The Role of Classroom Conduct in the Promotion and Retention of Elementary School Children

A group of elementary-school students, who were repeating the current grade, was matched for report card grades in academic subjects with a group that had been promoted. When their report card marks for behavior were compared, the girl repeaters had significantly more disruptive classroom conduct than the promoted girls. The two groups of boys did not differ in conduct. Teachers appear to decide whether or not to promote girls partly on the basis of their behavior and not just on their achievement.