In March of 1984, the Kentucky General Assembly revised and approved a senate bill that made kindergarten mandatory beginning with the 1985-86 school year. This paper reviews several national and state research studies which help demonstrate reasons why early education would be beneficial to a student population. Particularly discussed are the results of two national studies, the Consortium on Developmental Continuity and the Consortium for Longitudinal Studies, which indicate long-term educational effects. Studies in Kentucky, focusing specifically on the effects of kindergarten attendance on later academic achievement, revealed a significant difference in third and fifth grade achievement test scores between students with and without kindergarten experience. The students with kindergarten experience scored higher at both grade levels in reading, language, math, and total battery. In a study conducted by Paterno and Taylor, the effects of the kindergarten experience on immediate (first grade) academic achievement of rural children was investigated. Results indicated higher scores for kindergarten versus non-kindergarten experienced children in the same four areas. In conclusion, the paper discusses the need for further research and the concern for the effect of mandatory kindergarten on children in Kentucky. (DST)