The purpose of the study was to examine school administrators' perspectives regarding grade-level retention in grades kindergarten through third in a New Jersey school district. Furthermore, this study explored how often school administrators reviewed retention literature and whether the literature influenced their overall opinion of retention. Lastly, this research examined interventions strategies that are most effective for kindergarten through third grade students with academic difficulty. Retention literature was reviewed that included: a definition of retention, the demographics of retained students, research opposing retention, early withdrawal from school, research supporting retention, alternatives to retention, and perspectives of retention. This study was designed with a mixed-method approach and involved 25 participants from a school district in New Jersey. The results from the School Administrators Kindergarten through Third Grade Retention Beliefs Questionnaire were quantitatively and qualitatively analyzed. The findings from both forms of data revealed administrators did not generally favor retention. Administrators did indicate times when retention was acceptable particularly when a child's grade, age, and level of maturity were considered. Differences in administrators' retention perspectives were also discovered amongst various subgroups. The results also suggested that administrators did not read retention literature on regular basis, nor were their views influenced by retention literature. Additionally, administrative experience appeared to impact the amount retention literature read, as well as the level of influence literature had on administrators' retention perspectives. The Teacher Efficacy theme was found as the most effective alternative to retention when students have academic difficulty. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]