Does the Age That Children Start Kindergarten Matter? Evidence of Long-Term Educational and Social Outcomes

Abstract

The appropriate age for students to begin school is an issue of debate for educators, administrators, and parents. Parents worry that young children may not be able to compete with older classmates; schools worry that young students will not be able to meet rigorous academic standards associated with school accountability. Past literature is inconclusive as to the overall effect of age at school entry. Some research suggests that younger students have lower average achievement in early elementary school, while others find that students with summer birthdates, who are assumed to be younger at school entry, gain more education on average. At present, little is known about the impact of age at school entry on education attainment as students transition from high school into college and the labor market. This study uses data from the National Education Longitudinal Survey to examine long-term effects of age at school entry on both educational and social outcomes, with special attention to those students who enter kindergarten a year later than their peers. The results of this study suggest that delaying kindergarten does not create any long-term advantages for students.

Decision-Making Perspectives for Kindergarten Entry

“…In addition to middle class students, children more likely to be redshirted are males (DiPerna & Graue, 2000;Grissom, 2004;Lincove & Painter, 2006;. At the time of kindergarten entry, six year old males achieve significantly higher reading scores compared to their five year old counterparts.…”

“…This is known as academic redshirting; it is a response to try to counteract social promotion and retention (Frey, 2005). Rates of academic redshirting range from seven percent (DiPerna & Graue, 2000) to nine percent (Lincove & Painter, 2006) and students that have birthdates right before the state/district cutoff date for kindergarten entry (DiPerna & Graue, 2000). Parents that choose to delay a child's entry into kindergarten often do not consult the school about their decision .…”

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

“…The age of starting school is an important issue because it is likely to affect children's adjustment and success in school (Bedard & Dhuey, 2006;Byrd, Weitzman, & Auinger, 1997;Lincove & Painter, 2006). The timing of school entry also influences other aspects of children's lives.…”

“…School authorities accelerated the trend to increase the minimum age requirement of school entrance. The age increase was motivated by the belief that older children perform better in school (Stipek, 2002;Lincove & Painter, 2006). Educational policy makers viewed raising the age of entry as a cheap way to get results.…”

“…Readiness in their view is "a level of maturity or skills that anticipates [children's] success in the school" (Graue, 1992, p.1), and a "threshold that should be reached before starting school" (Yesil-Dagli, 2006, p. 250). Another assumption of the maturational view is that development comes naturally with age as if responding to an internal biological clock with little that can be done to accelerate the process (Lincove & Painter, 2006).…”