Research Findings: Data on more than 900 children participating in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Study of Early Child Care were analyzed to examine the effect of age of entry to kindergarten on children's functioning in early elementary school. Children's academic achievement and socioemotional development were…

The practice of delaying students' entrance into kindergarten raises several questions. This literature review asks: (1) How does the entrance age of kindergarten children affect academic achievement?; (2) Do age-eligible older students perform better academically than younger students?; (3) Do year-older or "red-shirted" students have…

This article reports on the results of a study in which performances of kindergarten tasks by early entrants to kindergarten and regular-age entrants were compared at the end of the school year. The need for research-based criteria for success in kindergarten for males and females is explored. (DF)

This paper (1) reviews the literature on the relationship between entrance age into kindergarten and academic achievement and (2) reports a study of the effect of entrance age on school success. Some experts say that age alone is the best indicator of success. Others say that chronological age, mental age, intelligence quotient, readiness,…

Raising the age of eligibility to enter kindergarten has not eliminated variations in children's readiness for school, and parents and teachers have used delayed entry and retention as strategies to accommodate these variations. Information from the 1993 and 1995 National Household Education Survey is used to describe the numbers and…

Recent emphases on school readiness and standardized testing have resulted in educational practices with negative consequences for children. These practices include a higher school entry age, grade retention, transition programs, and the practice of enrolling children in kindergarten when they are six, rather than five, years old. (BC)

The early elementary teacher must find a reasonable solution to the question of how to best meet the needs of incoming 5-year-olds. This study reviews recent research on the academic and emotional needs of young students and on existing programs dealing with school readiness. Brief annotations are presented for 54 research articles. These articles…

Recent statements by educators and child development specialists support the contention that a child's developmental maturity is the key predictor of success in school. Possible modifications of student placement policies are considered, including establishment of transitional programs for kindergarten graduates not fully ready for first grade.…

Discusses assumptions and pressures underlying academic redshirting for kindergartners. Examines teachers' and parents' beliefs about kindergarten readiness. Summarizes research on the effects of the academic and social domains of delaying children's entry into school. Offers suggestions for early childhood educators about how to help families in…

This review of research, part of the Illinois State Board of Education's Early Childhood Education Policy Study, focuses on issues related to potential state funding for full-day kindergarten and changes in the age at which children enter kindergarten. Specifically addressed are the following issues: (1) a review of the legislative background on…

The purpose of this report, one of several prepared for a comprehensive study of early childhood education in Illinois, was to collect, compile, and analyze specific data concerning early childhood education policy and practices from all fifty states. Each state was queried regarding the following: (1) compulsory attendance age, (2) mandated…

In response to California Legislation that would change the cut-off for the minimum 5-year entrance age from December 2 to September 1, this paper reviews the literature discussing the appropriate age for beginning school. The review includes a brief history of kindergarten and its place in California law; discusses the possible impact of the…

Profiles current kindergarten policies and practices concerning six issues. Issues include (1) school entry age; (2) length of school day; (3) placement criteria; (4) retention practices; (5) beginning reading instruction; and (6) teaching strategies and instructional resources. Reviews research on policy alternatives and identifies the optimum…

This information packet contains nine articles that outline current trends in kindergarten retention/exclusion and their negative impact on student outcomes, particularly for high risk students. The 1980s saw increasing numbers of children required to repeat kindergarten, attend a transitional grade before first grade, or wait an extra year before…

This monograph presents information to help educators consider how to determine the best age for each child to begin his or her formal schooling. Trends in state requirements for school entrance age are described, and research in areas such as mental age, reading readiness, child development, screening instruments, and experimental preschool…