Half of the nearly 23,000 students sent to summer school because of low marks on state exams in grades 3-8 were not promoted to the next grade, according to Department of Education statistics released Thursday. In fact, more students were forced to repeat a grade -- 11,481 -- than were allowed to move up -- 11,321.

In 2009, 82% of summer school students in grades 3-8 were promoted. The passing rate was much lower this year because the state raised the score needed to pass at a proficiency level.

Being held over is especially tough for students in transition grades, 5 and 8, who thought they were moving on to new schools.  Nearly 40% of 8th-graders who attended summer school must repeat the grade;  47% of summer school fifth-graders will be staying in elementary school. <!--more-->

Students who received a high school or new school acceptance letter before learning that they would have to repeat a grade, will "begin the year over again, and will need to reapply again," according to a DOE spokesperson.

One such student is Ashley Serrano, who didn't find out until June that she would have to attend summer school; and only found out in September that she would not be moving on to the high school which had accepted her,"47"  The American Sign Language and English School, her mother said. She missed the passing mark on her math exam, but passed all her classes in school.

Sent back to PS 34on the Lower East Side, Ashley doesn't want to go to class, her mother said. "She's  learning the same things she learned last year," said Sonia Vega. "My daughter belongs in high school."

Students who score below a 2 on the state English or math exam given in August are held back, unless a review of their scores and school work  by the district superintendent allows them to move up to the next grade. That was the case for 7% of 8th-graders and 20% of 5th-graders who were promoted after a "portfolio" review.

The number of holdovers dismayed, but did not surprise, Kim Sweet, executive director of Advocates for Children, an organization which  has been fielding dozens of calls from parents seeking help for their children who weren't promoted.

"This is a huge jump, but I'm not entirely surprised because we've been getting so many calls from distraught parents," said Sweet. "The DOE owes it to these families to articulate a plan for getting their children the help they need."

Instructional plans are being developed for struggling students, a DOE spokesperson said, including such strategies as extra instruction and tutoring before and after school, "personalized learning plans," and "looping," allowing students to move up a grade with the same teacher.

See a summary of the 2010 promotion process here.

On Monday, the City Council Education Committee will be holding a hearing on the 2010 scores, including testimony about the number of students left back.