Among the many laws which went into effect on July 1 of this year, one has generated significant conversation among young parents and families. Public Act 23-159, An Act Concerning Teachers and Paraeducators, “raises the age children can start public school kindergarten from age five by January of the school year to age five by September of the school year.” In other words, before this law went into effect, families could plan to enroll in kindergarten so long as their child turned five by the beginning of the new calendar year, January 1. The new law moves that eligibility date up three months, meaning the child must have turned five by September 1 of the prior year.

The new law is a good one. The policy underpinning it is well-researched and enacted with good intentions. First, starting a child in kindergarten before she is emotionally ready is often cited as a reason for retention in that grade, if not a catalyst for long-term, subsequent negative effects. And most kindergarten teachers would tell you that 5-year-olds perform better, on average, than 4-year-olds. Perhaps more importantly, within the next decade, high school teachers can now expect an extra year of maturity in their students. This is a benefit that will surely pay off dividends in behavioral and academic outcomes.