Resource Center

In-grade Retention

Students who are held back are 11 times more likely to drop out. The risk increases to 90% for those retained twice. Students who are retained do not receive long-term benefits and usually perform more poorly than low-achieving peers who were not retained. In Texas, the highest in-grade retention rates, by far, are in high school.

Exclusionary Discipline 

Children who have been expelled or suspended are up to 10 times more likely to drop out of high school. Suspension and other exclusionary discipline practices cause students to lose class time and the instruction they need to succeed academically.

Unfair and Insufficient Funding

In Texas, poor school districts have had attrition rates that were more than double those of high-wealth districts. Schools depend on fair funding to serve all of their students each school day. Equitable funding makes a difference.

Testing that is High-Stakes

One test should never be used as a sole criterion for high-stakes decisions about students, such as in-grade retention, diploma denials or state takeovers. Testing is a piece of a larger pie to ensure schools are educating all students. It should guide instruction, inform school improvement and identify student support needs.

Watered-Down, Non-College Prep Curricula

Students whose parents did not attend college are themselves three to six times more likely to enroll in college if they have taken rigorous, higher-level math courses in high school. Support and expectations of students’ abilities to succeed are vital to their education.

Low Funding & Insufficient Support for English Learners

English learner students are among the most likely to drop out and be unprepared for college. They are the fastest-growing segment of students, but they are one of the lowest academically performing. The achievement gap widens as students progress through school. Bilingual education is significantly underfunded and consistently has a shortage of fully certified teachers.

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FAQs

What school policies are linked to higher dropout rates?

IDRA identifies six policies and practices linked to higher dropout and attrition rates: in-grade retention, exclusionary discipline, unfair and insufficient funding, testing that is high stakes, watered-down non-college preparatory curricula and insufficient support for English learner students.

Why does in-grade retention increase dropout risk?

Research shows students who are held back are significantly more likely to leave school before graduation, especially students retained multiple times.

How does exclusionary discipline affect students?

Suspensions and expulsions remove students from classroom instruction and are associated with higher dropout risk and lower academic success.

Why does school funding matter for graduation rates?

Schools rely on equitable funding to provide rigorous coursework, qualified teachers and student support that improve academic achievement and graduation outcomes.

How do rigorous courses affect college-going rates?

Students who take higher-level, college-preparatory courses are more likely to enroll in college, particularly first-generation college students.

Why do English learner students face higher dropout risk?

English learner students often experience insufficient funding, limited access to fully certified bilingual teachers and widening academic opportunity gaps as they progress through school.

[© 2026, IDRA. This article originally appeared in the May edition of the IDRA Newsletter. Permission to reproduce this article is granted provided the article is reprinted in its entirety and proper credit is given to IDRA and the author.]