The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach

[EN]Background Grade retention is an educational aspect that concerns teachers, families, and experts. It implies an economic cost for families, as well as a personal cost for the student, who is forced to study one more year. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of course repetitio...

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Authors: León, Jaime, Martínez Abad, Fernando
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
Repository:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
OAI Identifier:oai:gredos.usal.es:10366/169896
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10366/169896
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Causal inference
Performance
PSM
PISA
Grade retention
Secondary education
Propensity score matching
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repository_id_str
spelling The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approachLeón, JaimeMartínez Abad, FernandoCausal inferencePerformancePSMPISAGrade retentionSecondary educationPropensity score matching[EN]Background Grade retention is an educational aspect that concerns teachers, families, and experts. It implies an economic cost for families, as well as a personal cost for the student, who is forced to study one more year. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of course repetition on math, science and reading competencies, and math self-efficacy. Methods We employed a causal approach using propensity score matching to compare the result in the PISA tests of retained versus non-retained students. We found a comparison group with a similar distribution in the control variables to the group of retained students. Results Course retention has a negative effect on the academic performance of students. Retained students showed lower results in math, science, reading, and math self-efficacy compared to the non-retained group. Conclusions In line with previous research, evidence shows that grade repetition in Spain is not obtaining the expected results in retained students. This evidence suggests a rethinking of grade retention policies in Spain.Springer Nature202620262025info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionhttp://hdl.handle.net/10366/169896reponame:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamancainstname:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)InglésPID2021-125775NB-I00Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:gredos.usal.es:10366/1698962026-06-07T06:28:51Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
title The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
spellingShingle The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
León, Jaime
Causal inference
Performance
PSM
PISA
Grade retention
Secondary education
Propensity score matching
title_short The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
title_full The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
title_fullStr The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
title_full_unstemmed The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
title_sort The effect of grade retention on performance in Spanish students: a propensity score matching approach
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv León, Jaime
Martínez Abad, Fernando
author León, Jaime
author_facet León, Jaime
Martínez Abad, Fernando
author_role author
author2 Martínez Abad, Fernando
author2_role author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Causal inference
Performance
PSM
PISA
Grade retention
Secondary education
Propensity score matching
topic Causal inference
Performance
PSM
PISA
Grade retention
Secondary education
Propensity score matching
description [EN]Background Grade retention is an educational aspect that concerns teachers, families, and experts. It implies an economic cost for families, as well as a personal cost for the student, who is forced to study one more year. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of course repetition on math, science and reading competencies, and math self-efficacy. Methods We employed a causal approach using propensity score matching to compare the result in the PISA tests of retained versus non-retained students. We found a comparison group with a similar distribution in the control variables to the group of retained students. Results Course retention has a negative effect on the academic performance of students. Retained students showed lower results in math, science, reading, and math self-efficacy compared to the non-retained group. Conclusions In line with previous research, evidence shows that grade repetition in Spain is not obtaining the expected results in retained students. This evidence suggests a rethinking of grade retention policies in Spain.
publishDate 2025
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2025
2026
2026
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10366/169896
url http://hdl.handle.net/10366/169896
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv PID2021-125775NB-I00
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internacional
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Nature
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Springer Nature
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
instname:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
instname_str Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
reponame_str GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
collection GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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