NEW YORK, NY July 18, 2005 —Mayor Bloomberg wants to hold back struggling seventh graders if they can't make the grade. The mayor announced his plan to extend his policy of ending social promotion - which already applies to third and fifth graders who fail their citywide math and reading tests.

REPORTER: In a speech at Teachers College, Bloomberg said he's targeting seventh graders because Middle School scores are stagnant showing students need additional help.

BLOOMBERG: The truth of the matter is if they get to the next class and can't do the work they are going to start to get more and more frustrated, then they start to become a disruption in the classroom and they not only are hurting themselves they're hurting the other students.

REPORTER: The mayor says struggling seventh graders will get extra Saturday classes and they'll be encouraged to go to summer school. The policy would start next year for students who score the lowest level on their English Language Arts exams; math scores would be considered the following year.