A bill to change the kindergarten start date from Oct. 16 to Aug. 31 has been passed by the Senate and will go to Governor Easley for his signature.
Studies on the effects of age at kindergarten entry yield mixed results. In The Effect of a Child’s Age at School Entrance on Reading Readiness and Achievement Test Scores, Karen Magliacano found “no significant difference between the samples in reading test scores as a result of chronological age.”
On the other hand, Ashlesha Datar’s dissertation from the Rand Graduate School, The Impact of Changes in Kindergarten Entrance Age Policies on Children?s Academic Achievement and the Child Care Needs of Families, showed that the test scores of older kindergarten students were significantly higher than younger students. She noted that the additional day care costs associated with delaying entry into kindergarten were substantial.
