Masters Thesis

The effects of age and sex on achievement

Today children begin school on the basis of their chronological age. Most public schools require that a child be five years of age before entering kindergarten and six years of age before entering the first grade. Much doubt is being raised about the validity of this practice. Many studies have been made concerning the different developmental growth rate of young children. These studies generally agree that children of the same age develop at varying rates.4 However this well accepted fact has not as yet become an integral part of the school curriculum and planning. Presently California law states that a child may enter kindergarten if he will reach five years of age by December 2 of that school year. In the past there has been pressure to get our children into school as soon as possible. Research in the area of school readiness indicates that many children who begin school before they are ready have trouble the rest of their school life. The purpose of this study was to compare the achievement of eighth grade students in the Fresno City Unified School District by chronological age and sex.

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