Effect of retention in elementary grades on dropping out of school early

Jan N. Hughes; Qian Cao; Stephen G. West; Paula Allee Smith; Carissa Cerda

doi:10.1016/j.jsp.2017.06.003

Effect of retention in elementary grades on dropping out of school early

Jan N. Hughes, Qian Cao, Stephen G. West, Paula Allee Smith, Carissa Cerda

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

20 Scopus citations

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of grade retention in elementary school on dropping out of school by age 16. Participants were 538 (54% males) ethnically diverse, academically at-risk students recruited from Texas schools into a longitudinal study when they were in first grade (mean age = 6.58). Propensity score weighting successfully equated the 171 retained students and the 367 continuously promoted students on 65 covariates assessed in grade 1. Fifty-one students dropped out of school by age 16 and 487 persisted. Retention (vs. promotion) led to an increased early dropout rate (odds ratio = 1.68), even after controlling for 65 covariates associated with school achievement, retention, or both. Implications of findings for dropout prevention and grade retention policies are discussed.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	11-27
Number of pages	17
Journal	Journal of School Psychology
Volume	65
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2017.06.003
State	Published - Dec 2017

Keywords

Early school leaving
Ethnicity
Gender
Grade retention
Propensity score analyses
Prospective study
School dropout

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Education
Developmental and Educational Psychology

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title = "Effect of retention in elementary grades on dropping out of school early",

abstract = "This study investigated the effect of grade retention in elementary school on dropping out of school by age 16. Participants were 538 (54% males) ethnically diverse, academically at-risk students recruited from Texas schools into a longitudinal study when they were in first grade (mean age = 6.58). Propensity score weighting successfully equated the 171 retained students and the 367 continuously promoted students on 65 covariates assessed in grade 1. Fifty-one students dropped out of school by age 16 and 487 persisted. Retention (vs. promotion) led to an increased early dropout rate (odds ratio = 1.68), even after controlling for 65 covariates associated with school achievement, retention, or both. Implications of findings for dropout prevention and grade retention policies are discussed.",

keywords = "Early school leaving, Ethnicity, Gender, Grade retention, Propensity score analyses, Prospective study, School dropout",

author = "Hughes, {Jan N.} and Qian Cao and West, {Stephen G.} and {Allee Smith}, Paula and Carissa Cerda",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by a grant to Jan Hughes from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grant number HD039367). [Table presented] Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology",

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AU - Hughes, Jan N.

AU - Cao, Qian

AU - West, Stephen G.

AU - Allee Smith, Paula

AU - Cerda, Carissa

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by a grant to Jan Hughes from the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (grant number HD039367). [Table presented] Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Society for the Study of School Psychology

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N2 - This study investigated the effect of grade retention in elementary school on dropping out of school by age 16. Participants were 538 (54% males) ethnically diverse, academically at-risk students recruited from Texas schools into a longitudinal study when they were in first grade (mean age = 6.58). Propensity score weighting successfully equated the 171 retained students and the 367 continuously promoted students on 65 covariates assessed in grade 1. Fifty-one students dropped out of school by age 16 and 487 persisted. Retention (vs. promotion) led to an increased early dropout rate (odds ratio = 1.68), even after controlling for 65 covariates associated with school achievement, retention, or both. Implications of findings for dropout prevention and grade retention policies are discussed.

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KW - Gender

KW - Grade retention

KW - Propensity score analyses

KW - Prospective study

KW - School dropout

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Effect of retention in elementary grades on dropping out of school early

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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