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Hold Back To Move Forward? Early Grade Retention And Student Misbehavior

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  • Umut Ozek

    (American Institutes for Research)

Abstract

Test-based accountability has become the new norm in public education over the last decade. In many states and school districts nationwide, student performance on standardized tests plays an important role in high-stakes decisions, such as grade retention. This study examines the effects of grade retention on student misbehavior in Florida, which requires students with reading skills below grade level to be retained in the third grade. The regression discontinuity estimates suggest that grade retention increases the likelihood of disciplinary incidents and suspensions in the short run, yet these effects dissipate over time. The findings also suggest that these short-term adverse effects are concentrated among economically disadvantaged and male students.

Suggested Citation

  • Umut Ozek, 2015. "Hold Back To Move Forward? Early Grade Retention And Student Misbehavior," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 10(3), pages 350-377, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:tpr:edfpol:v:10:y:2015:i:3:p:350-377
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Brian A. Jacob & Lars Lefgren, 2004. "Remedial Education and Student Achievement: A Regression-Discontinuity Analysis," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 86(1), pages 226-244, February.
    2. Marcus A. Winters & Jay P. Greene, 2012. "The Medium-Run Effects of Florida’s Test-Based Promotion Policy," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 7(3), pages 305-330, July.
    3. Brian A. Jacob & Lars Lefgren, 2009. "The Effect of Grade Retention on High School Completion," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 1(3), pages 33-58, July.
    4. McCrary, Justin, 2008. "Manipulation of the running variable in the regression discontinuity design: A density test," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 698-714, February.
    5. Lee, David S. & Card, David, 2008. "Regression discontinuity inference with specification error," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 655-674, February.
    6. Hahn, Jinyong & Todd, Petra & Van der Klaauw, Wilbert, 2001. "Identification and Estimation of Treatment Effects with a Regression-Discontinuity Design," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 69(1), pages 201-209, January.
    7. Jay P. Greene & Marcus A. Winters, 2007. "Revisiting Grade Retention: An Evaluation of Florida's Test-Based Promotion Policy," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 2(4), pages 319-340, September.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Eren, Ozkan & Depew, Briggs & Barnes, Stephen, 2017. "Test-based promotion policies, dropping out, and juvenile crime," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 9-31.
    2. Schwerdt, Guido & West, Martin R. & Winters, Marcus A., 2017. "The effects of test-based retention on student outcomes over time: Regression discontinuity evidence from Florida," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 154-169.
    3. Christina LiCalsi & Umut Ozek & David Figlio, 2019. "The Uneven Implementation of Universal School Policies: Maternal Education and Florida's Mandatory Grade Retention Policy," Education Finance and Policy, MIT Press, vol. 14(3), pages 383-413, Summer.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    public education; standardized testing; grade retention; student misconduct; test-based accountability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I30 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General
    • I24 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Education and Inequality
    • I21 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - Analysis of Education

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