# Study: Delaying Kindergarten Has Few Longterm Benefits
Parents weighing whether to delay their child's kindergarten entry will find little evidence supporting the decision. A new study finds that redshirting, the practice of holding children back from school despite meeting age requirements, produces minimal lasting academic or social gains.
The research challenges a common parental assumption that older children gain competitive advantages in school. While redshirted children sometimes show short-term developmental benefits in early grades, these gains fade quickly. By middle and high school, the study found no meaningful differences between children who entered kindergarten on time and those who delayed entry by a year.
Redshirting remains prevalent among affluent families, who have the financial flexibility to keep children in preschool or at home longer. This practice has widened disparities between wealthy and lower-income students, creating a form of academic stratification that begins before first grade.
The timing of kindergarten entry affects when children finish high school. A redshirted student graduates nearly a year later than peers, potentially delaying college enrollment and workforce entry. The study suggests these scheduling consequences outweigh any skill advantages.
Researchers examined multiple cohorts of students, tracking academic performance and social outcomes over years. Results consistently showed that entry age alone did not predict later school success. Instead, factors like early literacy instruction, classroom quality, and family engagement mattered far more than whether a child started kindergarten at age five or six.
For parents considering redshirting, the evidence suggests focusing on school selection and learning opportunities rather than delaying enrollment. Schools offering strong kindergarten curricula and individualized support benefit all students, regardless of entry age. Families should discuss specific child development concerns with teachers and pediatricians rather than assume a year's delay will provide lasting advantage.
The findings arrive as school systems nationwide grapple with kindergarten readiness definitions and enrollment policies that