persist to graduation (McCombs, Kirby, &
Mariano, 2009).

• A meta-analysis of retention literature

concludes there are no long-lasting benefits.
(Allen, Chen, Willson, & Hughes, 2009).

• Academic gains that may show in the first year

fade over time.
 Who is Affected?
• Retention occurs most frequently among non-
White boys from low SES backgrounds that are
young for their grade.
Retention Affects the Most Vulnerable
• This population can be described as “vulnerable”:
they lack the capital and resources that are
valued within an educational system that is built
upon White middle-class principles (such as
Standard English).

• This description based on French sociologists

Bourdieu and Passeron’s theory of “reproduction
in education” (1970/1990).
 What Can We Do?
• Assess early and often: early intervention is
key.

• Never retain if learning disabilities or other

special education placement is suspected.

• Believe all students can succeed. Teacher

perceptions play a powerful role in student
success (Bonvin, Bless, & Schuepbach, 2008).
 What Can We Do?
• Provide a breadth of interventions during the
school day.
• Extend the school day.
• Require summer school.
• Require Saturday school.
• Begin conversations with parents early. Meet
with them often.
• Work with a team of educators.
 What If You Must Retain?
• “A student’s retention year must be vastly
different from the previous year in terms of
instruction and interventions” (Range, Dougan, &
Pijanowski, 2011).
• Simply repeating the content will not help.
• Provide intense interventions from the
beginning of the school year.
• Provide lots of 1-on-1 instruction.
• Choose the classroom teacher wisely.
 Consider This Scenario
• Sincere is an African-American boy nearing the
end of kindergarten. He has a September
birthday and began the school year as a 4 year
old. He receives free lunch and lives with his
mother and brother. He is high energy and
sometimes has trouble paying attention.
• Sincere does not yet have a firm Concept of
Word and can produce 16 letter sounds. Your
principal suggests retention and Sincere’s
mother is willing to sign the paperwork.
 What Do You Do?
• Would you retain Sincere?

• Please complete the Scenario questions.

 Discuss!
• Discuss your thoughts with a colleague.
 Conclusions
• I don’t have a definitive answer for Sincere’s
scenario.
• A decision not to retain could be backed by
lots of research when speaking to
administrators and colleagues.
• If retention is chosen, the school year should
be experienced differently by Sincere, and
should not be a simple re-do.
 Conclusions
• Research concludes retention is not effective.
• Many parents, administrators, and policy-
makers continue to support it.
• Schools need adequate resources to implement
the necessary intensive interventions.
• Importantly, retention is the single strongest
factor predicting dropping out before
graduation (Goldschmidt & Wang, 1999).
 Parting Words
“To pass students along in school when they are
unprepared or retain them without addressing
their needs denies students access to
opportunities at the next level of schooling, in
postsecondary education and in the workplace.”

U.S. Department of Education, 1999