A National Divide Over Holding Back Students: States Approach Retention Differently
States and school districts across the US approach retention, or holding back students, in different ways. Some states, like Hawaii, wait until ninth grade or later to retain students, while others, like Mississippi and Florida, retain students at younger ages, between kindergarten and third grade.
Schools across the US have different approaches to retention, or holding back students, which can have varying effects on their academic success.
## Retention in the US: A Mixed Picture
Retention is often considered a last resort to catch students up academically. However, the approach to retention varies greatly across states and school districts. In some states, like Hawaii, schools tend to wait until ninth grade or later to retain students, while others, like Mississippi and Florida, retain students at much younger ages, between kindergarten and third grade.
## Laws Mandating Retention
A growing number of states are mandating retention, particularly in third grade. According to an analysis from the Education Commission of the States, more than two dozen states now have laws requiring or allowing schools to retain third-grade students who are not reading at grade level.
| State | Retention Age | | --- | --- | | Hawaii | 9th grade or later | | Mississippi | 3rd grade | | Florida | 3rd grade |
## The Effectiveness of Retention
The research on retention is mixed, with little consensus on whether retention can catch students up to grade level. Historically, most studies indicated that students who had to repeat a grade often benefited very little and had long-term negative consequences. However, research from the past decade suggests that younger students may see some positive effects from retention if schools are also combining it with high-intensity tutoring and support.
## Regional Variations in Retention
In every year measured, schools in the South held students back more than any other region. Boys were held back more than girls, and Black boys were retained at nearly three times the rate of white boys. This gap did not narrow over the decade even as retention fell.
## The Case of Hawaii
In Hawaii, roughly 1 in 10 freshmen in public high schools had to repeat ninth grade in the 2021-22 school year. This was more than double the national rate for this group of students. Schools in Hawaii attribute the spike in ninth-grade retention to strict credit requirements, more difficult coursework, and increased peer pressure to skip class and dodge assignments.
## The Case of Mississippi
Mississippi has taken a markedly different approach to retention. In 2013, the state introduced a policy to retain third graders if they couldn’t pass the reading portion of the state’s English Language Arts assessment. This policy has had a trickle-down effect, with retentions in Mississippi concentrated in kindergarten through second grade.
## Challenges in Providing Support
Despite the potential benefits of retention, some educators worry that resources to provide support are falling away. In North Carolina, for example, school counselors like Shana Richards are struggling to provide after-school programming and tutoring due to a lack of funding and resources.
## A Program to Support Ninth-Graders
Richards helped design a program for her school’s incoming ninth graders that aims to reduce the need for supports that are now harder to come by. The program, called “Welcome to the Brotherhood,” primarily serves the population with the highest retention rates: Black boys. Students learn study skills and hear about academic expectations from their English and math teachers, and they also have time to make friends and tour the college campus that surrounds their school.
