First-Grade Student Retention Within a 3-Tier Reading Framework

Abstract

First-grade students from 6 Title I schools participated in this study, which used a response to intervention (RTI) framework to examine the retention of 1st-grade students. Researchers examined reading and behavior data from 3 cohorts of students (1 historical control cohort and 2 cohorts receiving tiered reading instruction) and data gathered from interviews with school principals. They (a) identified a change in the retention rate of 1st-grade students, (b) synthesized principals' perceptions of the retention decision-making process, and (c) compared reading and behavior outcomes of students retained after RTI implementation to those of students retained using a more “traditional” school framework. The retention rate of 1st-grade students decreased by 47% after RTI was implemented. Data suggest student behavior, oral reading rates, and other individual school variables (as identified by principals) as possible factors contributing to the retention of students.