Retaining a child at grade level has become increasingly popular, consisten
t with the emphasis on accountability and standards in elementary education
. This article provides a comprehensive review of the research examining th
e academic and socioemotional. outcomes associated with grade retention. Fo
llowing a brief historical overview of previously published literature revi
ews, a summary of studies published between 1990 and 1999 is provided. A sy
stematic review and meta-analysis of 20 recent studies includes: outcome va
riables (i.e., achievement and socioemotional adjustment), age or grade of
retained population, matched or controlled for variables in analyses with c
omparison groups, and the overall conclusion regarding the efficacy of grad
e retention. Results of recent studies and this meta-analysis are consisten
t with past literature reviews from the 1970s and 1980s. In addition to a s
ummary of the results, the discussion addresses the disparity between educa
tional practice and converging research regarding grade retention and sugge
sts directions for practice. This review encourages researchers, educationa
l professionals, and legislators to abandon the debate regarding social pro
motion and grade retention in favor of a more productive course of action i
n the new millennium.