Oldest kids in class do better, even through college - NPR

[Anonymous]

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/08/18/544483397/oldest-kids-in-class-do-better-even-through-college

"The study focused on differences between Florida children born just before and after the Sept. 1 cutoff date for starting kindergarten. That means the youngest children in any class were born in August and the oldest in September of the previous year. Figlio and his co-authors found that, on average, demographically similar September-born children performed better than their younger August-born classmates, all through their academic careers."

The differences between the youngest and oldest children were small but meaningful all through school, including college. This study also took into account family income and there was a difference between even children from wealthier families who were the youngest vs. the oldest.

I have an August birthday boy and although he's only 3 now, I can't imagine sending him to K only 2 weeks after he turns 5. It seems like most summer birthday boys and about half the girls start K right after they turn 6. I definitely see the benefit to waiting, although private pre-K or an extra year of day care definitely isn't cheap.

[Anonymous]

Game that system.

[Anonymous]

If schools don't want parents to redshirt, they need to tone down the early elementary years. Otherwise, we will continue to have kids who turn 7 in kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

I mean, there's a sense of pride when an August birthday kid outperforms her old fart peers in K. But teachers don't have time to grade by age. Schools should address this. It's unfair to younger kids.

[Anonymous]

Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If schools don't want parents to redshirt, they need to tone down the early elementary years. Otherwise, we will continue to have kids who turn 7 in kindergarten.

+1

Kindergarten needs to be developmentally appropriate for five year olds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

Tons of people. April and May, too.

[Anonymous]

I'd be interested to know from a real researcher if this FL only data can be used as a proxy for nationwide outcomes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

Tons of people. April and May, too.

That is pathetic.

[Anonymous]

I toured a private all boys school when my son was 4 and the admissions folks said they would admit him to pre-k instead of KG because of his "late" birthday. He was born in mid-April. They had never met him. He was reading on a 2nd/3rd grade level around his 5th birthday so there was no way I would hold him back. I passed on that school but I've heard that isn't unusual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

I have a July birthday and was on the young side for my grade (9/30 cutoff). There were lots of kids who were born in June or July the year before me in my grade. Mostly boys but a few girls too. This was in the 80s and 90s. I imagine even more people are doing it now. Plus some school systems have a 7/31 cutoff now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

Tons of people. April and May, too.

That is pathetic.

Yep. My late August boy does laps around all of the older kids, physically and academically. It has actually served him well to be the youngest in the class, so I don't hold any grudges for all of the red shirts.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I toured a private all boys school when my son was 4 and the admissions folks said they would admit him to pre-k instead of KG because of his "late" birthday. He was born in mid-April. They had never met him. He was reading on a 2nd/3rd grade level around his 5th birthday so there was no way I would hold him back. I passed on that school but I've heard that isn't unusual.

:

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

So many in the DMV! I know it first hand, kids from public and private schools. While we get many pps here asking about skipping a grade, I can see that red shirting is actually more prevalent. I know a family that held both kids back by a year, they told kids that they can choose since they are June babies, so it is not being behind. It is an academic and athletic advantage, just depends on a family why they held kids back. I can count at least 15 kids on top of my head right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Most "summer birthday boys"? Summer birthdays range from part of June through part of September. Who would redshirt a June or July kid?

So many in the DMV! I know it first hand, kids from public and private schools. While we get many pps here asking about skipping a grade, I can see that red shirting is actually more prevalent. I know a family that held both kids back by a year, they told kids that they can choose since they are June babies, so it is not being behind. It is an academic and athletic advantage, just depends on a family why they held kids back. I can count at least 15 kids on top of my head right now.

That is mind boggling.