Questioning 3rd Grade Retention Policies

Laura Bornfreund
This post originally appeared on Early Ed Watch.

In yesterday’s Orlando Sentinel, I question the findings of a study that suggests retention improves third graders’ reading scores in Florida. The study didn’t isolate retention from Florida’s other literacy initiatives so we don’t really know what made the difference. Florida’s reading law requires much more than retention.

Third-graders must be given the opportunity to participate in a summer reading program, have an academic improvement plan, be assigned a “high-performing” teacher and receive intensive reading intervention. Elementary schools must provide all students with 90 minutes of uninterrupted reading instruction every day. Schools must assess students’ literacy skills as early as kindergarten and notify parents if their child is already below grade level. This year the state invested more than $100 million to ensure schools could deliver these services in kindergarten through 12th grade.

If anything, the Florida case demonstrates the importance of a comprehensive approach to literacy. Previous studies show that students who are retained are no better off. So instead of adopting a policy that has no proven benefits to students, I suggest that states consider research-based strategies such as high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, full-day kindergarten, requiring strong reading teachers in the early grades and interventions for struggling readers.

Read my entire op-ed here.