This study tries to assess the prevalence of the school retardation in a suburban community of the Tunision Sahel, to identify its determinants factors and to propose a preventive strategy. It is a transverse investigation having interested 540 registered pupils at the 6th year in six randomly chosen primary schools of Kalaa Kebira (Sousse-Tunisia). Showed that the prevalence of the school retardation is 29%. It appears therefore that the school retardation is especially a complex problem dominated by the socio-educational factors requiring the orientation of the school health team toward a multi sectorial intervention integrating teachers, social workers and representatives of parents.