The authors investigated whether age at kindergarten entry was associated with early literacy achievement gaps and if these gaps persisted over time. Using the kindergarten age eligibility cutoff date, they created 2 groups of students who represented the oldest and youngest children in a cohort of students in high-poverty, low-performing schools.…

A five-year longitudinal study examined initial placement decisions of six Virginia districts with junior kindergarten programs. Relationships between placement into regular or junior kindergartens, and socioeconomic status, ethnicity, gender, and age are analyzed. Young, poor boys were more likely than members of other groups to be placed in…