I have to admit that holding kids back until they reach a level of proficiency sounds like good common sense, but sometimes common sense isn’t enough.
The reality is probably that these kids have chaotic home lives or learning problems/disabilities. Addressing this issue needs to be done using hard data and not what we think is common sense.
As I read that one I wanted to scream “You’re academics! You should know that reality bears little relationship to common sense!” Then I realise that these are school administrators, usually people promoted out of classrooms due to rank incompetency (I have personal experience with this), and just shake my head in disbelief.