EARLI Centre for Excellence in Research (E-CER): Alternatives for Grade RetentionIn Progress
Within any given class in primary and secondary education, there is typically considerable variation among students in terms of academic achievement, learning pace, interests, motivation, and socio-economic background. This heterogeneity challenges teachers and policy makers in their efforts to maintain high educational standards and raises the question of how to deal effectively with such diversity.
In many European countries, students who struggle to keep up with their peers are asked to repeat a grade rather than being promoted to the next one (Eurydice, 2020). While grade retention remains a common practice across Europe, research has consistently shown that it does not improve students’ academic or social development. Moreover, grade repetition is disproportionately applied to low-SES, ethnic minority, and disabled students, even when achievement levels are comparable, making it an unfair and ineffective policy.
The E-CER “Alternatives for Grade Retention” brings together researchers from Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium to advance knowledge and collaboration on this issue. The project aims to:
- Investigate grade retention beliefs, practices, predictors, effects, and alternatives across different European contexts.
- Disseminate, evaluate, and adapt tools developed by the team (e.g., in the Erasmus+ Alternatives for Retention project) that support schools and teachers in implementing fair and effective alternatives to grade retention.
- Develop joint international research proposals (e.g., WEAVE, Horizon Europe, Erasmus+) to strengthen the evidence base and promote inclusive education policies.
Through these activities, the E-CER seeks to contribute to a more equitable and evidence-informed approach to student diversity and support across Europe.
Funded by: EARLI – European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction
Duration: 2024 – 2028
Partner institutions: ISPA Instituto Universitário (Portugal), Medical School Berlin (Germany), LMU Munich (Germany), Ghent University (Belgium), UHasselt (Belgium), KU Leuven/UCLL (Belgium), Maastricht University (The Netherlands)
Project website: www.earli.org/e-cer-goos