Laggards in Our Schools: A Study of Retardation and Elimination in City School Systems

Backward Children Investigation Targeting Immigrants

 

 

Investigation Conducted by Leonard Ayres (1909)

Catalyst of Reform

 

k        Evidence that schools of the day were imposing too much uniformity on children of varying abilities

k        Unveiled an education system that “filtered” students and separated them based on ethnicity and language

k        Created a dual system – of the “educated” vs. the “poorly educated”

 

Ayres Findings:

 

k        Schools most efficient in the filtering process were presumed to be the best because the students were outstanding achievers

k        Pointed out the need to judge the quality of a public school by its success in elevating the educational level of its students

 

 

 


 

Additional Studies:

 

Caswell, 1933 – Focus on retention of students

  1. During the first three decades of the 20th century rates of grade retention declined
  2. Rates varied from state to state, city-to-city, etc.
  3. Decline due in part to the development of more valid methods of assessing individual intelligence and recognition of individual differences of learners

 

 

 

 

Cheney & Boyer – 1933 – Focus on intelligence

  1. Utilized intelligence test scores to examine the effects of promotion standards
  2. Match schools in Philadelphia on basis of average IQ of student populations
  3. Compared academic progress of students in schools with high rates of student retention vs. those with low rates
  4. Concluded that students in schools with low rates of retention achieved more per year than schools where retention was enforced to a higher degree
  5. Retained students were no less likely to be achieving at levels commensurate with their ability than students who were promoted.
  6. No reasonable rate of retention would produce a degree of homogeneity within each grade to facilitate group instruction

 

Implications: 

 

k        Continued study of retention and its effects on student learning

k        Attention to diversity and effects on student learning

k        Individualizing instruction for student success

k        Standards for all students

k        Commitment to excellence must not diminish commitment to equitable treatment of a diverse student population

 

 

More Recent Studies:

 

A Nation at Risk – 1983 – “the rising tide of mediocrity…”

Promotion Policy Study in New York City Schools – 1981

Standards Movement – 1990s