department sociology

1. department sociology Grade retention and academic self-conceptA multilevel analysis towards the effects of school retention compositionTIMO VAN CANEGEM, PROF. DR. Mieke van houtte, Prof. Dr. JANNICK DEMANEt

2. Introduction • Grade retention: a controversial practice • High prevalence in Flanders (Belgium) • (+) granting low-achieving students more time, catching up, gaining maturity • (+) homogenizing classes in terms of abilities and skills, teacher effectiveness • (-) strong predictor of dropping out early • (-) questionable cognitive and non-cognitive effects

3. Academic self-concept • Research into non-cognitive effects scarce and inconsistent • Academic self-concept: individuals’ self-perception as a student (Marsh, 2016) • Reciprocal relationship with academic achievement • If low: hindering use of full cognitive capacities, vicious circle • If high: high achievement, beneficiallong-term behavioral patterns • Doretainees have a lower academic self-concept than students who never had to repeat a grade before? (RQ1)

4. Sense of belonging • Establishing and maintaining relatedness as a human concern • Feeling part of a larger entity, not feeling isolated • Grade retention known to decrease sense of belonging • Self-determination theory(Ryan & Deci, 2008): related to academic self-concept • A high sense of belonging as a precursor of goodmental health • Does sense of belonging mediate the relationship between grade retention and academic self-concept? (RQ2)

5. The role of retention composition • Normative reference group theory (Richer, 1976): direct effect of context • Number of retainees sets ‘school norm’ (norms and values) • Is a high retention composition associated with lower levels of academic self-concept for all students at a given school? (RQ3) • Comparative reference group theory (Richer, 1976): interaction effect of context • Experience of being retained influenced by retention composition • Is the association between grade retention and academic self-concept moderated by the retention composition of a school? (RQ4)

6. Conceptual model

7. Dataset • International Study Of City Youth (ISCY) • Crossnational dataset in 12 different cities (including Ghent) • Following a particular cohort of students for 5 years • First wave: modal grade for 15y olds • 4th grade in Flanders, 10th grade in USA • 2354 students in 30 schools

8. Research design • Multilevel analysis • Individuals nested within schools • Sequential model build-up • Individual characteristics • Grade retention, sense of belonging, gender, ethnic minority, parental education, tracking, reading score • School characteristics • Retention composition,ethnic composition, parental education composition

10. Results • Initially significant negative effect of grade retention upon academic self-concept • Confirmation RQ 1 • This effect vanishes when sense of belonging is introduced • Confirmation RQ 2: mediation effect of sense of belonging • Significant negative direct effect of retention composition (suppression effect) • Confirmation RQ 3: cf. normative reference group theory • No significant cross-level interaction effect • No confirmation RQ 4: comparative reference group theory does not uphold

11. Implications For research • Negative association between grade retention and academic self-concept • Crucial role for context in retention research, multilevel analysis (!) For policy makers • High retention composition also disadvantageous for non-retainees • Questioning large autonomy of schools in Flanders • Improving sense of belonging leads to higher academic self-concept • Self-empowerment for students, “school as a community”-perspective

12. Questions or suggestions? Timo Van Canegem Timo.VanCanegem@UGent.be Prof. Dr. Jannick Demanet Jannick.Demanet@UGent.be Prof. Dr. Mieke Van Houtte Mieke.VanHoutte@UGent.be