Teachers taught to the top of the class, or to the older children, with the expectation that children who did not quite understand their first year would grasp the concepts the second year. Their findings noted that delayed school entry occurred most often for male children and resulted in no significant effect on retention. They also concluded that being held out of kindergarten had no statistically significant effect on later retention. When the after school intervention programs supported by Migrant Education, Title I, and SBCP funds are analyzed, those responsible for school leadership are able to verify that these programs are accomplishing their objectives. After-school programs that are designed to focus on the specific skills needed in reading, language development, and mathematics enable students to perform at a higher level on standardized tests.
Students also progress at a faster rate toward meeting grade level standards.
Strategies used to teach low-achieving elementary school students reading, writing, and mathematics are valid models for intervention programs at the middle school and high school levels. Provide appropriate materials, such as the Hampton-Brown Into English series, for English language development. Provide additional instruction and practice in order that students are able to progress more rapidly in developing oral language fluency in English. Identify students who are not progressing at a rate that meets district grade level reading standards early in the school year. Require these students to attend a program that meets at least two days per week in order to receive additional instruction and practice in reading.