Starting boys a year later in school – ‘Redshirting’ is coming under increased scrutiny

BOSTON — It’s a fact that girls and boys develop along different timelines.

Some parents feel their sons could use an extra year to mature before starting kindergarten.

The term ‘redshirting’ refers to the idea of parents holding a child back to start a year later.

“I think it’s good for some people who might be on the smaller side or mature later in life,” said one young man in Westwood.

A new college graduate told us, “People do it all the time for sports.”

“Over the past several decades, parents have become increasingly focused, understandably, on how to help their child succeed the most in academics, in sports, in all areas of life. Could this be a way to give children an extra advantage,” said David Langer, Ph.D., ABPP, a psychology professor at Suffolk University.

He says boys often trail girls in some facets of early development.

“Boys and girls do show developmental differences at different points, and often in a number of ways. Girls may be a bit ahead in emotional maturity, in some ways in physical maturity,” explained Langer.

This is why girls might have an easier time sitting and paying attention in class.

Langer says research shows boys might benefit from an age advantage for a few years, but that it might come at a cost down the line.

“It might be unhelpful in the 8th to 12th grade when they’re older than a lot of their peers and it’s been linked to some lower grades and lower scores in the high school years for children who have been held back.”

Now some districts want to put an end to holding kids back.

This year, Washington, D.C. schools will enforce a long-standing policy, effectively putting an end to red shirting.

The New York City public schools are also cracking down on the practice.

In Boston, school officials tell Boston 25 News that children will still be allowed to start school later but must have an approved waiver ahead of time.

One reason for these measures is to level the playing field.

Generally, only wealthier parents can afford an additional year of childcare for their kids, which creates a two-tiered system for boys who can start kindergarten later.

Richard Reeves, author of “Of Boys and Men” and the president of the American Institute for Boys and Men, has a completely different idea.

He’s advocating for all boys to start a year later.

During a TED Talk, he said “It’s the boys from lower income, poorer neighborhoods and families who would most benefit from the gift of extra time for development, and that’s why I think it should be a question of public policy.”

Langer thinks the overall approach in kindergarten should be modified so boys can start at the same age, but in an environment suitable for their stage of development.

“I think one of the most important things is kindergarten should be ready for the child, not the other way around.”

Concerned parents should talk to their child’s pediatrician and pre-school teachers about their child’s readiness for kindergarten.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2025 Cox Media Group