Every year, many children are held back in the same grade. And, retention is sometimes recommended to help children who have missed a lot of school due to illness or frequent moves, or who are just beginning to learn English. Although in some school districts, retention is used frequently, especially with kindergarten and first grade children, the practice is very controversial among educators and researchers. Although some retained children do better at first, they often fall behind again in later grades, and are often referred for remedial help or special education during elementary school.
Some children seem to suffer no ill-effects from retention.
However, by the time they enter middle school, many children who were held back tend to get into trouble, dislike school, and feel badly about themselves more often than do children who were never retained. There is some evidence that retained children are more likely to have mental health problems than those who are not retained. The most consistent finding is that retained children have a much higher likelihood of dropping out of school than nonretained children. Retention might be less harmful for children who feel good about themselves, get along well with others, and have the skills to catch up easily. It is often difficult to predict which children will benefit from retention, however.