Social Promotion
School & District Management
Extra Instruction Helps Boston Students Make the Grade
Boston's $21 million, full-court press to help low-performing students in grades 3, 6, and 9 is showing promise, a report by the district concludes.
School & District Management
Chicago Study Questions Results Of Retention
Although districts across the nation have been watching—and often copying—Chicago's efforts to ensure that students are prepared for grade-level work, a new report questions the city's policy of retaining students rather than promoting them with their peers.
School & District Management
Ending Social Promotion
It's rare in education when the research all seems to point to a single conclusion. But for years researchers have agreed that making a child repeat a grade almost always does more harm than good. That is, until recently.
School & District Management
Study Looks at Retention Policy In Chicago
The first evaluation of the much-publicized campaign to end social promotion in Chicago is serving up fodder for both critics and supporters of that effort, allowing neither side to claim total victory.
Student Achievement
L.A. To Ease Requirements For Promotion
With more than half the district's 710,000 students at risk of being held back a grade for failing to meet the state's promotion standards, Los Angeles' new leadership team has proposed scaling back a plan to end social promotion by 2001.
Student Achievement
OCR Probing Social Promotion in Chicago
Chicago's drive to eliminate social promotion, which has won praise from President Clinton, is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's office for civil rights.
Student Achievement
Opinion
Failing Children--Twice
President Clinton once again calls for an end to "social promotion." If the kids aren't cutting it, hold them back in the same grade. The syndicated columnist E.J. Dionne worries that retaining children in grade might turn out to be just another gimmick. It is worse. It is a disaster. Given the increasing popularity of using failure as a pedagogical technique, it is important to know this about retaining children in grade: It doesn't work.
Student Achievement
Opinion
What If We Ended Social Promotion?
Last year, I chaired a study of appropriate uses of testing for the
National Research Council. The NRC panel was a diverse group of 15
scholars from all over the country. We wrote our report, "High Stakes:
Testing for Tracking, Promotion, and Graduation," in response to a
congressional mandate. The study was prompted by the Clinton
administration's proposal, in 1997, for voluntary national tests of 4th
grade reading and 8th grade math.
Recruitment & Retention
Boston Swaps Flunking for 'Transition' Grades
Boston school leaders are creating three new "transition" grades to give a second chance to students who stand to flunk under the district's tough new promotion policy.
Student Achievement
Texas Moves Ahead on Social-Promotion Curb
It was one of his major re-election themes last fall. Then, he called for it again in his January State of the State Address. And, now, Gov. George W. Bush of Texas is a step closer to curbing social promotion, or the practice of advancing students in grade before they master grade-level skills.
Education Funding
Calif. Targets K-12 'Social Promotions'
California lawmakers capped weeks of hard-ball politics by passing legislation last week that would clamp down on so-called social promotions and provide $115 million to help students who are falling behind.
Student Achievement
Approach High-Stakes Assessments With Caution, NRC Report Urges
As policymakers continue to pursue measures that tie crucial decisions about students to tough new assessments, the National Research Council is sounding a warning about the use of such high-stakes testing.
Student Achievement
Plans in Houston and N.Y.C. Would Tighten Promotion Rules
New York City last week became the latest big-city district to declare war on promoting students who aren't ready for the next grade, as Houston moved just one step away from making a ban on the practice a reality.
Standards & Accountability
Texas Governor Has Social Promotions in His Sights
Gov. George W. Bush of Texas has a get-tough pledge to make it harder for public school students to advance to the next grade.