Longitudinal Study of Effects on Academic Achievement for Early and Late Age of School Entry

Abstract

A large group of children was assessed at the end of kindergarten (1984) on a battery of achievement and ability assessment instruments. To examine the effects of age at kindergarten entry, the academic progress of those children continuing in the same school system was tracked at the end of grades 1 (1985), 3 (1987), 6 (1990), and 9 (1993). There was no evidence for gender or socioeconomic effects on IQ or kindergarten entry age. There was some suggestion that children young at kindergarten entry were more likely to repeat a year or require remedial assistance at some point in their school years. However, the younger children were also brighter on average. Tracking 23 children who required long-term remedial assistance found no indication of greater long-term remedial needs for young-at-entry children.

Early educational milestones as predictors of lifelong academic achievement, midlife adjustment, and longevity

“…This may have been especially true for the Terman children growing up in the early 20 th century, well before research and public policy expressed concern about age requirements. Early entrants showed early signs of success, but were less conscientious and pursued less education down the road, suggesting that, despite being exceptionally bright, they may have been psychosocially unprepared (Wilgosh, Meyer, & Mueller, 1995). The results of this study support existing theories and studies that suggest that psychosocial maturity and overall readiness, rather than age or intelligence alone, are crucial in determining when children should begin school (Byrd, Weitzman, & Auinger, 1997;Green & Simmons, 1962;Shepard & Smith, 1988;Wilgosh, Meyer, & Mueller, 1995).…”