The Adoption of Test-Based Grade Retention Policies: An Event History Analysis

Abstract

We use event history analysis on an aggregate dataset from 1997 to 2018 to understand the state-level antecedents associated with the adoption of test-based grade retention policies. Findings indicate that the educational conditions of a state to be more predictive of retention policy adoption than the political, economic, and geographic measures. In particular, a greater share of Black students in a state, lower fourth grade NAEP reading proficiency rates, and larger student enrollments in the early grades were all associated with increased odds of grade retention policy adoption.

Keywords

retention policies grade retention accountability educational policy state policies legislative behavior policy diffusion policy innovation

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