When to Retain a Student



As the national Move On with Reading program get underway. Many parents will not have a choice in whether or not to retain their child but for most parents, retention is not required but may be a viable option for your child.


I recently got a phone call from an old friend. She knew I was a teacher and she wanted some advice regarding her son. His teacher was recommending retention at his current grade level. My first question for anybody facing this decision is, “How old is your child?” I believe that if you do choose to retain a child, it is better for his or her emotional health to make this decision as early as possible. There is a big difference socially between retaining a kindergartner and retaining a fifth grader. I also think that the size, stature and temperament of your child should play a part in this decision. If your child is small for his or her age, an extra year will help him or her grow both physically and emotionally. If your child is big for his or her age and tends toward being aggressive, take some time to think honestly about whether or not the potential for younger, smaller kids getting hurt exists. Weigh this carefully amongst all the other factors regarding this decision.


There is a trending buzz about multi-age classrooms based on ability level as opposed to age. I will write more about my own opinions about that but for now, most classrooms are arranged in homogeneous age groupings. (Kids are generally all around the same age.) Therefore, think about how your child fits in or stands out among children his or her age. Is your child one of the younger kids in the class or one of the oldest? Depending on the child, a younger child may need more maturity to catch up. An older child that is still struggling may need special services or focused academic interventions.


Make sure you understand why the teacher or the school is recommending retention. Does your child excel in all subjects except for one? Is he or she receiving a pull-out for this subject? Would this pull-out continue in the next grade level? Is he or she receiving other service such as speech and language or orthopedic services? Could this play a part in your child’s growth in this subject area? I have spoke to parents in this situation that chose to retain a student and thought that it was a positive thing to do for their child. The extra year to gain mastery over a subject or subjects can be helpful. I have also witnessed children that struggled in one area and continued to struggle despite being retained but became less interested in other subjects because he or she was repeating something already mastered and not given an extra challenge in the area that he or she excelled at. One important thing to consider regarding this topic is to make sure you are advocating for your child to receive the proper services for their needs. I have met so many parents that are afraid of “labeling” their child. Although I agree that some of the exact terms may need tweaking, don’t let that influence your decision to allow students to qualify to receive the services that help them. Working with a speech pathologist, a reading specialist or a special education teacher can speed up learning tremendously. Every child is unique in his own way and knowing what makes your child unique and devising the best teaching strategies for him helps him to learn and grow. Retention may or may not be part of that strategy depending on your answers to the questions above.


What do you think? Have you been faced with a decision to retain your child? What did you decide and what was the outcome of your decision?

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