In 2010, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on preschool and kindergarten graduations in the Atlanta area. Children as young as four wore caps and gowns. Some schools also held proms and a “senior week.” At one school, parents paid “senior fees” of $110 that covered the caps and gowns, a trip, a diploma and a gift bag.
“These kids are the ‘seniors’ of the school, it’s a milestone for them,” said Cathy Brown of the Crème de la Crème schools. Peter Pizzolongo of the National Association for the Education of Young Children was less sure: “What you do at 4 is not likely to have an affect on a child 14 years later.”