Discusses four educational methods designed to deal with the risk of kindergarten failure. Methods include increased provision of prekindergarten programs; adoption of a later school entrance age; a developmental placement system; and a continuous progress plan with multi-age groupings. (BB)

Describes ways in which well-intentioned efforts to protect young children from inappropriate school practices have had the opposite effect. Readiness testing, retention, transition classes, tracking, and increased entrance age are discussed. Alternative strategies are proposed. (BB)