Education The AGE Debate By Jo Ann Serota, DNP, CPNP, FAANP
systems across the United States start formal schooling at age five, but the cutoff date for registration differs from state- to-state. The age a child should enter kindergarten has become a dilemma for parents. The debate is whether to have their younger five-year-olds (with spring/ summer birthdays) start kindergarten a year later — at age six. This trend is called redshirting. Red-
A
shirting is a term used by college athletic programs to allow student athletes an extra year of sports eligibility in order to enhance their skills and strength. This may not be ideal for kindergarteners. Par- ents may have the perception that holding back their child — especially a male with a spring/summer birthday — will give him an academic advantage, a higher IQ, success in sports, college admission down the road and an increase in poten-
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child’s formal academic journey be- gins with kindergarten. Most school
TO DELAY OR NOT TO DELAY THE START OF KINDERGARTEN
tial wage earnings as an adult. Current research does not support this trend. Holding back a five-year-old may give the child a better academic performance in the early grades, but research indicates that entering school later reduces educa- tional attainment. A recent study by Jaekel et al. (2015) found no significant differ- ence between the age-appropriate school entry child and the delayed-entry child in math scores, writing, reading and attention in the first year of school. This study also found that delayed-entry children, when tested at eight years of age (third grade), had lower scores in math, reading, writing and attention than the age-appropriate school entry children. Kids who may be held back due to immaturity, possible developmental impairments or special educational needs may need to attend kindergarten at the appropriate school age in order to receive the necessary supplemental school services such as
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