The results suggest that students who were exempted from the policy probably did not have the skills necessary to achieve in later grades, the researchers concluded. That is, students who received an exemption seem to hit a brick wall and make very small test score gains in the more difficult fifth grade. Further research is necessary to evaluate whether these exempted students continue to struggle and fall further behind their peers in later, even more difficult grades.
While supporting an exemption provision, Greene advocates more accurately identifying students who will benefit from exemption. He said the results raise the question of why schools are organized by age rather than by skills or other methods.
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