Child of Divorced Parents Needs Summer Remedial Help

My granddaughter, a second-grader, will be held back unless she attends mandatory summer school for reading and math. Her parents are divorced, and by the divorce agreement she must spend 10 weeks of the summer with her father in a different state. He is not willing to make arrangements for her attendance at summer school or a learning center. Is this fair to the child? Haven't I read in your column that holding a child back rarely works? - Upset
Answer: We have never been very enthusiastic about holding children back. During the retention year, some achievement gains might occur; however, achievement within two or three years declines so that retained children do no better or more poorly than similar children who were promoted. And sadly, retention frequently results in students having poorer social adjustment, a negative attitude toward school, a higher chance of dropping out of school and even a greater possibility of repeating another grade.
The negative effects of retention have been well-documented in many studies. Retention is most likely to work when a child does not have serious learning deficits or serious social, emotional or behavioral problems. It is also important for the child to have a good attitude toward retention.
If children do not have grade-level skills in reading and math - especially reading - by the end of third grade, it will make subsequent acquisition of knowledge very difficult. Summer school or work with a tutor or at a learning center offers children with weak skills a solid opportunity to play catch-up successfully.
It is imperative that your granddaughter work on improving her skills in reading and math this summer. Her mother or the mother's lawyer should contact the father and tell him that she will get a court order to amend the custody agreement in the mother's favor so the child can get the needed help unless he agrees to and does provide the child with acceptable remedial work during the summer visit. All courts care foremost about what is best for children. And your granddaughter definitely needs the summer remedial help.