Parents in Texas now have the final say when it comes to their child repeating a grade or not.
Gov. Greg Abbott signed Senate Bill 1697 into law comes after a year of learning disruptions caused by COVID-19, leading to many children continuing their education at home rather than in a typical classroom setting.
This change has different implications depending on the grade a child is in. The overall goal of the changes is to close the learning gap a child may have developed during a year full of unknowns and non-traditional classroom settings.
Thousands of children who were eligible for pre-kindergarten or kindergarten last year did not enroll because of the pandemic. The previous state law would have forced the child to move to the next grade level due to age restrictions.
The new law allows the parent to enroll or re-enroll their child despite age.
“That’s the big ones right there, is trying to get that gap closed for those very impressional beginning years of education,” David Bishop, Assistant Superintendent for Amarillo Independent School District.
Texas' parents of school-aged kids 1st grade through high school can also decide if their child should be retained or be required to repeat a course.
“What the parent needs to look at is did they satisfactorily meet what they needed to learn during that time to be successfully moving on what we don’t want is the gap to continue,” Bishop said.
On the flip side, data shows children who are held back have a lower chance of graduating, Bishop said that’s why it’s important for a child’s school and the parent to communicate.
“Schools are always in touch with parents especially when it has to do with a child who may not be academically where they need to be when they talk about retention,” Bishop said.
If a parent believes it is best for their child to repeat a course or grade, they must inform their school in writing before the upcoming school year.
If the decision is made for a high school student to repeat a course, it depends on the school district's policy on credit for repeat courses and how the grades will impact a student’s GPA.
