RAND Research Topic: Elementary Education 2024-01-04T12:49:12Z Copyright (c) 2024, The RAND Corporation RAND Corporation https://www.rand.org/topics/elementary-education.html Can Grade Retention Help with COVID-19 Learning Recovery in Schools? RAND Corporation https://www.rand.org/pubs/commentary/2023/03/can-grade-retention-help-with-covid-19-learning-recovery.html 2023-03-28T09:00:00Z 2023-03-28T09:00:00Z Early grade retention is getting more attention as a potential way to make up for missed learning during the pandemic. But retaining kids without providing the necessary supports or failing to identify the right kids using objective criteria will likely yield ineffective results or even lead to adverse effects. A Four-Day School Week? Here Are the Costs and Benefits RAND Corporation https://www.rand.org/pubs/articles/2023/a-four-day-school-week-here-are-the-costs-and-benefits.html 2023-08-31T12:00:00Z 2023-08-31T12:00:00Z Hundreds of small school districts across America have cut one day a week from their calendars. A shorter school week helps them compete for teachers and reduce costs. Teachers and parents love it. But is it really in the best interests of students?