How often does redshirting occur?
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that, nationally, during the 2006-2007 school year, 7% of children had parents who planned to delay their entrance into kindergarten. This statistic included a higher percentage of boys than girls and a lower percentage of children living in poor households compared with nonpoor households (O’Donnell, 2008). According to researcher M. Elizabeth Graue, studies suggest that “redshirting is a relatively low-incidence practice that clusters in certain communities. Although the average tends to be about 7%, it ranges from 0 to much higher in certain schools” (personal communication, February 24, 2009; also see Graue & DiPerna, 2000).
