Student retention is a measurement. It reflects the number of students that successfully complete their academic programs, making it to graduation.
What are student retention strategies?
There are several strategies to increase retention. These strategies include identifying at-risk students, creating interventions for these students, and creating retention programs.
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Definition
Student retention is a hot topic because every stakeholder, from parents to policymakers, looks at student retention to measure a school's performance. Think about student retention as student success or successful completion. For example, a 2014 study showed that parents in Chicago wanted to send their teenagers to charter schools because they graduated 7-11% more students than public schools. In simple terms, the student retention rate was high because students dropped out or withdrew at a lower rate. Student retention is also important for universities. Potential students will want to attend a college that has a high number of students graduating because it illustrates student success and perhaps strong academic support.
Keep in mind that student retention and grade retention are not the same. Grade retention is when students repeat a grade. Student retention is a process of ensuring student success or graduation. Look at student retention as the overall picture.