Monitor your child's academic and social progress from the day they enter school.
If there are any signs of problems, talk to their teacher and get help right away. I know, the teacher should contact you if there are any problems. They usually do, but I see plenty of times when that does not happen. Also, by the time the parent gets a report card and sees a low or failing grade, the child may be far enough behind that catching up can be a struggle. So monitor their daily papers. Look at behavioral and social progress also. That component of education is just as important as academic progress. Additionally, I see many children recommended for retention based on social maturity alone, even when they are doing well academically in school.
Avoid grade retention in school.
I have said this in other articles but retention is a bad choice unless it is a last resort. It contributes to dropping out. What?? I'll explain. I am not saying that a child should not ever be retained, but it has some negatives. First, the research does not support the initial gains that are made with retention. Research shows that students who are held back make good gains for the first year. Then those gains start to decline. After four to five years, they are not usually any further ahead than the students of same ability who were not held back. The gains are short lived. Secondly, consider how this impacts them in high school. Do this by calculating the grade your child will be in when they turn 18. At 18 they can drop out of highschool without their parent's consent. A year is a lifetime away for an 18 year old. I can almost promise you that if they turn 18 and they have more than a year of high school left they will more than likely become a high school dropout.
Have a close positive relationship with your child.
If they are struggling in school you will be their strongest source of support. If they are 18 and have school left, respect for your opinions and recommendations is what will carry them through. Additionally, you will need to be their advocate when they encounter obstacles at school. You are the person who can stick up for them and knowing that you value their education will help them to value it also. It will help to prevent a high school dropout.
Help your child to set long-term goals. Their goals should be realistic and achievable, but they should be challenging also. Your child should be looking past the current year to imagine what the possibilities in their life are. The dreams and possibilities are what will help them to see the importance of a high school diploma as a critical step towards achieving those goals. Additionally, help them to see that no matter what they do in their life, a high school education is essential. Even if they win the lottery, they will want to be able to write decently and hold intelligent conversations. That education will matter, but it is really hard to fully understand that at a young age without the wisdom of parents.