Grade Retention: A Case Study in Cincinnati Public Schools

This health impact assessment (HIA) studied a proposed policy of the Cincinnati Public Schools (CPS) on grade retention. Grade retention is the practice used by many schools, public and private, where an underachieving student is not allowed to advance to the next grade and instead is made to repeat the grade. This practice is also known as “sticking,” “flunking,” and “held back.”

Between 2006-07 and 2009-10, the CPS retained an average of 2,431 students per year, representing a high of 8.8% to a low of 7% of the student population. Research studies show that the practice of grade retention has been proved to be ineffective in improving student achievement. More important, according to the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP), there are risk factors that go along with grade retention such as: 1) a high correlation with dropping out, 2) emotional distress, 3) cigarette use, 4) alcohol drug abuse, 5) driving while drinking, 6) early onset of sexual activity, 7) suicidal intentions, and 8) violent behaviors. A 2002 study found that retained students are two to 11 times more likely to drop out of high school than promoted students. Adverse outcomes of dropping out of school follow students into adulthood where students who are retained are also more likely to be unemployed, living on public assistance, or incarcerated (NASP).

This HIA focused on the connections between grade retention, dropping out, and health impacts.