This paper (1) presents a critical analysis of the literature on school readiness and school failure; (2) discusses the problems that ill conceived policies based upon readiness studies present to the education of learning disabled, regular class, and gifted children; and (3) offers guidelines for policies and programs. Methodological issues…

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…

Data on educational enrollment, attainment, and expenditures, covering each of the 24 members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development plus Yugoslavia, illustrate the development of each country's educational system. The data, in both English and French, are arrayed in 154 tables and divided into five sections. The first…

The influence of age of entrance to first grade on subsequent rate of scholastic development was tested in this longitudinal investigation. Forty-one pairs of boys and forty-nine pairs of girls, matched according to sex, intelligence, and socioeconomic status, were subjects. The mean chronological age of late entrants was 81 months, opposed to 72…

This review of educational research pertaining to school readiness criticizes the current movement towards earlier schooling for children. Research findings in any one of a number of areas suggest the undesirability of schooling for 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. Four areas of study investigated in this review which support the above hypothesis are…

Contrasts a child not ready for school with a child who is developmentally prepared to enter school and argues that if all school systems could administer and interpret the results of a developmental examination, the number of unhappy children, special needs children, and grade overplaced children would be greatly reduced. (HOD)

This paper assesses progress made in elementary education in Latin America from 1990-2000. Besides examining completion rates, it looks at four critical indicators: the extent to which repetition rates have declined over the decade; the extent of timely access and on-time ages of elementary school students; the level or elementary school students'…

Assessed the reading and mathematics abilities of kindergartners and first graders in the fall and spring of the school year. Found that younger first graders made as much progress over the year as older first graders and more than older kindergartners. Findings demonstrated that entrance age was not a good predictor of learning or academic risk.…

Presents overview of a position statement from the National Association of Early Childhood Specialists in State Departments of Education endorsed by the NAEYC Governing Board regarding entry and placement in kindergarten. Identifies questionable educational practices resulting from trend toward demanding more of kindergarten children. Lists…

The incidence of students who had entered school early was higher than expected among 54 upper elementary learning-disabled students, compared to matched controls. Among matched controls, early entrance students had comparatively low academic achievement. Early entry students may be subject to inappropriate labeling and interventions. Contains 14…

Parents struggle with kindergarten readiness, seeking advice from early childhood educators. The author offers suggestions for helping with this decision, along with definitions of readiness, accountability pressures, and "redshirting." The article compares maturationist assumptions with current research, concluding that delaying kindergarten…

"Education Matters" is the monthly newsletter of the Association of American Educators (AAE), an organization dedicated to advancing the American teaching profession through personal growth, professional development, teacher advocacy and protection. This issue of the newsletter includes: (1) Some Math Programs are Out of Tune (Niki…

In 1990, a task force invited the Liverpool University (England) Department of Education to provide organizational support for a new nursery. The nursery had two goals: to provide child care for unemployed parents and to provide training for parents who wished to obtain employment as child caregivers. The first phase of the university's support…

The University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) conducted a study of 1,358 bachelor's degree graduates of the class of 1986 to examine two factors: (1) age at entrance and graduation, and (2) length of time required for graduation from several specified beginning points. The study required four sets of data: demographic, age related data, time-frame…

Drawing on information and references in the ERIC system, this literature review describes research related to a child's developmental placement. The issues examined include school entrance age; predictive validity, reliability, and features of Gesell School Readiness Assessment; retention; and the effectiveness of developmental placement. A…