Early Entrance to Kindergarten and "Redshirting": Implications for Kindergarten Achievement Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort

• In Event: Research on Gifted Performance and Gifted Programs

Abstract

While states have developed policies around a cut-off date for kindergarten entrance, some parents chose to have their child enter kindergarten before this date (Early Entrance) as an acceleration technique, or hold the child back from entering, a practice termed Redshirting, to allow for greater maturity and increased achievement in relation to grade-level peers. This study examines a nationally-representative large-scale database (ECLS-B) to determine the effect of these practices on reading and math school achievement. The results demonstrate that although redshirted students performed better than their grade-level peers, they were significantly behind their age-peers academically. Children who were accelerated, on the other hand, performed lower than their grade-level mates, but were significantly more advanced than their age-mates.

Author

• Hope Elisabeth Wilson, University of North Florida