What is redshirting?
The term redshirting originally referred to postponing a college athlete's participation in regular season games for one year to give him or her an extra year of further growth and practice with the team in the hope of improving the player's skills for future seasons.
Academic redshirting for young children refers to the practice of postponing the entrance of age-eligible children into kindergarten in order to allow extra time for socioemotional, intellectual, or physical growth. This kind of redshirting is most often practiced in the case of children whose birthdays are so close to the cut-off dates that they are very likely to be among the youngest in their kindergarten class. This Digest discusses what studies have said thus far about redshirting and its potential effects, and offers suggestions for parents considering delaying their child's entrance into kindergarten.
How often does redshirting occur?
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that academic redshirting occurs at the rate of about 9% per year among kindergarten-age children (West et al., 2000b). Redshirting has traditionally been more common in affluent communities and for children attending private schools, although some scholars speculate that there may have been a recent increase in certain public school districts (Brent et al., 1996). According to NCES, boys are redshirted more often than girls, and children born in the latter half of the year are more likely to be redshirted than those born earlier in the year. The NCES report also shows that white, non-Hispanic children are more than twice as likely as black, non-Hispanic children to have entered kindergarten later than their birthdays allowed (West et al., 2000b).
Redshirting may be a response to demands for a higher level of school readiness (Graue & DiPerna, 2000; May et al., 1995) than in earlier years. In a national survey, teachers indicated that 48% of their students were not ready for the current kindergarten curriculum (NCEDL, 1998). Alarmingly high percentages of teachers indicated that half of their students lacked important skills, including "following directions" (46%), "academic skills" (36%), and the ability to "work independently" (34%). In light of such data, many scholars suggest that academic curricula are not appropriate for young children (Graue & DiPerna, 2000; May et al., 1995; Shepard & Smith, 1988).
What are the effects of redshirting?
Research on redshirting has so far failed to provide a clear picture of its short- and long-term effects. Some studies have examined the effects of redshirting that occur immediately or within the early elementary years. Others have examined its long-term effects. Proponents and opponents of redshirting often use the same evidence but reach opposite conclusions. It is therefore unclear whether redshirting solves problems of school readiness.
Immediate Effects. Research on academic redshirting suggests that in the short term, redshirting (1) raises the child's academic achievement (in math, reading, general knowledge) and conduct on par with or above that of younger classmates (West et al., 2000a); (2) increases the child's confidence in social interactions and popularity among classmates (Spitzer et al., 1995); and (3) may simply add to the normal mix of ages and abilities within the classroom. However, there is also some speculation that, in classes where there are children who have been redshirted, some older children may feel alienated from their younger classmates, and some feel that older classmates may have an unfair advantage over younger classmates in size and in psychomotor and social skills. The presence of children of a wider age span may also make the class too diverse for a teacher to manage well.
Effects in Grades 1-3. Researchers have observed other effects of redshirting within the first three years of elementary school, including (1) academic achievement that is nearly equal to that of their grade-level peers (West et al., 2000a), (2) a lower likelihood of receiving "negative feedback from teachers about their academic performance or conduct in class" (Cromwell, 1998; West et al., 2000b), and (3) less need for special education than classmates who were retained as kindergartners (Kundert et al., 1995; May et al., 1995). However, there is also evidence that some first- through third-graders who were redshirted as kindergarteners required greater use of special education services than their non-redshirted and non-retained classmates (Graue & DiPerna, 2000; May et al., 1995).
Long-term Effects. Proponents of redshirting often point out that there is no definitive evidence to show that redshirting harms children in the long term. However, Byrd et al. (1997) found that adolescents whose school entry had been delayed exhibited more behavioral problems than their classmates. Moreover, in light of evidence that redshirted youths use special education at a higher rate than classmates, there is a great deal of speculation that many individuals who were redshirted as kindergartners may have had special needs that were misdiagnosed as immaturity and that should have been treated by some form of direct intervention other than delayed entry (May et al., 1995; Graue & DiPerna, 2000).
Chart
A: Suggested effects of redshirting.
Recent correlation studies suggest that redshirting
may have several different immediate, short-term, and
long-term effects on children. However, evidence remains
inconclusive.
|
PRO |
CON |
|
|---|---|---|
|
IMMEDIATE |
Impacts on the Individual Academic achievement in math, reading, and general knowledge, as well as conduct, generally above or on par with grade-level peers who are younger (West, 2000a) Academic achievement and conduct on par with same-age children in higher grade Redshirted kindergartners exhibit more confidence in interactions with peers and tend to be well-liked more often than younger classmates (Spitzer et al., 1995) Impacts on the Class Adds to the normal mix of age and ability within classroom |
Impacts on the Individual Alienation from classmates Impacts on the Class Increased disparities in ability may make classroom management harder for teachers Redshirted child may have unfair advantage in psychomotor and social skills and physical size over younger classmates |
|
GRADES 1-3 |
Academic achievement close to equality with grade level peers Less likely than younger classmates "to draw negative feedback from teachers about their academic performance or conduct in class" (Cromwell, 1998) Higher academic achievement and lower need for special education than children who were retained as kindergartners (Kundert et al., 1995; May et al., 1995) |
Greater use of special education services than non-redshirted, non-retained children (Graue & DiPerna, 2000; May et al., 1995) |
|
LONG TERM |
It is not clear that redshirting definitely harms children in the long term |
Adolescents who were old-for-grade exhibited more behavioral problems than classmates even when they had not been retained (Byrd et al., 1997) Special needs (sometimes serious ones) that could have been diagnosed and treated as early as kindergarten may have been overlooked as mere immaturity and addressed by use of redshirting (May et al., 1995; Graue & DiPerna, 2000). |
Suggestions for parents considering redshirting
Because the research is inconclusive about the effects of redshirting and few school districts prohibit it, parents are usually the ones who make the decision about whether to keep their child out of kindergarten for an extra year. The following are some points for parents to consider in making a decision:
- Be clear about the specific characteristics of your child that cause you to be unsure about his or her readiness to begin kindergarten with age-mates. In other words, don't delay entrance into kindergarten just because the child is likely to be among the youngest in the class or has a summer birthday.
- Check the school's kindergarten readiness screening procedures or tests to get an idea of how your child might fare in the kindergarten classroom in which she or he will most likely be placed.
- Be assertive about finding out what the school expects of entering kindergartners and the school's suggestions on how you can help your youngster to be prepared.
- Solicit the views of your child's preschool teacher about his or her readiness for kindergarten. Ask, for example, whether your child made some friends in his or her preschool group; the ability to make friends will help your child adjust to kindergarten. Was he or she usually able to follow directions? Does your child appear to the preschool teacher to be ready to begin academic work?
- Find out more about the nature of the kindergarten program. Is it very formal? Is it organized primarily around formal instruction in basic skills or around more informal "learning centers"? Organizing children's learning around informal learning centers can accommodate a greater developmental range of children than a formal, structured arrangement in which basic skills are taught to the whole group of children seated in rows of desks.
- Is the kindergarten class size likely to be larger than 25? A very shy child might find a large class more difficult to adjust to than he or she would a class of around 20 or less. Class size may be a more important consideration for a shy child than even for a child who is not shy but who lacks physical coordination.
- What else would your child be doing if she or he did not start kindergarten? Would the child have easy and safe access to playmates and play spaces? Are there easily available (and affordable) good preschool programs for your child?
- Ask the future kindergarten teacher for suggestions about what you can do at home before the school year to help your child reach the same skill level as future classmates.
- Be careful about conveying your own apprehension about starting school to your child. If you approach the beginning of kindergarten with your child with real confidence and sufficient reassurance, and, if possible, share any concerns with the teacher, your child is likely to adjust rapidly.
- Be careful not to exaggerate to a child how much fun she or he will have in kindergarten. It would probably be best to say something like "You'll make new friends, get to do lots of interesting things, but there will be one or two times when you wish you were at home. But those times will pass. You'll see." This kind of forewarning can often prevent a child from coming unstrung when the inevitable difficult moments do occur.
Conclusion
The most helpful approach for parents may be to obtain suggestions from the school, and ideally from the future teacher as well, about how best to help the child during the first few months of school. The child is likely to adjust to the transition to school when parents are careful about how they express their concerns. Parents can be most helpful by offering the child reassurance and support, and by resisting the temptation to discuss their own anxieties and concerns in front of the child. On the whole, the evidence about the short- and long-term effects of redshirting is inconclusive. The evidence suggests that some benefits of academic redshirting are short lived and may in the long term be disadvantageous (Spitzer et al., 1995; Graue & DiPerna, 2000).
References
Brent, D., May, D. C., & Kundert, D. K. (1996). The incidence of delayed school entry: A twelve-year review. Early Education and Development, 7(2), 121-135. (ERIC Journal No. EJ520504)
Byrd, R. S., Weitzman, M., & Auinger, P. (1997). Increased behavior problems associated with delayed school entry and delayed school progress. Pediatrics, 100(4), 654-661.
Cromwell, S. (1998). Starting kindergarten late: How does it affect school performance? Education World [Online]. Available: http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin045.shtml Editor's note: This url has changed:http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin045.shtml.
Graue, M. E., & DiPerna, J. (2000). Redshirting and early retention: Who gets the "gift of time" and what are its outcomes? American Educational Research Journal, 37(2), 509-534.
Kundert, D. K., May, D. C., & Brent, D. (1995). A comparison of students who delay kindergarten entry and those who are retained in grades K-5. Psychology in the Schools, 32(3), 202-209. (ERIC Journal No. EJ517406)
May, D. C., Kundert, D. K., & Brent, D. (1995). Does delayed school entry reduce later grade retentions and use of special education services? Remedial and Special Education, 16(5), 288-294. (ERIC Journal No. EJ510039)
National Center for Early Development and Learning (NCEDL). (1998). Kindergarten transitions. NCEDL Spotlights [Online], 1. Available: http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/pages/spotlt.cfm
Shepard, L. A., & Smith, M. L. (1988). Escalating academic demand in kindergarten: Counterproductive policies. Elementary School Journal, 89(2), 135-145. (ERIC Journal No. EJ382617)
Spitzer, S., Cupp, R., & Parke, R. D. (1995). School entrance age, social acceptance, and self-perception in kindergarten and 1st grade. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 10(4), 433-450. (ERIC Journal No. EJ516737)
West, J., Denton, K., & Germino-Hausken, E. (2000a). America's kindergartners. (NCES No. 2000-070). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
West, J., Meek, A., & Hurst, D. (2000b). Children who enter kindergarten late or repeat kindergarten: Their characteristics and later school performance. (NCES No. 2000-039). Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education.
Web Resources
School Entry Age
http://www.excellence-earlychildhood.ca/documents/StipekANGxp.pdf
At What Age Should Children Enter Kindergarten? A Question for Policy Makers and
Parents
http://www.srcd.org/documents/publications/SPR/spr16-2.pdf
The Pros and Cons of Holding Out
http://www.wceruw.org/news/coverStories/pros_cons_holding_out.php
An updated look at delaying kindergarten entry
http://www.journal.naeyc.org/btj/200309/DelayingKEntry.pdfEditor's Note: this url is no longer active.
Research
Link / When Children Aren't Ready for Kindergarten
http://shop.ascd.org/productdisplay.cfm?productid=103033
Children
Who Enter Kindergarten Late or Repeat Kindergarten: Their
Characteristics and Later School Performance:
http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2000/2000039.pdf
Delaying Kindergarten: Effects on Test Scores and Childcare Costs
http://www.rand.org/publications/RB/RB9082/ Editor's note: This url has changed:http://www.rand.org/pubs/research_briefs/RB9082/index1.html
Study Examines
Effects of Academic Redshirting
http://www.news.wisc.edu/2993
Unacceptable
Trends in Kindergarten Entry and Placement
http://naecs.crc.uiuc.edu/position/trends2000.html
He
Has a Summer Birthday: The Kindergarten Entrance Age Dilemma
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1998/crosse98.html
Another
Look at What Young Children Should Be Learning
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1999/katzle99.html
Readiness:
Children and Schools
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1991/katz91.html
Assessing
the Development of Preschoolers
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1994/lk-ass94.html
A Developmental
Approach to the Assessment of Young Children
http://ceep.crc.uiuc.edu/eecearchive/digests/1997/katz97.html
NCEDL Spotlight
No. 3: Assessing Readiness
http://www.fpg.unc.edu/~ncedl/pages/spotlt3.cfm
ReadyWeb
http://readyweb.crc.uiuc.edu/
Exclusion
and Retention: Failed Strategies
http://readyweb.crc.uiuc.edu/library/1994/sreb-gsr/excl-ret.html
Readiness
for School: A Survey of State Policies and Definitions
http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v2n2/saluja.html
National Institute for Early Education Research:
Is there a research base that can be used to inform decisions
about statewide kindergarten cut-off dates?
http://nieer.org/faq/index.php?TAid=83
The Gift of Time: Enactments of Developmental Thought in Early
Childhood Practice
http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v5n1/graue.html
ERIC Resources
How to Obtain ERIC Documents and Journal Articles:
References identified with an ED (ERIC document), EJ (ERIC journal), or PS number are cited in the ERIC database. ERIC Documents (citations identified by an ED number) may be available full text from ERIC at no cost at the ERIC web site: http://www.eric.ed.gov/. Journal articles are available from the original journal, interlibrary loan services, or article reproduction clearinghouses.
ERIC Search using "delayed school entry" or "redshirting" as an identifier or "holding out" as a keyword phrase AND "kindergarten" as a descriptor.
If you would like to conduct your own free ERIC database searches
via the Internet, please go to http://www.eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/Home.portal?_
nfpb=true&_pageLabel=ERIC_Search
ERIC database search through 03/2005
EJ679115 PS534833
Title: Opportunity Deferred or Opportunity Taken? An Updated Look at Delaying Kindergarten Entry. Research in Review.
Author(s) Marshall, Hermine H.
Source: Young Children, v58 n5 p84-93 Sep 2003
Publication Date: 2003
ISSN: 0044-0728
Language: English
Document Type: Information Analysis (070); Journal articles (080)
Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2004
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 their decisions. (KB)
Descriptors: Beliefs; Decision Making; Definitions; *Kindergarten; *Kindergarten Children; *Learning Readiness; Maturity (Individuals); Parent Attitudes; Parent School Relationship; Parent Teacher Cooperation; School Entrance Age; *School Readiness; Teacher Attitudes
Identifiers: *Academic Redshirting; *Delayed School Entry; Late Entry Students
EJ679116 PS534834
Title: What To Do with Lee? Academic Redshirting of One Kindergarten-Age Boy.
Author(s) Taylor, A. Sean
Source: Young Children, v58 n5 p94-95 Sep 2003
Publication Date: 2003
ISSN: 0044-0728
Language: English
Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Descriptive (141)
Journal Announcement: CIJJUN2004
Recounts the experience of one family whose son's August birthday was close to the September kindergarten cutoff date and their decision to delay his kindergarten entry. Discusses the family decision to enroll the child in an alternative kindergarten program designed for children with summer birth dates. Reports that although the decision was difficult, the placement was the right one for this child. (KB)
Descriptors: Decision Making; *Kindergarten; Parent Student Relationship; Personal Narratives; Preschool Education; *Student Placement; *Young Children
Identifiers: Academic Redshirting
EJ666037
EA540743
Title: When Children Aren't Ready for Kindergarten.
Author(s) Holloway, John H.
Source: Educational Leadership, v60 n7 p89-90 Apr 2003
Publication Date: 2003
ISSN: 0013-1784
Language: English
Document Type: Information Analysis (070); Journal articles (080)
Journal Announcement: CIJSEP2003
Target Audience: Practitioners
Research suggests that delayed entry into kindergarten has a better chance than kindergarten retention of helping at-risk children avoid school failure. Educators are cautioned to take into account the interactions among race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and age. Some researchers view full-day kindergarten as one way of providing more support for children who need it. (Contains seven references.) (MLF)
Descriptors: *Academic Achievement; Early
Childhood Education; *Grade Repetition; *High Risk Students; *Kindergarten;
*Kindergarten Children; *School Readiness
Identifiers: *Delayed School Entry
ED458948
PS029900
Title: Kindergarten: The Overlooked School Year. Working Paper
Series.
Author(s) Vecchiotti, Sara
Author Affiliation: Foundation for Child Development, New York,
NY.(BBB00201)
Pages: 49
Publication Date: October 2001
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
Availability: Foundation for Child Development, 145 East 32nd
Street, 14th Floor, New York, NY 10016-6055. Tel: 212-213-8337;
Fax: 212-213-5897; e-mail: guest6@ffcd.org. For full text: http://www.ffcd.org.
Language: English
Document Type: Opinion papers (120)
Geographic Source: U.S.; New York
Journal Announcement: RIEAPR2002
Based on the view that because kindergarten is caught between early childhood education and compulsory public education, the year is often overlooked as an important time for learning. This paper aims to mobilize interest in kindergarten as an educational issue ripe for research, debate, and policy action. The paper begins by briefly reviewing kindergarten history. Next, the provision of kindergarten is discussed using various state and federal data sources, with exploration of issues such as length of the kindergarten day, compulsory attendance, uncertainty about entrance age, and state differences. Current policy issues are presented, including kindergarten mandates, entrance age, curriculum and instructional methods, screening and assessment, delaying kindergarten entrance, teacher shortages, and the links between prekindergarten and kindergarten. Finally, suggestions for future research are made, as well as recommendations for state and federal policy action. Appended are lessons from New Mexico's full-day kindergarten campaign based on an interview with the executive director. (Contains 59 references.) (KB)
Descriptors: Educational History; Educational Policy; Educational Practices; Full Day Half Day Schedules; *Kindergarten; *Kindergarten Children; Preschool Curriculum; Preschool Teachers; Primary Education; *Public Policy; *Research Needs; School Entrance Age; Student Evaluation; Teacher Shortage
EJ652637
PS533510
Title: "Still" Unacceptable Trends in Kindergarten
Entry and Placement--An NAECS/SDE Position Statement.
Source: Young Children, v56 n5 p59-62 Sep 2001
Publication Date: 2001
ISSN: 0044-0728
Language: English
Document Type: Journal articles (080); Opinion papers (120)
Journal Announcement: CIJJAN2003
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 principles for developmentally appropriate kindergarten entry and placement. (KB)
Descriptors: *Developmentally Appropriate Practices; Educational Policy; Elementary School Curriculum; Equal Education; *Kindergarten; *Kindergarten Children; *School Entrance Age; *School Readiness; Standards; *Student Placement; Teacher Responsibility
ED443570
PS028733
Title: Children Who Enter Kindergarten Late or Repeat Kindergarten:
Their Characteristics and Later School Performance. Stats
in Brief.
Author(s) West, Jerry; Meek, Anne; Hurst, David
Author Affiliation: National Center for Education Statistics
(ED), Washington, DC.(EDD00004); Education Statistics Services
Inst., Washington, DC.(BBB36143)
Pages: 6
Publication Date: June 2000
Notes: For a related document on children who enter kindergarten
late or repeat kindergarten, see ED 414 076.
Report No: NCES-2000-039
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
Availability: ED Pubs, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, MD 20794-1398;
Tel: 202-502-7393; e-mail: EdithMcArthur@ed.gov. For full
text: http://www.nces.ed.gov.
Language: English
Document Type: Information Analysis (070)
Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia
Journal Announcement: RIEJAN2001
Government Level: Federal
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 characteristics of children who experienced delayed kindergarten entry or kindergarten retention, as well as their subsequent performance and adjustment in school. The 1993 and 1995 surveys indicate that 9 percent of all first- and second-graders had been held out of kindergarten, and that boys experienced delay more often than girls. In 1995, white, non-Hispanic children were twice as likely as black, non-Hispanic children to have entered kindergarten late. Overall prevalence of kindergarten retention was similar for 1993 and 1995, affecting 6 and 5 percent, respectively. In terms of school performance and adjustment, in 1993, parents of children who had experienced delayed entry received less negative feedback from teachers on two of five indicators; in 1995, parents were less likely to report school performance problems on one of four indicators. Children who had been required to spend 2 years in kindergarten performed significantly worse than their first- and second-grade classmates on all 5 of the 1993 indicators and on 2 of the 4 indicators in 1995. Multivariate analysis of delayed entry, retention, and school performance indicated that when demographic, socioeconomic, and developmental factors were taken into account, the differences in school performance between delayed-entry students and other students was small but significant in 1993, but the differences were essentially eliminated in the 1995 data. The same was true for differences between students who had been retained and other students. (HTH)
Descriptors:
*Grade Repetition; Individual Differences; *Kindergarten;
*Kindergarten Children; *Performance Factors; Primary Education;
*School Entrance Age; School Readiness; Student Characteristics;
Student Needs
Identifiers:
*Academic Redshirting
ED439815
PS028429
Title: Born in December: Ready for School?
Author(s) Warder, Kristin
Pages: 13
Publication Date: December 1999
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143)
Geographic Source: U.S.; New York
Journal Announcement: RIESEP2000
This study examined the impact of pupil age at time of school entry in a large public school in Bronx, New York. Results from a literacy assessment were examined for kindergarten, first-, and second-grade students. The assessment rated children on their knowledge of the alphabet, sight-word vocabulary, phonemic awareness, reading, and writing mechanics. Test results were analyzed by birth date and gender. Findings indicated that: in kindergarten, 64 percent of children born in the first third of the year were at or above grade level on the alphabet/sight word portion of the test; 27 percent were at or above grade level on reading; and 4 percent were at or above grade level on writing mechanics. Findings for children born later in the year indicated that achievement did decrease with birth date, although not steadily. For first-graders, achievement decreased with birth date in the areas of alphabet, sight words, and reading, but did not consistently decrease in phonemic awareness or writing mechanics. For second-graders, achievement did decrease consistently with birth date in all testing areas, with the biggest gap between those born in the first and final thirds of the year. Also, female students achieved grade level more often than male students in almost all grades and months of birth. Based on these findings, it was concluded that moving the cut-off date for kindergarten entrance from December 31 to September 1 would help to lessen occurrences of failure among the youngest students. (Contains 18 references.) (EV)
Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; *Age Differences; Enrollment; Individual
Development; Learning Readiness; Performance Factors; Primary
Education; *School Entrance Age; School Readiness; Sex Differences;
Student Adjustment; Student Placement
Identifiers:
Academic Redshirting; New York City Board of Education;
*Season of Birth; Winter
ED414076
PS026085
Title: The Elementary School Performance and Adjustment
of Children Who Enter Kindergarten Late or Repeat Kindergarten:
Findings from National Surveys. National Household Education
Survey. Statistical Analysis Report.
Author(s) Zill, Nicholas; Loomis, Laura Spencer; West, Jerry
Author Affiliation: Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD.(BBB22888)
Pages: 78
Publication Date: November 1997
Sponsoring Agency: National Center for Education Statistics
(ED), Washington, DC. (EDD00004)
Report No: NCES-98-097
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC04 Plus Postage.
Availability: National Library of Education; phone: 800-424-1616;
fax: 202-219-1696 (single copy, free).
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143)
Geographic Source: U.S.; District of Columbia
Journal Announcement: RIEAPR1998
Government Level: Federal
Some parents have chosen to delay their children's enrollment in kindergarten by a year because of individual differences in the pace and pattern of children's development. In other situations, some schools recommend delaying a child's school entry based on "readiness" testing or require that some kindergartners attend kindergarten for a second year. Data from the 1993 and 1995 National Household Education Surveys show that about one child in seven either entered kindergarten late or was required to repeat kindergarten. The surveys found similarities between these two categories of children, but also some notable differences pertaining to gender, race, and developmental delays. The surveys found striking differences in later school performance (in grades one and two) between children who were held out of kindergarten and children who repeated kindergarten. The performance of those who had been held out of kindergarten was found to be better in first and second grade than that of children who entered kindergarten at the prescribed age. In contrast, those who were required to repeat kindergarten were doing worse than their first- and second-grade peers. First- and second-graders in 1993 who had repeated kindergarten were more likely than children who had not repeated kindergarten to receive negative feedback from their teachers. When demographic, socioeconomic, and developmental factors were taken into account, the differences in school performance were reduced, but remained significant in the 1993 survey. In the 1995 survey, however, controlling for these background factors essentially eliminated the differences between student who were held out and other first- and second-graders. The same was true of performance differences between the students who had been retained and other students. The surveys did not find evidence that children who may have been at increased risk of experiencing difficulties in school benefited from (or were harmed by) delayed kindergarten entry. The same was true of kindergarten retention. (Interview items from both years, analyses, and logistic regression model coefficients are appended. Contains 44 references.) (HTH)
Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Developmental Delays; *Grade Repetition;
Grade 1; Grade 2; Individual Development; *Kindergarten;
Kindergarten Children; *Performance Factors; Primary Education;
Racial Differences; School Entrance Age; *School Readiness;
Sex Differences
Identifiers:
*Delayed School Entry
EJ543340
PS526333
Title: But He Has a Summer Birthday: The Kindergarten Entrance
Age Dilemma.
Author(s) Crosser, Sandra
Source: Early Childhood News, v9 n2 p43,47-48 Mar-Apr 1997
Publication Date: 1997
ISSN: 1080-3564
Language: English
Document Type: Guides--Classroom--Teacher (052); Journal
articles (080); Reports--
Research (143)
Journal Announcement: CIJSEP1997
Notes that the practice of delaying school entrance for summer-born children, especially boys, to give them some academic advantage, is not substantiated by sufficient research. Describes a subsequent study indicating higher achievement for children held-out than those entering school on time. Argues for more research and consideration of the individual child's academic, physical, social, and emotional development. (SD)
Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Cognitive Development; Early Admission;
Emotional Development; Enrollment; *Individual Development;
*Kindergarten; Kindergarten Children; *Learning Readiness;
Physical Development; *School Entrance Age; *School Readiness;
Student Adjustment; Student Placement
Identifiers:
*Academic Redshirting; *Birth Date; Summer
EJ517406
CG547890
Title: A Comparison of Students Who Delay Kindergarten Entry
and Those Who are Retained in Grades K-5.
Author(s) Kundert, Deborah K.; And Others
Source: Psychology in the Schools, v32 n3 p202-09 Jul 1995
Publication Date: 1995
ISSN: 0033-3085
Language: English
Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research
(143)
Journal Announcement: CIJJUN1996
Explored whether there were differences in IQ and achievement (at grades two, five, and seven) between students who delayed school entry and those who were retained in later elementary grades, as well as any interactions with gender. Concluded that instructional reform may be more effective for improving student success. (JBJ)
Descriptors:
*Academic Achievement; Academic Failure; *Achievement Rating;
Achievement Tests; Comparative Analysis; Elementary Education;
Elementary School Students; Grade 2; Grade 5; Grade 7; *Grade
Repetition; *Intelligence Quotient; Kindergarten; Kindergarten
Children; Sex Differences
Identifiers:
*Delayed School Entry
EJ509687
CG547372
Title: Kindergarten Practices and First-Grade Achievement
for Latino Spanish-
Speaking, Latino English-Speaking, and Anglo Students.
Author(s) Cosden, Merith; And Others
Source: Journal of School Psychology, v33 n2 p123-41 Sum
1995
Publication Date: 1995
ISSN: 0022-4405
Language: English
Document Type: Journal articles (080); Reports--Research
(143)
Journal Announcement: CIJJAN1996
Assessed impact of gender, ethnicity/home language, holding out, retention, and social promotion on first-grade achievement. Found that Latino students were more likely to be promoted to first grade, despite concerns about their performance, than were Anglo students. Interventions, such as retention, yielded no positive effects. (RJM)
Descriptors:
Academic Achievement; Children; *Comparative Analysis; Elementary
Education; Elementary School Students; Family Environment;
*Hispanic Americans; *Kindergarten; *Spanish Speaking; *Special
Needs Students; *Student Promotion; Teacher Behavior; Whites
Identifiers:
*Latinos
ED364320
PS021774
Title: The Relationship of Gender, Ethnicity, and Home Language
to Age of School Entry, Kindergarten Retention and Social
Promotion.
Author(s) Cosden, Merith; And Others
Pages: 24
Publication Date: April 1993
Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
Educational Research Association (Atlanta, GA, April 12-16,
1993).
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting
papers (150)
Geographic Source: U.S.; California
Journal Announcement: RIEAPR1994
Over the past 10 years, kindergarten classes have escalated their academic demands in order to prepare children to begin first grade. In tandem with curricular changes, many parents have elected to "hold out" their children from first grade for an additional year, and increasingly, schools are using kindergarten retention in response to early school failure. A study assessed the impact of student characteristics on holding out and retention or promotion practices. Data on all 1,089 kindergarten students in one South Central California school district were analyzed, including student age, gender, ethnicity, home language, age of entry, and decisions regarding grade retention, promotion, and advancement. Approximately 68% of the students were Latino, and 32% Anglo. Study findings included the following results: (1) on average, boys started school at 67.5 months and girls at 66.7 months; (2) neither ethnicity nor home language influenced age of school entry; (3) over 10% of the children had been held out of school an extra year by their parents, 4.2% had been previously retained, 5% were recommended for retention the following year, and 19.9% were advanced to first grade with concerns about their promotion; (4) children in the youngest part of their cohort were more likely than older children to be held out, retained, or recommended for retention; and (5) English-speaking Latino students were more likely to be recommended for retention than Spanish-speaking Latinos, although the reasons for this particular pattern were unclear. (Contains 28 references.) (AC)
Descriptors:
Academic Failure; Age Grade Placement; English (Second Language);
*Grade Repetition; *Kindergarten; Kindergarten Children;
Minority Groups; Preschool Children; *Preschool Education;
Primary Education; *School Entrance Age; *School Readiness;
Sex Differences; *Student Characteristics
Identifiers:
California (South); *Latinos
ED374921
PS022806
Title: Promoting Successful Transition into School: A Review
of Current Intervention Practices.
Author(s) O'Brien, Marion
Author Affiliation: Kansas Univ., Lawrence. Kansas Early
Childhood Research Inst.(BBB32099)
Pages: 15
Publication Date: June 1991
Notes: Portions of this paper were presented at the conference, "New Directions in Child and Family Research: Shaping
Head Start in the 90s" (Arlington, VA, June 1991).
Sponsoring Agency: Department of Education, Washington,
DC. (EDD00001)
Contract No: H024U80001
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Descriptive (141); Speeches/meeting
papers (150)
Geographic Source: U.S.; Kansas
Journal Announcement: RIEFEB1995
Three types of intervention strategies are helping children make a successful transition into kindergarten: early intervention programs, school survival skill training, and delayed school entry. Early intervention programs are early childhood and preschool programs such as Head Start. The overall long-term effectiveness of such programs has generally been impressive; however, increased kindergarten readiness scores for participating children do not always transfer to the public schools, suggesting a discrepancy in classroom organization and teacher style between preschool and primary school. School survival-skill training involves direct instruction in specific skills immediately prior to the child's transition into school. Controversy over this approach has focused on whether preparation for kindergarten is an appropriate and necessary function of preschool programs. This controversy might be eased if some of the broader developmental tasks faced by children during early school transitions could be addressed, such as learning to view themselves as successful students, and formulating strategies for learning. Delay of school entry for children who appear at-risk for early difficulties often involves placing such children in "developmental" kindergarten or first-grade programs. The thrust of this movement is maturational rather than educational. Despite the increasing use of this strategy, a review of research into delayed school entry, placement in developmental programs, or retention following kindergarten or first grade indicates overwhelmingly that these practices are rarely helpful and sometimes harmful. Factors contributing to successful school transition include personal characteristics of the child, children's school performance, family and parent characteristics, and teacher characteristics. (HTH)
Descriptors:
At Risk Persons; Early Childhood Education; *Early Intervention;
Educational Strategies; Grade Repetition; Grade 1; Kindergarten;
*Program Effectiveness; School Entrance Age; *School Readiness
Identifiers:
Delayed School Entry; Project Head Start
ED338340
PS019826
Title: Age of Entry, Holding Out and Kindergarten Retention:
Differences as a Function of Gender and Ethnicity.
Author(s) Cosden, Merith; Zimmer, Jules
Pages: 44
Publication Date: April 1991
Notes: Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the American
Educational Research Association (Chicago, IL, April 3-7,
1991).
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC02 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Reports--Research (143); Speeches/meeting
papers (150)
Geographic Source: U.S.; California
Journal Announcement: RIEMAR1992
This study tested hypotheses regarding the relation of differences in kindergarten entry and rentention that relate to gender and ethnicity. Hypotheses were: (1) the age at which children enter kindergarten would vary as a function of their gender and ethnicity; (2) children who were held out of kindergarten would be in the younger part of their cohort, and Anglo boys would be held out more frequently than females or Latinos; (3) kindergarten retention would be affected by age, gender, and ethnicity. Data on kindergarten students in three southern California school districts were collected between 1989 and 1991. School records were used to obtain data on students' birthdates, gender, and ethnicity. Teachers indicated which students were retained or would be retained the following year. Information on students who had been held out of kindergarten was obtained. Results showed that in the school district with the lowest Latino population, the child's age of entry varied as a function of gender and ethnicity; the predicted holding out pattern for boys and Anglos was evident; and retention decisions were also affected by age, gender, and ethnicity. These results were not duplicated in the other two districts, which had larger Latino populations. A list of 30 references is included. (BC)
Descriptors:
Ethnicity; *Grade Repetition; High Risk Students; *Hispanic
Americans; *Kindergarten; *Kindergarten Children; Primary
Education; *School Entrance Age; School Readiness; *Sex
Differences
Identifiers:
California (South)
ED326329
PS019286
Title: Increasing the Awareness of Questionable Trends and
Practices in Kindergarten for Administrators and Teachers
through a Series of Presentations.
Author(s) Frantz, Stephanie J.
Pages: 67
Publication Date: 1990
Notes: Ed.D. Practicum, Nova University.
Available from: EDRS Price MF01/PC03 Plus Postage.
Language: English
Document Type: Dissertations/Theses--Practicum papers (043);
Test/questionnaires (160)
Geographic Source: U.S.; Iowa
Journal Announcement: RIEAPR1991
An education agency's early childhood resource developer implemented and evaluated a practicum intervention designed to increase administrators' and teachers' awareness of questionable trends and practices in kindergarten education. Most of the kindergartens in the agency's area had a highly academic, lock-step curriculum; used standardized testing and screening as school entry procedures; and actively practiced redshirting and other forms of retention. Intervention consisted of the development of four research-based presentations on kindergarten trends and practices. The presentations were aired live through closed circuit television at sites in a seven county area. Sixty-four teachers and administrators registered and participated in the series of four sessions. Presentations: (1) offered an update of changes in kindergarten education and recent research findings on children's learning; (2) focused on assessment of a kindergarten program and components of a developmentally appropriate curriculum; (3) addressed the issues of testing, retention, redshirting, and 2-year kindergarten programs; and (4) reviewed the issues of grade cards, the value of observations and portfolios, and parent involvement. Evaluation data indicated that outcomes were positive. Related materials, such as surveys and questionnaires, packet descriptions, and presentation agendas, are appended. (RH)
Descriptors:
Administrators; *Educational Practices; *Educational Quality;
*Educational Trends; *Kindergarten; Preschool Teachers;
Primary Education
Identifiers:
*Academic Load; *Developmentally Appropriate Programs
EJ410164
EA524443
Title: Retention and Redshirting: The Dark Side of Kindergarten.
Author(s) Holloman, Susanne T.
Source: Principal, v69 n5 p13-15 May 1990
Publication Date: 1990
Language: English
Document Type: Journal articles (080); Opinion papers (120)
Journal Announcement: CIJNOV1990
Developmentally appropriate kindergarten programs produce excellent long-term results for children, allowing them to reach their full potential while preserving their self-esteem. This article suggests that principals weigh nursery school teachers' recommendations to help parents decide whether a child is ready for kindergarten. Includes seven references. (MLH)
Descriptors: *Administrator Responsibility; *Age Differences; *Kindergarten; *Principals; *Readiness; *Transitional Programs
