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Digest of Education Statistics
2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest


Table 225.90.Number and percentage of elementary and secondary school students retained in grade, by sex, race/ethnicity, and grade level: 1994 through 2022
[Standard errors appear in parentheses]
Grade level and yearStudents retained in grade (in same grade as in previous year)
Number of students retained (in thousands)Percent of students retained
TotalSexRace/ethnicity1TotalSexRace/ethnicity1
MaleFemaleBlackHispanicWhiteMaleFemaleBlackHispanicWhite
12345678910111213
Total, all grades
19941,368(58.0)747(42.8)621(39.1)333(33.0)222(35.1)772(43.7)2.9(0.12)3.1(0.18)2.7(0.17)4.5(0.44)3.7(0.59)2.5(0.14)
19951,479(56.1)803(41.3)676(38.0)336(28.2)208(23.9)893(43.7)3.1(0.12)3.3(0.17)2.9(0.16)4.4(0.37)3.3(0.38)2.8(0.14)
19961,223(53.1)717(40.6)506(34.2)312(28.3)233(26.2)629(38.2)2.4(0.10)2.7(0.16)2.1(0.14)3.9(0.35)3.3(0.37)1.9(0.12)
19971,253(53.7)715(40.5)538(35.3)310(28.2)222(25.5)674(39.5)2.6(0.11)2.9(0.16)2.3(0.15)3.9(0.36)3.3(0.38)2.1(0.12)
19981,335(55.4)734(41.1)601(37.2)345(29.7)213(25.1)713(40.6)2.7(0.11)2.9(0.16)2.5(0.16)4.3(0.37)3.1(0.36)2.3(0.13)
 
19991,524(59.1)916(45.7)608(37.4)316(28.5)318(30.5)835(43.9)3.1(0.12)3.6(0.18)2.5(0.16)4.0(0.36)4.4(0.42)2.6(0.14)
20001,521(59.1)946(46.4)575(36.4)391(31.5)306(29.9)737(41.3)3.1(0.12)3.7(0.18)2.4(0.15)5.0(0.40)4.1(0.40)2.3(0.13)
20011,569(56.9)880(42.6)689(37.8)397(30.2)354(30.4)745(39.4)3.1(0.11)3.4(0.17)2.8(0.16)5.1(0.38)4.5(0.39)2.4(0.12)
20021,475(55.2)803(40.7)672(37.3)311(26.9)348(30.3)744(39.4)2.9(0.11)3.1(0.16)2.7(0.15)4.0(0.34)4.0(0.35)2.4(0.13)
20031,568(56.9)856(42.0)711(38.4)376(29.4)323(29.2)773(40.1)3.1(0.11)3.3(0.16)2.9(0.16)4.8(0.38)3.7(0.34)2.5(0.13)
 
20041,515(55.9)858(42.0)657(36.9)368(29.0)316(29.0)717(38.6)3.0(0.11)3.3(0.16)2.7(0.15)4.9(0.38)3.5(0.32)2.4(0.13)
20051,544(56.5)825(41.3)719(38.6)369(29.1)319(29.1)756(39.6)3.0(0.11)3.2(0.16)2.9(0.16)4.9(0.38)3.4(0.31)2.5(0.13)
20061,418(54.2)756(39.5)663(37.1)295(26.1)321(29.2)689(37.9)2.8(0.11)2.9(0.15)2.7(0.15)4.0(0.35)3.4(0.31)2.3(0.13)
20071,164(49.2)615(35.8)548(33.8)213(22.3)296(28.1)595(35.2)2.3(0.10)2.4(0.14)2.2(0.14)2.8(0.30)3.0(0.28)2.0(0.12)
2008999(45.7)543(33.7)456(30.9)231(23.2)225(24.6)506(32.6)2.0(0.09)2.1(0.13)1.8(0.12)3.1(0.31)2.2(0.24)1.7(0.11)
 
20091,018(46.1)556(34.1)462(31.1)206(22.0)232(24.9)491(32.1)2.0(0.09)2.2(0.13)1.9(0.13)2.8(0.30)2.2(0.24)1.7(0.11)
20101,061(47.6)557(34.0)504(36.4)191(22.0)305(31.0)506(41.9)2.1(0.09)2.2(0.13)2.0(0.15)2.6(0.30)2.8(0.28)1.8(0.15)
2011945(60.5)490(41.9)455(37.7)181(24.9)245(29.7)454(41.7)1.8(0.12)1.9(0.16)1.8(0.15)2.5(0.34)2.1(0.26)1.6(0.15)
20121,106(66.7)603(48.6)503(42.7)210(30.2)363(38.2)437(40.4)2.2(0.13)2.3(0.18)2.0(0.17)2.9(0.42)3.1(0.32)1.6(0.15)
20131,124(71.1)661(50.5)463(40.4)259(31.6)334(35.3)458(49.0)2.2(0.14)2.5(0.19)1.9(0.16)3.6(0.44)2.8(0.29)1.7(0.18)
 
20141,313(72.1)723(49.1)590(45.6)218(30.3)430(41.3)523(42.3)2.6(0.14)2.8(0.19)2.4(0.18)3.0(0.42)3.6(0.34)2.0(0.16)
20151,139(77.3)583(49.6)557(49.5)215(41.2)357(36.5)475(39.3)2.2(0.15)2.2(0.19)2.2(0.20)3.0(0.58)2.9(0.30)1.8(0.15)
2016947(60.7)512(41.2)435(39.0)189(30.2)238(30.1)443(36.2)1.9(0.12)2.0(0.16)1.8(0.16)2.7(0.43)1.9(0.24)1.7(0.14)
20171,082(57.3)608(44.0)474(37.0)218(29.3)244(30.2)540(42.3)2.1(0.11)2.3(0.17)1.9(0.15)3.1(0.41)1.9(0.24)2.1(0.16)
20181,092(64.5)625(46.2)467(43.1)169(32.0)244(33.6)564(43.4)2.2(0.13)2.4(0.18)1.9(0.17)2.4(0.46)1.9(0.27)2.2(0.17)
 
20191,251(84.3)692(57.3)559(48.5)234(35.3)352(48.3)535(45.5)2.5(0.17)2.7(0.22)2.3(0.19)3.4(0.51)2.7(0.38)2.1(0.18)
20201,309(76.0)636(59.5)673(49.4)177(25.1)424(46.8)568(45.9)2.6(0.15)2.5(0.23)2.8(0.20)2.6(0.36)3.3(0.37)2.3(0.18)
20211,287(100.9)646(64.4)641(61.2)275(47.1)388(46.8)492(49.7)2.6(0.20)2.6(0.26)2.7(0.25)4.0(0.68)3.1(0.38)2.0(0.20)
20221,082(78.4)520(53.9)562(52.3)134(27.0)311(44.1)499(45.7)2.1(0.16)2.0(0.21)2.3(0.21)1.9(0.39)2.4(0.35)2.0(0.18)
 
Kindergarten through 
   grade 8
























19941,006(53.3)552(39.5)454(35.9)250(30.6)141(30.1)583(40.7)3.1(0.16)3.3(0.24)2.9(0.23)4.8(0.59)3.3(0.71)2.7(0.19)
19951,089(51.6)570(37.3)519(35.6)259(26.5)122(19.6)677(40.7)3.3(0.16)3.4(0.22)3.2(0.22)4.9(0.50)2.7(0.44)3.1(0.18)
1996831(47.0)482(35.7)350(30.5)215(25.2)155(22.9)430(33.9)2.3(0.13)2.6(0.20)2.0(0.18)3.8(0.45)3.1(0.46)1.9(0.15)
1997863(47.9)508(36.6)356(30.8)227(25.9)143(22.1)464(35.1)2.6(0.14)2.9(0.21)2.2(0.19)4.2(0.48)3.0(0.46)2.1(0.16)
1998965(50.5)536(37.6)429(33.7)225(25.8)143(22.1)542(37.9)2.8(0.15)3.1(0.21)2.6(0.20)4.1(0.47)2.9(0.44)2.5(0.17)
 
1999994(51.3)600(39.7)393(32.3)217(25.3)213(26.7)533(37.6)2.9(0.15)3.4(0.23)2.4(0.19)4.0(0.46)4.1(0.51)2.5(0.17)
20001,121(54.3)701(42.8)420(33.4)298(29.5)214(26.9)545(38.0)3.3(0.16)4.0(0.24)2.5(0.20)5.3(0.53)4.0(0.50)2.5(0.18)
20011,047(49.9)588(37.4)459(33.1)266(26.5)233(26.5)524(35.4)3.0(0.14)3.3(0.21)2.7(0.20)4.9(0.49)4.1(0.47)2.4(0.16)
20021,009(49.0)563(36.6)445(32.6)213(23.9)225(26.2)529(35.6)2.9(0.14)3.2(0.21)2.7(0.19)3.9(0.43)3.6(0.42)2.5(0.17)
20031,110(51.3)596(37.6)514(35.0)259(26.1)229(26.4)550(36.2)3.3(0.15)3.4(0.21)3.2(0.21)4.9(0.50)3.8(0.43)2.7(0.18)
 
20041,121(51.6)618(38.2)504(34.6)276(26.9)218(25.8)548(36.1)3.3(0.15)3.5(0.22)3.1(0.21)5.4(0.52)3.4(0.40)2.7(0.18)
20051,129(51.8)594(37.5)535(35.6)256(26.0)235(26.7)567(36.8)3.3(0.15)3.4(0.21)3.2(0.21)5.0(0.51)3.6(0.40)2.8(0.18)
2006955(47.7)521(35.2)434(32.2)207(23.5)206(25.1)469(33.5)2.8(0.14)3.0(0.21)2.6(0.20)4.2(0.48)3.1(0.38)2.4(0.17)
2007749(42.4)394(30.7)355(29.2)131(18.8)193(24.4)392(30.7)2.2(0.12)2.2(0.18)2.1(0.18)2.7(0.38)2.7(0.34)2.0(0.16)
2008660(39.9)374(29.9)287(26.3)154(20.3)132(20.3)343(28.8)1.9(0.12)2.1(0.17)1.7(0.16)3.0(0.40)1.9(0.28)1.8(0.15)
 
2009619(38.6)316(27.6)302(27.0)109(17.2)128(19.9)324(28.0)1.8(0.11)1.8(0.16)1.8(0.16)2.3(0.36)1.7(0.27)1.7(0.14)
2010621(37.9)333(28.2)288(27.9)122(17.2)155(23.0)296(33.1)1.8(0.11)1.9(0.16)1.7(0.16)2.5(0.36)2.0(0.29)1.6(0.17)
2011631(49.7)342(35.1)289(30.0)94(17.5)183(28.2)318(32.2)1.8(0.14)1.9(0.19)1.7(0.18)1.9(0.36)2.2(0.34)1.7(0.17)
2012698(52.9)404(39.3)293(29.8)127(23.6)226(30.6)280(33.3)2.0(0.15)2.3(0.22)1.7(0.18)2.7(0.49)2.7(0.37)1.5(0.18)
2013668(58.6)377(42.5)292(31.9)153(24.2)215(29.0)268(41.0)1.9(0.17)2.1(0.24)1.7(0.19)3.2(0.50)2.5(0.34)1.5(0.22)
 
2014896(58.4)482(39.2)414(37.8)159(24.3)300(31.5)331(32.6)2.6(0.17)2.7(0.22)2.4(0.22)3.3(0.49)3.5(0.37)1.8(0.18)
2015791(63.0)417(41.6)373(37.8)156(36.5)246(30.4)320(32.0)2.3(0.18)2.3(0.23)2.2(0.22)3.2(0.76)2.8(0.35)1.8(0.18)
2016570(44.0)314(31.8)256(29.2)124(21.9)133(22.4)258(28.4)1.6(0.13)1.8(0.18)1.5(0.17)2.6(0.46)1.5(0.26)1.5(0.16)
2017611(42.3)350(31.1)261(27.2)133(23.6)130(22.0)312(31.9)1.8(0.12)2.0(0.17)1.5(0.16)2.7(0.48)1.5(0.25)1.8(0.18)
2018655(52.1)392(38.5)262(31.1)(†)155(29.6)336(32.6)1.9(0.15)2.2(0.22)1.6(0.19)1.7(0.45)1.8(0.34)1.9(0.19)
 
2019791(59.0)458(43.5)332(33.1)116(24.1)221(36.4)365(36.3)2.3(0.17)2.6(0.25)2.0(0.20)2.4(0.50)2.5(0.41)2.1(0.21)
2020840(57.2)393(44.3)447(40.6)118(21.8)281(36.8)369(35.6)2.5(0.17)2.3(0.25)2.7(0.24)2.5(0.47)3.2(0.42)2.2(0.21)
2021766(74.5)364(47.4)402(49.1)192(39.9)197(33.6)291(35.7)2.3(0.23)2.1(0.28)2.5(0.30)4.1(0.86)2.3(0.40)1.8(0.22)
2022656(63.4)303(40.1)353(45.5)(‡)188(35.2)323(38.4)1.9(0.19)1.7(0.22)2.1(0.27)1.5(0.36)2.2(0.41)1.9(0.23)
 
Grades 9 through 12
1994363(29.9)196(22.0)167(20.3)83(16.5)81(21.1)189(21.6)2.6(0.21)2.7(0.31)2.4(0.29)3.6(0.72)4.6(1.20)2.0(0.23)
1995390(28.9)232(22.2)157(18.4)76(13.5)87(15.3)216(21.5)2.7(0.20)3.2(0.30)2.2(0.26)3.3(0.58)5.0(0.88)2.2(0.22)
1996392(30.0)236(23.3)156(19.0)97(15.8)78(15.1)200(21.5)2.6(0.20)3.0(0.29)2.1(0.26)4.1(0.66)3.9(0.75)2.0(0.21)
1997389(29.9)207(21.8)182(20.5)82(14.6)78(15.1)211(22.1)2.6(0.20)2.7(0.28)2.5(0.28)3.3(0.59)4.0(0.77)2.1(0.22)
1998370(29.2)198(21.4)172(20.0)120(17.5)70(14.3)171(19.9)2.5(0.20)2.6(0.28)2.3(0.27)4.9(0.72)3.6(0.73)1.7(0.20)
 
1999530(34.8)316(26.8)215(22.2)98(15.9)106(17.5)302(26.3)3.5(0.23)4.0(0.34)2.9(0.30)4.2(0.68)5.0(0.83)3.0(0.26)
2000400(30.3)245(23.7)155(19.0)94(15.5)91(16.3)192(21.1)2.6(0.20)3.1(0.30)2.1(0.26)4.1(0.68)4.3(0.77)1.9(0.21)
2001521(32.8)291(24.5)230(21.8)131(17.3)121(17.7)221(21.5)3.4(0.21)3.7(0.31)3.1(0.29)5.5(0.72)5.7(0.83)2.2(0.21)
2002466(31.1)240(22.3)227(21.6)98(15.0)123(17.9)216(21.2)3.0(0.20)3.0(0.28)3.0(0.28)4.2(0.64)5.0(0.73)2.1(0.21)
2003458(30.8)260(23.2)197(20.2)117(16.4)95(15.8)223(21.6)2.8(0.19)3.1(0.28)2.4(0.25)4.6(0.65)3.7(0.61)2.2(0.21)
 
2004393(28.6)240(22.3)153(17.9)92(14.6)98(16.1)170(18.8)2.4(0.18)3.0(0.27)1.9(0.22)3.8(0.60)3.7(0.61)1.7(0.19)
2005415(29.4)231(21.9)184(19.6)113(16.1)84(14.9)188(19.9)2.5(0.18)2.7(0.25)2.3(0.24)4.6(0.66)3.0(0.53)1.8(0.19)
2006463(31.0)234(22.0)229(21.8)(†)115(17.4)221(21.4)2.8(0.19)2.8(0.26)2.9(0.27)3.5(0.56)4.0(0.61)2.2(0.22)
2007415(29.4)221(21.4)194(20.1)82(13.8)103(16.5)203(20.6)2.5(0.18)2.6(0.25)2.4(0.25)3.2(0.54)3.6(0.57)2.1(0.21)
2008338(26.6)169(18.8)169(18.8)(†)92(15.7)163(18.5)2.1(0.16)2.1(0.23)2.1(0.24)3.2(0.55)3.1(0.52)1.7(0.19)
 
2009400(28.8)240(22.3)160(18.3)97(15.0)104(16.6)167(18.7)2.5(0.18)2.9(0.27)2.1(0.23)3.9(0.60)3.5(0.55)1.8(0.20)
2010440(31.8)224(24.3)216(22.9)69(14.3)150(19.8)210(23.1)2.7(0.20)2.7(0.30)2.8(0.29)2.9(0.59)4.8(0.62)2.3(0.25)
2011314(32.8)148(23.6)166(23.1)(†)(†)137(20.4)1.9(0.20)1.8(0.28)2.1(0.29)3.6(0.74)1.9(0.38)1.5(0.22)
2012408(38.9)198(27.5)210(28.6)(†)137(20.9)157(22.7)2.5(0.23)2.4(0.33)2.6(0.34)3.4(0.77)3.8(0.56)1.8(0.25)
2013456(39.3)284(31.0)172(22.6)107(19.6)119(20.1)190(25.1)2.8(0.24)3.5(0.37)2.2(0.28)4.5(0.82)3.3(0.56)2.2(0.29)
 
2014417(37.8)241(27.3)176(23.6)(†)129(23.9)192(24.5)2.6(0.23)3.0(0.33)2.2(0.30)2.5(0.64)3.7(0.67)2.2(0.28)
2015349(39.2)165(25.3)183(28.1)(†)110(20.5)156(22.3)2.2(0.24)2.0(0.31)2.3(0.36)2.6(0.73)3.1(0.55)1.8(0.26)
2016377(35.7)198(26.3)180(23.7)(†)105(20.0)185(23.4)2.3(0.22)2.4(0.32)2.3(0.30)2.9(0.71)2.7(0.52)2.2(0.27)
2017471(38.7)258(29.2)213(26.0)(†)113(18.2)229(29.4)2.9(0.23)3.1(0.35)2.6(0.32)3.9(0.82)3.0(0.47)2.6(0.34)
2018437(40.8)233(30.0)205(29.2)(†)89(16.0)227(29.9)2.7(0.25)2.8(0.36)2.6(0.37)3.9(0.95)2.3(0.41)2.7(0.35)
 
2019461(50.7)234(35.7)227(33.0)117(25.7)131(25.1)170(25.4)2.9(0.32)2.9(0.43)2.9(0.42)5.7(1.21)3.3(0.63)2.1(0.30)
2020469(45.3)243(30.4)226(31.0)(†)144(26.6)198(29.2)3.0(0.29)3.1(0.39)2.9(0.40)2.7(0.61)3.7(0.68)2.5(0.36)
2021521(53.4)283(36.2)239(33.7)(‡)191(30.1)200(29.7)3.3(0.33)3.6(0.45)3.0(0.42)3.8(0.86)4.9(0.77)2.5(0.36)
2022426(48.8)217(35.1)209(30.9)(‡)(‡)176(27.5)2.6(0.29)2.5(0.41)2.6(0.39)3.0(0.89)2.9(0.65)2.1(0.33)
†Not applicable.
‡Reporting standards not met. Either there are too few cases for a reliable estimate or the coefficient of variation (CV) is 50 percent or greater.
1Starting in 2003, Black and White exclude persons of Two or more races. Prior to 2003, respondents could select only one race category, and therefore could not identify as having more than one race.
NOTE: Data are as of October of each year. Data are based on sample surveys of the civilian noninstitutionalized population, which excludes persons in the military and persons living in institutions (e.g., prisons or nursing facilities). Excludes students who were reported as being in a higher grade the previous year than the given year. Prior to 2010, standard errors were computed using generalized variance function methodology rather than the more precise replicate weight methodology used in later years. Totals include other racial/ethnic groups not separately shown. Race categories exclude persons of Hispanic ethnicity. Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, Current Population Survey (CPS), October, 1994 through 2022. (This table was prepared June 2023.)

2023 Tables and Figures All Years of Tables and Figures Most Recent Full Issue of the Digest