Still, experts say retention and social promotion are polar opposites. Children perform best somewhere in the middle ground. The greatest chance for rehabilitating students is to attempt to work with students before they reach the point of failure and before teachers are faced with the decision of whether to promote or retain. School reform including after-school programs, reading programs, summer school and other academic activities can help mentor and monitor kids before it s too late. Kindergarten through second grades were the most frequently repeated.
Research shows that most American teachers prefer retention to social promotion.
An Arizona State University study shows that teachers would rather err on the side of retention than social promotion. Some retentions and social promotions occur due to lack of reading skills. Many kids are held back in the first grade due to the inability to read at grade level. Parents can help by insuring that their children get proper instruction in reading and are reading at grade level by the end of the first grade. Reading Recovery is one popular one on one tutoring program that has had excellent success.