Age & Achievement

Abstract

There is continuing controversy about the optimal or appropriate age at which children should start school. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between age and achievement. It is an attempt to evaluate the hypothesis that older students fare better academically than their younger classmates. Findings indicate that on average for students in elementary school there is positive linear relationship between age and achievement for age normal peers. Even though there is positive linear relationship, the difference in average test scores between the oldest and youngest students is not great and by the time students reach 10th grade the positive linear relationship has disappeared. For overage students there is on average a negative linear relationship between age and achievement at all grade levels. That is, the negative relationship between age and achievement remains constant over time. These results argue against modifying entrance age policies, delaying school entry, implementing transitional kindergarten or first grade programs or retaining students to improve educational achievement. Policies and practices that make students older than their classmates inversely affect their educational achievement.

The relationship between school-entry age and academic achievement in Lebanon. (c2011)

“…Many studies, however, found that the academic achievement advantage was small, most pronounced in the first years, and declined sharply in subsequent years. Of particular interest to this study, two of the reviewed studies, Grissom (2004) andMartin (2009), suggested that age differences between peers falling within the normal 12 month range caused by variations in students' birth month, may have different effects on achievement than age differences due to delayed school entry.…”

“…Age-normal students: Students who did not delay school entry, i.e., enrolled in school when they were age-eligible (Grissom, 2004).…”

“…Detractors argued that the most popular screening and readiness tests were not able to predict future school success and therefore should not make decisions about the readiness of individual children (Grissom, 2004;May, 1986;Shepard, 1997).…”

“…Critics also point to studies that show that the association between achievement and the age of starting school was too small and that the advantages enjoyed by older children dissipate in succeeding years (Davis et al, 1980;Elder & Lubotsky, 2009). Grissom (2004 ) remarked:…”

“…Many studies have found that age advantages wane and disappear in later school years (Bickel et al, 1991;Davis et al, 1980;Deming & Dynarski 2008;Grissom, 2004;Stipek & Byler, 2001;Verachtert et al, 2010), whereas other studies found that the age advantages persist (Massey, Elliott, & Ross, 1996) and even increase with time (Breznitz & Teltsch, 1989).…”