“…In the nonpromotion literature, prefirst-grade programs have been treated as variants of grade retention, because like grade retention, these programs add an extra year to the child's schooling (Gredler, 1992). Guided by Gesell's maturational perspective, prefirst (or developmental first) grades have been promoted as sound educational alternatives in hopes that they will provide unready children with the time to mature and develop the skills needed for formal schooling (May & Kundert, 1993; Tanner & Galis, 1997). As a result, the research on grade retention has, with few exceptions, typically focused on individual differences (e.g., demographics, cognitive ability, academic achievement, behavior problems, social adjustment) between promoted and nonpromoted children, generally ignoring school or family contexts.…”