Reclassification or repeating a grade is a well-established tradition and growing trend in American education. It’s sort of “academic red-shirting”. The additional time to mature athletically, academically, or developmentally gives students a clear advantage.
Studies of the Relative Age Effect reveal that kids who are among the oldest in their class have a developmental advantage that increases the likelihood that they will excel in school, on the sports field, and in many other aspects of life; have better odds of attending college and graduating from an elite institution; and show marked improvement with attention deficits, behavior, and confidence levels.
The difference just a couple months makes…A study conducted by the NCAA discovered that baseball players born in September – December are 38% more likely to play in college compared to players born between January – April.
