But if you consider retention to be a brave new idea that will force students to measure up, you're in for a surprise. We found that retention is as common in our schools as social promotion. More than 15 percent of students are held back every year, and in many large urban districts, half the kids entering kindergarten are likely to be retained at least once before they leave school. The kids who can't read, write or count when they graduate have probably been retained and socially promoted. The truth is, both policies are mechanical responses to an educational problem.
Districts have all kinds of rules and regulations about promotion and retention.
The scandal is how little attention they give to preventing failure in the first place. If getting kids to achieve is our aim, social promotion and retention are both beside the point. Put an end to guesswork about student achievement. Establish standards for the various grades, with curricula and assessments to go along with the standards, so teachers and parents know how children are progressing. Jump on the problems immediately, using proven techniques to get students quickly back on track.