Critics argue that ending social promotions increases the dropout rate. Other studies dispute this, but there comes a time when taxpayers and educators have to ask themselves when enough is enough. He argued that many black children don't succeed in school because parents and teachers have low expectations of them and allow them to make too many excuses for poor performance. We keep telling our children that failure is an option. Telling a child who has failed a grade that he will be promoted anyway is doing precisely that.
Early intervention is another key to preventing a child from facing grade retention.
At least one critic of the Barnes plan suggested that third grade may be too late to head off difficulties. There is no reason to think that any significant components of the Barnes bill will be derailed. However, House and Senate conferees should make sure that the funding for paraprofessionals for kindergarten remain in the bill. Barnes has admitted making a mistake by excluding funding for them last year. The Macon Telegraph.