Passing rates improved from 1997 to 1998 in third and sixth grades, but retention rates did not decline because fewer students received waivers¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r1 · q2
Currency · newest study 1999 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person · overdue for a recheck since 2002: local conditions change quickly

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Included third graders passing by May rose from 51% to 61% and sixth graders from 65% to 72% between 1997 and 1998, yet retention stayed roughly constant as waiver rates fell. → Melissa Roderick 1999

Evidence¶

Melissa Roderick 1999¶

Melissa Roderick, Anthony S. Bryk, Brian A. Jacob, John Q. Easton, Elaine Allensworth. (1999). Ending Social Promotion: Results from the First Two Years. Consortium on Chicago School Research. https://consortium.uchicago.edu/publications/ending-social-promotion-results-first-two-years

q2 · i? · causal · r1

Comparison of 1997 and 1998 passing, retention, and waiver rates (Figure 1-6); "Despite higher passing rates, the proportion of students retained did not decrease between 1997 and 1998 largely because more students who did not meet the standards were retained."

"Despite higher passing rates, the proportion of students retained did not decrease between 1997 and 1998 largely because more students who did not meet the standards were retained."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Despite higher passing rates, retention rates did not fall because fewer students who failed the cutoff were promoted with waivers — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Passing rates under the Chicago promotional policy increased in all three grades from 1997 to 1999, mostly during the school year rather than Summer Bridge — related
• Waivers promoted about one-third of third graders and 40% of sixth and eighth graders who failed the 1997 promotional criteria, keeping retention rates well below failure rates — related
• Only 43% of retained third graders and 47% of retained sixth graders met the test criteria by summer 1998 despite four chances, yet over two-thirds were promoted the next year largely due to waivers — related