Criteria for retention for selected Jefferson County schools and a comparison of grades and attitudes of pre and post retainees

The principals of the four middle schools were interviewed to determine their criteria for retention. Teachers from each school were also interviewed to see if the criteria used was understood by all the people involved. School board minutes were checked to see if a written policy for the county existed. Student grades for the retained and repeated years were recorded from their permanent records. An attitude questionnaire was given to those students who had been retained and were still in the Jefferson County school system.

The findings of the study showed that no written policy for retention could be found in Jefferson County. A verbal agreement, however, had been made by the principals and Central Office that a student would be retained if he failed two of the following four subjects— English, math, history, and science. Each principal used additional methods to select those students who would be retained, however. Additional factors considered were age, behavior, previous retentions, and membership in a "Resource" program.

The comparison of students' grades for retained and repeated years showed no statistically significant increase. No statistically significant improvement was shown between the subgroup having different teachers for the repeated years and the subgroup having the same teachers for the repeated year. Most of the students again made grades which were less than passing their second year.

A majority of the students expressed a liking for school and a feeling that they had been helped by retention. A majority also said that they would recommend retention for other students.

From the data gathered by the study, the following conclusions can be made. A written policy toward retention is needed in Jefferson County to alleviate feelings of confusion by the teachers. A comparison of grades for retained students indicates that no academic benefits accrue from retention. Finally, even though the students answered that they thought their retention had been a good idea because it helped them improve their school work, the grades for the repeated year did not justify this claim. Most of the students still made failing grades in two or more subjects. Those students who did recommend retention for others because it would help them in their school work did not experience a statistically significant gain in their own school work during their repeated year. Either the students were not being truthful or time had dimmed their feelings about retention.