Some kids need to repeat a grade in school. This means that a kid who's in third grade would have to do third grade again next year, instead of moving on to fourth grade.

No one wants to repeat a grade, but if this happens to you, you're not the only one. Repeating a grade can be the right thing, though, because you get another chance to complete the work and learn what you need to know to do well when you do move up to the next grade.

Why Some Kids Have to Repeat

Most kids need to repeat a grade because they are having trouble with the work or other stuff they need to do in that grade. Some kids might have learning disabilities. For instance, a kid might have trouble reading. Other kids might have been ill or absent for a long time, so they didn't get a chance to learn everything they needed to learn.

Who decides if you should repeat a grade? It's often a team, including your parents, your teacher, counselor, and principal. Teachers and parents aren't trying to be mean when they decide a kid should repeat a grade. Everyone is trying to do the right thing so that the kid will learn what he or she needs to know before moving on.

You probably know that the stuff you learn is like building blocks. First, you learn your numbers. Then you learn how to add, then subtract. Later, you'll learn how to multiply and divide. If you didn't learn your numbers, how could you do other math?

Sometimes a kid might understand the schoolwork, but is having trouble with other stuff, like behaving in class and sitting still while the teacher is teaching. Sometimes, an extra year gives the kid and his or her family a chance to work through problems like that. If a kid is just refusing to do the work, that problem needs to be solved.