What Was the Impact of Third-Grade Retention Legislation on Reading Achievement?

• In Event: Poster Session 6
  In Poster Session: The Interplay of Math, Science, and Literacy I

Abstract

Like many states, Arizona passed a third grade retention law. This study compared two cohorts of students, one prior to passage and one after the law was passed in third through fifth grade. Research questions included how did the percent in the category to be retained change, did that change persist in subsequent grades, did the students barely above the retention point fall below that point in subsequent years and did we see a similar pattern in math? We found that the percent qualifying for retention dropped in about half, in subsequent grades the post-law cohort, both below and slightly above the retention point, was more likely to improve their performance category, and math did not show a similar improvement.

Authors

• Joseph M. O'Reilly, Mesa Public Schools

• Robert Carlisle, Mesa Public Schools

• Cynthia R. Bochna, Mesa Public Schools