The report also reinforces a large body of previous research showing that retention in grade is an unsuccessful remedy for low student achievement. New promotion regulations are seen as a way to compel students to work harder or be retained in grade to solidify skills. Such measures may, however, lead districts astray in their efforts to improve student performance.
Retention also can decrease student confidence and contribute to greater behavioral difficulties.
Students who repeat a grade are more likely to drop out, and this likelihood increases markedly after two retentions. One study found that children so feared retention, they ranked it third in a list of worst anxieties, topped only by blindness and death of a parent. Given the poor track record of retention, many have questioned its continued use, a practice which the NRC report shows is occurring on a greater scale than currently assumed. Their study shows that retention rates have risen for 6 to 8 and 15 to 17 year olds during the last two decades, and that close to ten percent of all students are currently held back in school between these ages. The NRC points out that it is a mistake to view the issue as an either-or choice between promotion and retention.