The Early Reading and Mathematics Achievement of Children Who Repeated Kindergarten or Who Began School a Year Late

This report examines the association between kindergarten enrollment status (repeating kindergarten or delaying entry) and children's first-grade reading and math achievement. Based on the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 1998-1999, the authors find that in fall 1998, five percent of all children were repeating kindergarten; six percent were attending kindergarten for the first time even though they were age-eligible to do so a year earlier. At the end of first grade, children who repeated kindergarten had lower reading and math knowledge and skills than those who started on time. At the end of first grade, children whose kindergarten entry was delayed demonstrated slightly higher reading knowledge and skills than those who started on time. In math, these children were behind their classmates who began kindergarten on time.