How does grade level retention affect students\u27 academic, social, and emotional development?

The practice of grade level retention is a controversial topic. Unlike many other educational practices, it is an issue that garners both support and protest from the public. It is difficult to determine the effects of retention on student development, as little data is kept. The purpose of this capstone is to determine how retention affects students in three critical areas of development: academic, social, and emotional. My action research consisted of surveys completed by participants with direct experience to grade level retention. Participants included students, parents, support staff, teachers and administrators. While literature lacks support for its use, generally my participants supported the practice of retention. Former students and parents contradicted this viewpoint only slightly expressing some concern over the long-term effects grade level retention has on student development from a personal standpoint