Kindergarten Entrance Age and Reading Achievement at the End of First and Third Grade

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate kindergarten entrance age and its relationship to reading achievement at the end of first and third grade. Standardized reading test scores of 463 third grade students in a southern Wisconsin school district were studied to test these hypotheses: 1. No significant relationship exists between kindergarten entrance age and reading achievement as measured by the CTBS at the end of first and/or third grade. 2. The strength of the relationship does not vary from first to third grade. 3. The strength of the relationship does not vary with sex at the first or third grade level. 4. No significant relationship exists between kindergarten entrance age and placement in the Gifted and Talented Program. 5. No significant relationship exists between kindergarten entrance age and retention. Results indicate that there is a significant relationship between entrance age of Young (< 63 mos. At entrance) and Old (> 69 mos.) group subjects and their third grade reading scores. However, when the sexes were considered separately, no significant relationship was found between entrance age and third grade scores for males or females. No significant relationship was found between entrance age and first grade reading scores. Although no significant relationship was found between entrance age and placement in the Gifted and Talented Program, a strong relationship between entrance age and retention was evident. Students in the Young (< 63 mos.) group were almost twice as likely to be retained as those in the Middle (63-69 mos.) group, while none of the retention subjects were from the Old (>69 mos.) group. Boys were also more likely to be retained, as they made up over 69% of the retention population.