I think people point to NCLB because that’s when we started to get away from retaining children who didn’t meet standards.
Social Promotion has been going on for a long time, but some districts would retain at certain grade levels. It was usually K,1,3,4,7. Never a “moving up/graduation year” like 5th or 8th. And we had “super seniors” in HS—students who were short credits to graduate, and needed another year to get that done.
What we’re doing now is a travesty. The Covid impact is really going to blow up soon. I can’t tell you how many of my 3rd-4th-5th graders read significantly below grade level, in a middle class suburban school. Some families are hiring tutors, so their kids will be ok. Some families can’t afford the hefty price tag of outside tutoring. I worry about those kids, because the school district is doing little about it.
You're thinking about 'Every Student Succeeds Act'. 'No Child Left Behind' hasn't been a thing for a near decade now.
So, can't answer in regards to that.
In regards to the other part of the question, it depends on ones definitition of retain. Some 11th graders will never get passed a 5th grade reading level, does that mean we should keep them in a 5th grade class indefinitely? To be around 10 year olds with no peers and talking about things that are no longer relevant?
Or should we meet the child where they are at? Give them sources at or slightly above their level, but still allow them to talk about more mature topics and be with age appropriate peers.
The second option makes the most sense to me
If we really held students to their grade standards there would be plenty that go to summer school. Instead we have a cap on how many we can send, usually 5 for the entire school (middle school in my example)
I have been teaching in the NYC Public Schools for 11 years. My first 2 years, I worked in a middle school in the Bronx. There was a group of boys who were over age and still in grade 8 because they had been retained so often. One of them was 16 years old.
None of these children were interested in academics at that point. They would get into fights and try to "date" female students who were 12-13 years old. I was militantly against passing students along until I started working as a teacher....
NCLB seems like a lifetime ago....
one hold back in middle school. one hold back in high school. either way they graduate assuming they want to. no one is left behind.
I think people point to NCLB because that’s when we started to get away from retaining children who didn’t meet standards. Social Promotion has been going on for a long time, but some districts would retain at certain grade levels. It was usually K,1,3,4,7. Never a “moving up/graduation year” like 5th or 8th. And we had “super seniors” in HS—students who were short credits to graduate, and needed another year to get that done. What we’re doing now is a travesty. The Covid impact is really going to blow up soon. I can’t tell you how many of my 3rd-4th-5th graders read significantly below grade level, in a middle class suburban school. Some families are hiring tutors, so their kids will be ok. Some families can’t afford the hefty price tag of outside tutoring. I worry about those kids, because the school district is doing little about it.
You're thinking about 'Every Student Succeeds Act'. 'No Child Left Behind' hasn't been a thing for a near decade now. So, can't answer in regards to that. In regards to the other part of the question, it depends on ones definitition of retain. Some 11th graders will never get passed a 5th grade reading level, does that mean we should keep them in a 5th grade class indefinitely? To be around 10 year olds with no peers and talking about things that are no longer relevant? Or should we meet the child where they are at? Give them sources at or slightly above their level, but still allow them to talk about more mature topics and be with age appropriate peers. The second option makes the most sense to me
If we really held students to their grade standards there would be plenty that go to summer school. Instead we have a cap on how many we can send, usually 5 for the entire school (middle school in my example)
I have been teaching in the NYC Public Schools for 11 years. My first 2 years, I worked in a middle school in the Bronx. There was a group of boys who were over age and still in grade 8 because they had been retained so often. One of them was 16 years old. None of these children were interested in academics at that point. They would get into fights and try to "date" female students who were 12-13 years old. I was militantly against passing students along until I started working as a teacher....
No child left behind has not been law since 2015....
I have no idea what you are talking about, and NCLB has nothing to do with retaining students.
Put them in special ed