On the failure of failure: Examining the association between early grade retention and education and employment outcomes during late adolescence

Past research examining the efficacy of eat ly grade retention has presented mixed results. including numerous deleterious outcomes, especially during adolescence. The results of this 21-year, prospective, longitudinal study-which includes retained students, low-achieving but promoted students, and a control group-provide evidence that retained students have a greater probability of poorer educational and employment outcomes during late adolescence. Specifically, retained students had lower levels of academic adjustment at the end of 11th grade, were more likely tb drop out of high school by age 19, were less likely to receive a diploma by age 20, were less likely to be enrolled in a postsecondary education program, received lower education/employment status ratings, were paid less per hour, and received poorer employment competence ratings at age 20 in comparison to a group of low-achieving students. Furthermore, the low-achieving but promoted group was comparable to the control group in all employment outcomes at age 20. Given the importance of a quality education and socioemotional adjustment for subsequent development, the effects of early grade retention ma!: be further understood by considering a transactional model of development. (C) 1999 Society for the Stud!, of School Psychology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.