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.