research on retention of special education students

What Does Research Say About Grade Retention? A Few Key Studies to Know

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Holding students back is a controversial policy decision. Opponents argue that it further disadvantages students and falls disproportionately on those who are already marginalized; advocates claim it can trigger the interventions and support that students urgently need.

Many states have legislation that requires schools to consider grade retention in one specific instance: if students don’t pass a 3rd grade reading exam. Most states paused these policies during the early months of the pandemic, but they’ve since restarted. And a few states have considered passing them along with new laws designed to mandate evidence-based reading instruction.

Last month, Education Week spoke with researchers and advocates about what these developments could mean for students and schools. But what does the evidence actually show? Does holding students back help or hurt them in the long run?

Here’s a look at several key research studies on retention—and takeaways for educators.

Retention disproportionately affects students of color

Overall, retention has decreased in the past decades. From 2000 to 2016, the percentage of students held back in a grade decreased from 3.1 to 1.9 percent. Still, there are disparities between student groups.

As of 2016, 2.6 percent of Black K-8 students were retained, compared to 1.5 percent of white students and Hispanic students, according to the National Center for Education Statistics .

In some cases, the consequences of retention affect students of color more than their white peers, too. One recent study found that being held back in elementary grades increases the odds of dropping out of high school, and that these effects were strongest for Black and Latino girls.

Does retaining students lead to better outcomes?

One of the most-cited research papers on grade retention is a 2001 meta-analysis from Shane Jimerson, a professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Jimerson looked at 20 studies published between 1990 and 1999, and concluded that they “fail to demonstrate that grade retention provides greater benefits to students with academic or adjustment difficulties than does promotion to the next grade.” In many studies, students who were retained had worse academic achievement and social-emotional outcomes than students who were not.

Another research review from Jimerson and his colleagues, this one published in 2002 , found that grade retention was also linked strongly to dropping out of high school.

More recent research concludes that studies that used more tightly controlled methodology—such as more closely matched comparison groups for retained students and higher-quality statistical controls—show fewer negative consequences of retention.

Researchers at Texas A&M University and the University of North Texas evaluated 22 studies published between 1990 and 2007 in a 2009 meta-analysis. They found that it mattered how similar retained students were to the control group of students who weren’t retained. When studies controlled for these differences, the negative effects of retention on achievement disappeared.

Still, the authors wrote, “these results provide little support for proponents of grade retention.” These stronger studies didn’t show negative effects, but they didn’t show positive results either. They had a very small effect size, which the researchers wrote was “not practically or statistically significantly different from 0.”

A few recent studies suggest that, under certain conditions, retention could help

Both of these newer studies are from Florida, which has had a 3rd grade retention policy in place since 2003. Students who don’t pass a 3rd grade reading exam can be retained—and if they are, the state requires schools to develop reading support plans for them, and to place those students with an effective teacher.

A 2017 analysis of student outcomes under this system found that kids who were retained had big initial gains in achievement. But within five years, the score increases faded out, and these students weren’t doing any better than their same-age peers.

Still, the researchers found that students who were retained had higher grade point averages and took fewer remedial courses in high school than students who had similar reading abilities but weren’t held back.

Another study found that English learners, specifically, also benefited from retention under the policy. Students who were held back learned English faster and took more advanced classes in later grades than their peers who also struggled but moved to 4th grade.

When this study came out in 2019, it was intensely scrutinized by the English learner research community. Many of those researchers argued that the study’s findings didn’t provide enough evidence to determine that retention was a good strategy for ELs writ large.

The key reason the Florida policy seems to have helped, some researchers and advocates theorize, is that it provided students with lots of extra support—like time for reading intervention and access to effective teachers.

Despite such findings, advocacy organizations have suggested that there are other, better ways to help students catch up while still promoting them to the next grade along with their peers.

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Special Education Teacher Attrition and Retention: A Review of the Literature

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Retention & FAPE: What Does the Research Say?

My son is in a special education Kindergarten program. When I went to a meeting at the school to plan for next year, I was told he does not qualify for placement in a regular first grade class. They say if he is promoted to first grade, he will flounder in a class with 24 children and one teacher and would not get any additional help.

The school wants to retain my child. They say they know what's best for him. I don't know what to do. Should I push to have him promoted and placed in a regular education class?

Wrightslaw Replies

It sounds like the school gave you information about your options in a way that ensured you would make the "right" decision (from the school's perspective). You were told that your son would "flounder"? The school did not offer to provide the individualized services and supports that they are required to provide? You may want to revisit this issue with your son's school team. It is not too late to change the plans for next year. But first, you need accurate information about retention.

Support from the National Association of School Psychologists First, read this short article that summarizes retention issues . Next, read the article about "Grade Retentiion - Achievement and Mental Health Outcomes" and the Position Statement from the National Association of School Psychologists. According to the National Association of School Psychologists, retention is not helpful and actually damages children. National Association of School Psychologists. Grade Retention - Achievement and Mental Health Outcomes . Sixth grade students rated grade retention as the single most stressful life event, higher than the loss of a parent or going blind. Retained students are less likely to receive a high school diploma by age 20, receive poorer educational competence ratings, and are less likely to be enrolled in any post-secondary education program. Retained students receive lower educational and employment status ratings and are paid less per hour at age 20.

National Association of School Psychologists. Retention and Promotion: A Handout for Parents (2007).

"Research does not support the notion that retention helps children to 'catch up' and that 'social promotion' - sending children on to the next grade regardless of performance – pushes children through the school system without requiring mastery of basic skills.”

National Association of School Psychologists. Position Statement on Student Grade Retention and Social Promotion (2011).

“The National Association of School Psychologists promotes the use of interventions that are effective and research-based and discourages the use of practices which, though popular or widely accepted, are neither not beneficial or are harmful to the welfare and educational attainment of America’s children and youth. Through many years of research, the practice of retaining children in grade has been shown to be ineffective in meeting the needs of children who are academically delayed.."

National Association of School Psychologists. White Paper: Grade Retention and Social Promotion (National Association of School Psychologists, 2011)."

"...retention intervention must offer more than a “repeat” of the previous year’s instruction." "The unanimous conclusion from these [research] reviews is that grade retention offers few if any benefits to the retained student and may increase the retained child’s risk for poor school outcomes, including dropping out of school prior to high school graduation. ”

You should also read " Retention is Not the Answer " by a North Carolina school psychologist. This comprehensive article discusses retention and social promotion. Don't forget to check our Retention & Social Promotion page for newly updated resources.

In light of the Position Statement from the National Association of School Psychologists, I hope the school psychologist will support you in revoking your decision. Your Strategy After you read these articles, think about the issues. From your letter, it sounds like your son needs individualized instruction so he can master the basic skills. If you decide you do not want the school to retain your child, write a letter to the IEP team and ask them to meet with you before school begins to resolve this issue. Be sure to include copies of these articles from National Association of School Psychologists with your letter. Good luck! Learn About Retention & Social Promotion

Learn About IEPs

Learn About Free Appropriate Education (FAPE)

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Success Program Launch: Student-Led Sports Consulting Agency

A student-founded and -led initiative at Gonzaga University creates pro bono work opportunities for future business professionals to work with pro sports teams.

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Student leaders in the Gonzaga Sport Consulting Group gain experience with high-level sports brands through consulting work.

Mateo Valdez

For many students, working for their dream company after graduation can feel like a distant goal. One sophomore at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash., decided to bring experiential learning in sports management to campus and founded the Gonzaga Sport Consulting Group .

The program creates small teams of student consultants to provide high-level sports brands with pro bono business strategy ideas and tools, giving learners real-life experiences to promote the future career success.

The background: Staff at Gonzaga wanted to provide improved postgraduate career-readiness opportunities and skills to students, so the School of Business Administration faculty elected to create more experiential learning spaces for students. Mateo Valdez, a recent graduate of Gonzaga, started the program in 2022, with support from professors John Correia and Gary Weber in the school of business.

A winter 2023 Student Voice survey by Inside Higher Ed , conducted by College Pulse, found nine in 10 students believe their programs of study should require some kind of experiential learning, and more than half said internships specifically should be required.

“Through combining challenging business projects for students to solve with a fun context like sports, GSCG students take on high amounts of project responsibilities and learn at a rapid pace, almost without realizing as they’re working and learning in a space that they love engaging with: sports,” explains Valdez, who also served as program coordinator.

How it works: Students apply to the program at the start of each semester. Those who are accepted get assigned to small teams of six, which are led by a peer project manager for the next eight weeks, focused on a specific project for a client.

All participants receive training before working with clients, instructing them on professionalism, presentation and research skills to ensure they’re well prepared to work on real-world projects. Students are also supported by faculty in the school of business, alumni and peer leaders who provide advice throughout the projects.

Over the years, students have engaged in digital marketing, ticketing strategy, data analytics, partnership strategy, customer experience and more.

Letting Students Lead

Other colleges and universities have created their own consulting groups to provide students with career experiences while enrolled.

At Utah Valley University, digital marketing students can participate in a semester-long experiential learning program, The Green House , that provides digital audits and strategies to local businesses. The Green House hires paid interns each term, with students committing to work 20 hours per week for $12.75 an hour.

American University in Washington, D.C., in 2020 launched a business consulting group, Kogod in Practice (named after the business school), for students, which places learners in co-op and pro bono consulting projects.

The program is funded in part by the school of business and through alumni donors, which is used to support the student experience with in-person work and travel to meet with clients.

The impact: Since it launched in 2022, over 60 students have participated in the program, working with sports brands across leagues including the National Football League, National Basketball Association, Major and Minor League Baseball, National Hockey League, National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Major League Soccer. The group has also supported the local Spokane Hoopfest Association.

In spring 2024, 40 students participated in the program working with clients such as the Toronto Blue Jays and the Los Angeles Kings. This fall, GSCG will partner with the Detroit Lions.

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Through working in the program, students are indirectly and directly prepared to launch their careers after graduation, Valdez says, indirectly by building skills and gaining real-world experiences in working with companies. But more directly, many students have landed jobs and internships with their client companies through GSCG.

“We’ve also seen this model spark a beautiful culture of student-driven innovation [at Gonzaga], from having certain student consultants go beyond the scope of their work and do their own client outreach to get to work with their dream teams, and successfully landing them, to students leaving GSCG to build other programs at Gonzaga inspired by the largely student-driven success we’ve had at GSCG,” Valdez says.

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On the Road With College Students

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Undergraduate Research Experience Increases Retention, Engagement at WVU

An apprenticeship initiative at West Virginia University has shown success at retaining learners of all backgro

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Special Education and Retention: Is it ever appropriate?

There are multiple problems with this district’s offer. Placement is a team decision; Giving parents an ultimatum is not a team decision. A district may propose options, but this district did not mention any other alternatives, including intensive tutoring, adapted curriculum, etc.

Should parents consider retention?

In 1998, the National Joint Committee on Learning Disabilities wrote that, “The weight of the evidence of literally hundreds of studies shows that retaining children does not produce higher achievement.” They further state, “Rather than flunking students, schools should provide high quality instruction for children who find learning difficult.” Their report recommends daily periods of intensive tutoring. It finds intensive tutoring is far less costly than retention and that intensive tutoring consistently increases achievement.

The California Department of Education (CDE) concurs. Their website has a page addressing retention : “Students with disabilities may be retained; however, careful consideration in the development, implementation, and revision of the student’s individualized education program (IEP) should prevent student failure in most cases.

“Research indicates that neither grade retention nor social promotion (the practice of promoting students with their same age-peers although they have not mastered current grade level content) is likely to enhance a child’s learning. Research and common sense both indicate that simply having a child repeat a grade is unlikely to address the problems a child is experiencing.”

What options do you have? 

If your student is not meeting the promotion standards in his/her IEP, the IEP team should meet and review both the student’s IEP and the following questions:

• Is the current IEP appropriate?
• Were the assessments appropriate?
• Are the IEP accommodations and modifications appropriate or adequate?
• Did the student receive all the services, supports, accommodations, and modifications in the IEP?
• Is the student’s promotion standard clearly written? Is it appropriate?

If the answer to all of these questions is yes and the student still does not meet the IEP promotion standards, the CDE recommends intensive supplemental instruction. It requires the IEP team to determine and list all supports and services that will be necessary for the student to progress.

What then? If the student progresses, great. When the team finds the student is not progressing, the CDE recommends meeting again to develop a plan to support the student’s progress.

If the answer to any of the above questions is no, then the IEP team needs to work together to figure out why the student did not receive the necessary supports, come up with a plan to provide them, craft an IEP amendment, and provide intensive supplemental instruction.

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Retention Strategies

Comprehensive retention strategies must be implemented to address existing shortages of special education teachers and SISP.

Role of Policymakers in Supporting Comprehensive Retention Strategies

Policymakers can offer a key role in ensuring that students have access to services by supporting efforts to improve the retention of special education teachers and SISP by:

• Alerting constituents and others of retention strategies and their importance.
• Introducing legislation and supporting regulatory efforts to address and fund these initiatives.

Strategies for Policymakers

• Allow equitable access for families in rural and impoverished areas
• Reduce travel time between schools for SISP to provide services efficiently
• Improve access to needed professionals for homebound students as well as for locations without qualified SISP
• Encourage states to adopt mentorship and induction programs for at least the first 3 years of professional service in licensure/credentialing requirements.
• Provide financial incentives accessible to districts for the hiring and retention of highly effective teachers and SISP to remain in positions over time (e.g., stipends for Master Teachers or Nationally Certified professionals).
• Provide grant funding for districts to develop professional learning communities and other types of peer coaching and mentoring experiences to help professionals feel supported and connected and able to respond to the challenges and stress of school environments.
• Promote interagency and intergovernmental collaboration between schools, community agencies, hospitals, and universities to enable comprehensive delivery of services and supports for student.
• Promote specific caseload, workload and/or ratio targets consistent with national recommendations for best practices.
• Advocate for loan forgiveness for service in professions in high demand, in hard-to-staff schools, and in public service settings.
• Encourage policies that support flexible hiring processes for special education teachers and SISP.

Considerations for States and Districts

• Encourage and develop mentorship/induction programs that value interprofessional education (e.g., professional learning communities, weekly team meetings, brown bag lunches, etc.). Provide access to supervision offered by professionals with related training and expertise.
• Promote national models of practice. Align job descriptions and evaluation systems with national practice models.
• Provide secretarial support for the provision of compliance related paper work activities (e.g., setting up and documenting meetings, sending notices, obtaining consent, etc.).
• Provide professional development opportunities tailored to the specific disciplines to improve relevance of content and encourage professional networking.
• Provide financial incentives for highly effective teachers and SISP to remain in positions over time.
• Create and sustain systems that prioritize interprofessional practice that increase collaboration and teaming for effective service delivery, job satisfaction, and reduced professional isolation.
• Provide recognition (e.g., service awards, merit-based pay, peer appreciation, etc.) opportunities.
• Provide advancement opportunities (e.g., senior teacher, assistant director, coordinator of services, team leader, department chair, etc.).
• Allow for flexible and part-time working experiences (e.g., job-sharing).
• Provide Employee Assistance Programs to help professionals who encounter personal and professional challenges to be able to cope and adjust.
• Conduct annual workplace condition assessments to determine if the practitioner has adequate supplies, work setting, and related supports for successful performance of job duties.
• Use of appropriate, secure, and reliable teleconferencing, teleassessment, and other telehealth services can improve access to consultation and collaboration between educators and with families, improve response times for needed triage services during crisis events, and limit loss of service time spent traveling to and from schools for individual meetings that do not require face to face participation.
• Ensure that hardware and software is fully accessible to persons with disabilities, in conformity with Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act and Section 255 of the Communications Act.
• Use of telehealth to address physical or mental/emotional health can improve health education, health promotion, student engagement and attendance.
• Provide opportunities for practitioners to engage in telework and teleconferencing in order to reduce time spent traveling between buildings for team meetings and other duties that could be managed more quickly and efficiently with a virtual meeting experience.
• Provide opportunities for parents to engage in consultation and collaboration with teachers and other specialized instructional support personnel and to attend meetings virtually (with parent consent) to improve parent engagement and participation in their child’s education. This option could be helpful for families who have difficulty making in person meetings due to difficulty obtaining child care or time off from work.

Benefits of Implementing Comprehensive Retention Efforts

• Comprehensive intentional efforts to retain highly qualified personnel help ensure that there is consistent access to high-quality services and supports for students, their families, and teachers.
• By focusing on the use of retention strategies, districts are able to limit employee attrition, remedy personnel shortages, and increase job satisfaction.
• Retention strategies help employees build stronger working relationships and improved professional skills and self-efficacy, and ultimately experience a more rewarding work experience that promotes greater loyalty in employment settings.
• Comprehensive retention efforts demonstrate to staff that they are a valued member of the school community.

More Information on Retention

• Shortages in School Psychology Resource Guide (National Association of School Psychologists)
• Recruiting and Retaining Qualified School-Based SLPs (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association)
• Educator Quality: Recruitment & Retention​ (Learning Policy Institute)
• Special Education & Related Service Staff Shortage (Ohio Association of Pupil Services Administrators)