Despite the school board's desire to end social promotion, Los Angeles Unified lacks the money and personnel to eliminate the practice of passing academically unprepared students to the next grade level, officials said.
The school board approved a resolution last July seeking a new policy to promote students to the next grade only if they meet academic milestones.
Although officials wanted the policy in place for the 2012-13 school year, the committee studying the issue has recommended indefinitely postponing any significant change because of the ongoing budget crisis.
Citing research that found little benefit in forcing a student to repeat a grade, the panel of district educators and parents discouraged student retention. And despite the constraints on money and personnel, they recommended making a greater effort to focus on struggling students before they get left behind.
"The committee felt very strongly that retention should be a last resort," Jaime Aquino, the deputy superintendent of instruction who oversaw the panel's work, said in an interview Tuesday. "We believe that professional development (of teachers) and early intervention (of students) will be more effective. We don't think that holding a student back will make a difference."
The staff recommendation was outlined Tuesday for the school board's Curriculum Committee and will be discussed further in upcoming sessions.
Social promotion is the term given to the unsanctioned practice of advancing students to the next grade level even if they are academically unprepared. While students who perform below grade level may be frustrated and at increased risk of dropping out, researchers say it is healthier for the youngsters' social development to remain with their peers.
When in doubt hold people to no standard at all, if it weren't for the tests required to graduate LAUSD would probably just hand them all a diploma at 18.
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Politicians are like diapers, they should be changed often and for the same reason.