The Effects of Academic Redshirting Among Third Grade Students in a Rural

Southeastern School District

By Christin SmithA Dissertation Submitted to the

Gardner-Webb University School of Education

in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements

for the Degree of Doctor of Education

Statement of the Problem

What happens when a student is old enough to begin school, but he is not ready for school?

“A child’s readiness for a particular school program is indicated by his or her physical, social, emotional, and academic readiness, leading to his or her ability to cope and sustain in that environment without undue stress and awkwardness” (Guddemi & Marchesseault, 2009, p. 77).

Purpose of the Study

• The purpose of this study will be to determine if there is a possible difference in scores on the Palmetto Assessment of State Standards (PASS) in reading and math between third grade students who were academically redshirted and those who were not academically redshirted.

• Only students with summer birthdays will be included.

• Gender will also be factored into the comparison.

Significance of the Study

This study may provide valuable information to:

• Parents, teachers, administrators

• Curriculum coordinators

• Stakeholders

• State legislators

Theoretical Framework

Jean Piaget’s

Theory of Cognitive Development

Arnold Gesell’s

Theory of Maturation

“A December versus a June birthday may cause an effect on status in kindergarten, and six months difference in chronological age or developmental age may affect adjustment in first grade.”

-Arnold Gesell

Research Questions

Is there a statistically significant difference in reading scores between academically redshirted students with

summer birthdates and non-academically redshirted students with summer birthdates on the third grade

PASS?

Is there a statistically significant difference in math scores between

academically redshirted students with summer birthdates and non-

academically redshirted students with summer birthdates on the third grade

PASS?

To what extent, if any, does gender impact reading scores between

academically redshirted students with summer birthdates and non-

academically redshirted students with summer birthdates on the third grade

PASS?

To what extent, if any, does gender impact math scores between

academically redshirted students with summer birthdates and non-

academically redshirted students with summer birthdates on the third grade

PASS?

Review of the Literature

• Academic Redshirting and Its Historical Content• Kindergarten-Past and Present

• Legislation on School Entry Age

• Academic Redshirting

• Reasons to Redshirt• Physical

• Cognitive

• Social/Emotional

• Characteristics of Redshirted Students• Ethnicity

• Gender

• Socioeconomic Status

• Effects of Academic Redshirting• Advantages and Disadvantages

• Gender Differences in Education

Methodology:Research Design

Quasi-experi-mental

Between-Subject

Quanti-tative

Research Design

Methodology:Setting

• Upstate South Carolina

• Rural

• Approximately 2900 students

• 4 Schools• Primary

• Elementary

• Middle

• High

Methodology:Participants

• Academically Redshirted Students• Born between June 1 –

August 31

• Took PASS in 3rd Grade between 2009-2014

• 27 students (19 males, 8 females)

• Non-Academically Redshirted Students• Born between June 1 –

August 31

• Took PASS in 3rd Grade between 2009-2014

• 186 students (94 males, 92 females)

Methodology:Instruments

• South Carolina Palmetto Assessment of State Standards• Began in 2009

• Scales scores and performance levels (Exemplary, Met, and Not Met)

Methodology:Procedures

Selection of

Student

Database

1. Use PowerSchool to determine the birthday and gender of students in each grade level

-Students’ identification numbers were used to keep participants and their scores anonymous

2. Separate students into 2 categories

3. Use Enrich to determine if students were retained or redshirted

Methodology:Procedures (continued)

4. Using Enrich, obtain 3rd grade PASS scores.

5. Create Excel spreadsheet to record student ID number, birthday, gender, PASS score for reading, PASS score for math

Methodology:Procedures (continued)

Research Questions 1 & 26. Use an Independent-

Samples T-Test

Research Questions 3 & 47. Use a Two-Way Analyses

of Variance (ANOVA)

Limitations and Delimitations

Limitations• Sample size

• District

• State

Delimitations• Other factors were not

considered (special education, English Language proficiency, Gifted and Talented, etc.)

Conclusion

“If there is indeed such a thing as human engineering, nothing could be more unscientific than the unceremonious, indiscriminating, wholesale method with which we admit children into our greatest social institution, the public school.”

-Arnold Gesell