National Data Reveals Disparate Regional Strategies for Student Retention Policy

By Eric Sagara, Megan Tagami, Ariel Gilreath, Devna Bose, Carli Brosseau, and Denisa R. Superville · Hechinger Report · 2026-08-19

According to reporting from the Hechinger Report, U.S. school systems are sharply divided on whether to hold struggling students back during early childhood or wait until high school. While southern states like Mississippi and Florida utilize early-grade mandates to address liter

According to reporting from the Hechinger Report, U.S. school systems are sharply divided on whether to hold struggling students back during early childhood or wait until high school. While southern states like Mississippi and Florida utilize early-grade mandates to address liter