Social promotion versus retention is a highly charged and critical education issue. Research studies show that retention has negative effects on students and is costly to schools and society. The National Dropout Prevention Center has identified the 15 most effective strategies for dropout prevention, which are discussed in this article in addition to a specific set of six program solutions and strategies as alternatives to grade retention. The center's "promotion with purpose" policy, along with exemplar programs, are presented for local school leaders to use in designing alternatives to retention.
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