Redshirting Kindergarten 101

Academic pursuits are complicated. When it comes to the start gate for educating children, Kindergarten is step one in the compulsory program. However, it is often worthwhile to examine when one starts the marathon to try to weigh the potential benefits of a delayed start to possibly realize a better overall outcome. In instances where a child has a summer birthday and would, ultimately, present as the youngest and likely smallest in his or her class, parents often pause to consider the options.

It is not really about whether the summer child is able to access Kindergarten but whether it is in his or her best interest to begin the academic journey with peers who present with nearly a 20% age benefit by being older strictly based on their birthdate. While states vary in the date in which a child must be five-years-old, most settle in on somewhere in the early fall. This means that a child who presents with a September 1 birthday may turn 6 within two weeks of the start of school while an August 30 child would have literally just have turned 5 within two weeks. As adults, one year’s growth is not monumental or even worthy of dialog. However,

when analyzing a child’s growth and development, one full year makes a big difference socio-emotionally, academically, and physically.

In a recent study from the Cleveland Clinic entitled, “Youngest Kids in Class Most Likely to Have ADHD,” they reference a study where 85 out of 10,000 children born in August (youngest in their class) versus 64 out of 10,000 children born in September (oldest in their class) were diagnosed with ADHD. With an evidence of a 34% higher chance of the younger group being diagnosed with ADHD, this adds to the growing concern that a delayed start may offer even more benefits than originally considered. Part of this disparity may be more a result of the younger population (again nearly one year or 20% younger) presenting as less mature than their older peers and, therefore, demonstrating more restless behaviors. These behaviors may, in some cases, be addressed more successfully by allowing the summer population to age that additional year and present for Kindergarten the following year as older, more mature, and more prepared for the academic and social challenges presented in an institutional (educational) environment.

Furthermore, while one would hope that parents would not make academic outcome estimates based on sports ability, this is another reason why many parents (especially parents of boys) often elect to redshirt Kindergarten in lieu of an escalated preparedness level offered by

a child who has had another year to mature and grow into a more likely able bodied and athletically competent player. Naturally, over time genetics will win over such that even a small child whose biological roadmap destines him for undeniable athletic prowess will eventually prove itself. However, for most children in competitive play situations, a diminutive stature evidenced by a notably younger age may have limiting effects on the child’s participation level, at least for a while.

Ultimately, making the best decision when to enroll one’s child in school can have long-lasting impacts upon the child’s academic, social, and athletic outcomes. No two children, even with the same birthdays are the same. Therefore, it is critical that parents of children whose age may place them in a youngest in class category, carefully weigh their options before deciding whether to access or to redshirt their child’s entrance into Kindergarten.

Dr. Angela Farmer is a lifelong educator, an author, and a syndicated columnist. She serves Mississippi State University as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Honors Education for the Shackouls Honors College where she can be reached at afarmer@honors.msstate.edu