Act early to avert school failure

Repeating a grade can be devastating to a child; here's what to do at the first sign of trouble

More than 4,000 letters are being mailed to Wake County students who are at risk of flunking a grade. African-American children make up almost half of the students held back every year, and kindergarten and ninth grade tend to be the most difficult to pass.

Last year, 3,868 Wake students had to repeat a grade. It is considered one of the most stressful experiences a student can have, and the effects can linger. Children who are held back are likelier to drop out of school, according to the National Association of School Psychologists.

Some school systems are beginning to offer options other than holding students back for failing a standardized test or promoting students who are not at grade level because they are socially ready.

David Holdzkom, Wake's assistant superintendent for evaluation and research, says the notion of social promotion is outdated. He also says it is ineffective to retain a child without changing the learning environment. Most schools should move toward a promotion-plus-intervention approach, Holdzkom said.

The warning letters to parents encourage early intervention. It is important to sign the letter acknowledging that you understand your child might fail a grade and start working on a plan to intervene.

Here are some steps for advocating promotion plus intervention:

* Start a portfolio of your child's work. Most elementary students bring home their work each week in a folder. For kids in middle and high school, you may need to ask them to bring work home.

Make copies of any work that requires a signature, and keep all the others in a file. Take special note of work that is marked with below-average grades.

In elementary school, anything marked below a level 3 is a warning sign. When our foster daughter began getting lower marks in math, we sent an e-mail message to her teachers and asked for a conference. The intervention ideas that came out of the meeting included having our daughter bring home her math vocabulary binder and math book when worksheets were assigned and having the teachers remind her to check her work twice before turning it in.

* Find an ally in the school. Ideally, you have established a good rapport with your child's teacher. If not, find someone else who can help you be an advocate for your child. Your next line of defense is the principal and then the area assistant superintendent.

* Learn policy. The law is very clear on certain aspects of a child's education. If your child has an Individualized Education Plan and strategies are not being implemented, you have the right to demand fulfillment. Ask for a copy of your child's assessment card and begin tracking your child's progress in all areas.

* Be reasonable when asking for help. Once you are prepared, ask for a teacher conference to discuss the retention letter. When you go, take the homework folder and ask for an opportunity to compare your child's work with that of other students who got similar or higher marks.

If it is noted that your child doesn't do well in a certain area, ask for specific ways the teacher will intervene. Instead of quarterly reports, ask for monthly or weekly reports.

Repeating a grade should be the last resort for a child. If your child is held back, be sure there are multiple support systems in place to have your child succeed the second time around.

(Liza Weidle, vice president of the Wake County PTA Council, can be reached at familyfilter@nc.rr.com or http://home.nc.rr.com/lizaweidle/)