GRADE RETENTION, A PATHWAY TO SOLITUDE?
A cross-national multilevel analysis
towards the effects of being retained on sense of belonging
TIMO VAN CANEGEM, PROF. DR. MIEKE VAN HOUTTE, PROF. DR.
JANNICK DEMANET
DEPARTMENT SOCIOLOGY
RESEARCH GROUP HEALTH AND DEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH
Introduction
̶̶ Grade retention: a controversial practice
(+) granting low-achieving students more time, catching up, gaining maturity
(+) homogenizing classes, teacher effectiveness
(-) strong predictor of dropping out early
(-) cognitive and non-cognitive effects not clear
Sense of belonging
– Establishing and maintaining relatedness vital part of happiness
– Important predictor high academic achievement/dropping out early
– Person-environment fit theory: retainees might feel misfit with environment
– Is grade retention associated with a lower sense of belonging? (RQ1)
The role of retention composition
– Retention composition differs widely between schools and countries
Need for multilevel analysis
– Experience of being retained dependent upon school retention composition
Person-environment fit theory
– Is the association between grade retention and sense of belonging moderated by the retention composition of a school? (RQ2)
Heterogeneity management model (Mons, 2007)
̶̶ How do different countries heterogenize students?
Separation model (Ger, Austria, Swi, Lux, Bel, Neth, Cze, Hun, Svk)
Uniform integration model (Fra, Spain, Greece, Ita and Por)
À la carte integration model (USA, UK, Can, Ireland, NZL and Australia)
Individualized integration model (Den, Ice, Fin, Swe, Pol)
Is the association between grade retention and sense of belonging moderated by the heterogeneity management system? (RQ3)
Dataset
̶̶ Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA)
‒ Wave of 2015
̶̶ Allows for large scale cross-national analyses on 15-year-old students
206,691 students in 8,004 schools in 25 countries
Research design
̶̶ Multilevel analysis
Contextualizing grade retention research
Individuals nested within schools, nested within countries
– Individual characteristics
Grade retention, gender, ethnic minority, SES, reading score
– School characteristics
Retention composition, ethnic/reading score composition
– Country characteristics
Heterogeneity management model, GDP per capita
– Cross-level interactions
Controlled means
Controlled means
Results
1) Being retained associates negatively with sense of belonging throughout all models
Confirmation RQ1
2)Significant cross-level interaction effect retention x retention composition
Effect of grade retention diminishes with a higher amount of other retainees
Confirmation RQ2: moderation effect, cf. person-fit environment theory
3) Negative association larger in à la carte integration and individualized integration models
Confirmation RQ3: different implications within different educational systems (cf. heterogeneity management models)
Implications and suggestions
For research
– Context often neglected, multilevel analysis crucial
– Grade retention most detrimental for SoB in contexts with few
retainees (on both school and system level), but also negative in schools with a lot of retainees
– Qualitative research necessary For policy makers
– Grade retention not a “neutral” educational practice, driven by ideological motives on how students should be differentiated.
– Contrast (cognitive) positive effects to non-cognitive negative effects
Discussion
– Countries universally credited for their merits (Fin, Den, Ice, Swe) score worst in terms of sense of belonging among
retainees
How could these countries deal with this?
– In general: what is the solution for non-cognitive downsides of retention?
QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
Prof. dr. Jannick Demanet
Jannick.Demanet@UGent.be Timo Van Canegem
Timo.VanCanegem@UGent.b e
Prof. dr. Mieke Van Houtte Mieke.VanHoutte@UGent.be
