Read to Achieve: The Path to Retention and its Consequences (2015)

Undergraduate: Kristin Baddour

Faculty Advisor: Patrick Akos
Department: Political Science

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This policy analysis examines the implementation of North Carolina¿¿¿s Read to Achieve program. Read to Achieve is a part of the Excellent Public Schools Act which became law in July of 2012. Through this law, third-grade students who are not at reading level will receive extra help to ensure they are capable of work in fourth grade. The extra help comes in forms of summer reading camps or interventions. A student who does not read proficiently at the end of the third grade, and does not attend summer reading camps and/or pass re-assessments or does not meet a ¿¿¿good cause exemption¿¿¿ is retained. The analysis will also highlight that grade retention increases high school dropouts, negatively impacts student behavior and school attendance, and does not improve student achievement. Additionally, retention is not applied equally; students of lower income and of color are retained more frequently. I will offer an analysis of the Read to Achieve program and offer insight to other states¿¿¿ retention policies, particularly Florida.