Psyched About School

Around this time of the school year, I start hearing about potential candidates for retention.  I sometimes feel like the odd man out during meetings when this topic comes up.  The research simply does not support retention as an effective intervention for increasing academic performance.  To that point, one of our very own school psychologists wrote a blog last year which reviewed some of this research as well as common myths associated with retention. As we begin to make these critical decisions, it seems like a good time to re-post that blog.  To read this blog written by Liz Williams, visit Retention is not an Intervention

By Liz Williams, WS/FCS School Psychologist In response to our defined district goals, it is important for us to reflect upon our current practices and whether or not they support meeting these goals. Additionally, with increasing pressure to meet grade level standards and a call to end social promotion there has been a renewed emphasis on grade retention as an educational remedy for underachieving children. Sometimes children are recommended for retention when their academic performance is low, if they fail to meet grade-level performance standards, if they seem socially immature, display behavior problems, or are just beginning to learn English. Occasionally, students who have missed many school days because they were ill or because of frequent moves are recommended for retention. We need to examine whether or not these retention practices are effective or not. “6th grade students rated grade retention as the single most stressful life event, higher than the loss of a par...

Did you know our department puts out a newsletter several times a year?  The articles are written by members of our very own staff.  This month's topics include retention, collaborative and proactive solutions to behavioral and emotional problems, Khan Academy, and the benefits of early reading exposure.  To see our newest edition, click on this link: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/cms/lib/NC01001395/Centricity/Domain/47/September%202015.pdf You can find past issues if you visit our department's webpage: http://wsfcs.k12.nc.us/Page/786