I will have to say that I agree with drawing the line somewhere but does it have to be so cut & dry. I think that as long as they are to turn 5 at some point during the school year then they should be able to start that year. Maybe they should have a enterance type testing despite of age, some kids are really ready but don't make the cut off where as some older kids are clearly NOT ready but because they meet the age requirement they let them in. Anyone else feel the same way?
Ex : my sister-in-law had twins in 2005. My nephew was born at 11:49 PM on Dec 1 but his sister wasn't in such a big hurry so my neice missed the Dec 1st cut off by 45 minutes, so now she has to wait. Of chorse my Sister-in-law isn't going to start one with out the other so now both have to wait.
2007-09-25 18:50:19 · 13 answers · asked by justaskme 3 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Grade-Schooler
Every district is different, but I'm sure there is a process your sister-in-law can initiate. If the school is not willing to work with her, write a letter to members of the board of education and follow up with calls. Usually board meetings are open to the public, so your sister-in-law will at least have an opportunity to speak there, (One of the board members will let her speak her case.) The irony in this case is too much. If they are not budging after she's asked nicely, then write a letter to the local paper that there should be some kind of process in place. I bet a local tv station would pick that story up...Have fun!
2007-09-25 19:01:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Your example does seem to be too cut and dry. However, you're right- there needs to be a point where children are cut off for the following year. I think December is actually pretty late for the date (I think around here it's more in October, but I could be wrong). Your idea doesn't help though (no offense)- if a child turns 5 on the last day of kindergarten, that child is simply too young. As far as children who ARE of age but not of maturity- most schools do kindergarten screenings for that very reason. Children are screened for basic skills, and if the person screening the child feels the child is not ready, the parents are told it would be best to wait a year. They can't legally deny entrance into school that way, but it lets parents know if they're ready or not.
2007-09-26 15:57:28 · answer #2 · answered by elizabeth_ashley44 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES it most certainly is! Here in IL they have to be 5 by Sept. 1st. Years ago they used to have a "testing" system in place where if your child did not meet the age request then they may still let them in class if they were ready according to the test. Now they don't allow the test anymore and they leave it up to the teacher to move your child ahead to the next grade if they feel like they are too far ahead of the class. My daughters b-day is Sept 4th so she missed the cut off by 3 days and then the teacher halfway through the year wanted to move her up but because she is so shy I did not want to move her halfway in the year after she has already made friends and have her go to a new class where she will endure being the "new kid" and every one else has already made friends and she would be the outsider! I think they need to go back to the testing system personally cause then they would have known that she was ready for kindergarten a year earlier and she would not be the oldest in her class.
2007-09-26 03:36:55 · answer #3 · answered by Summer Days 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is funny that I read this because I live in Canada and our cut off date is Dec. 31. My son is born on Dec. 31 at 9:32pm. He is an athletic and a bright boy but I did the opposite. I waited until the next year to put him in Kindergarten because I didn't want him to be 4 starting school and I didn't want him to be the youngest in the class. He is in grade 2 now and I now realise he would have been fine if he was in grade 3. It is funny how the schools don't mind if you delay putting children in but they don't like to put them in early. I guess because more people would abuse this and children could end up in school before they are ready. If they did some kind of testing-it might only show some strengths, but they might not be mature enough and problems might show up later.
2007-09-26 05:38:16 · answer #4 · answered by Gina P 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I don't think there is a 'one size fits all' age for K. My son turned 5 in the summer and he stayed home this year because he's just not mature enough for school. Here the cut-off is Sept 1 but they go to all day K....8:45-3:30! My oldest son was so ready at 4, but he has an Oct bday so we had to wait. So, yes, I do think it is too cut and dry, but sometimes it has to be because there are so many parents that don't have their child's best interest at heart and will send them early to save on childcare.
2007-09-26 00:51:23 · answer #5 · answered by SuVmOm 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with u on this, there should be an enterance testing if they aren't 5 yet, but will be at some point during the school year. My mom told me that back when I started kindergarten in - omg 1977 - my birthday was at the cut off mark- omg 1977 I started kindergarten and my mom said I had to take an enterance test then, but I wonder why they don't do that. HMMMMMMMMM.
2007-10-02 07:52:40 · answer #6 · answered by sweetness 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, there has to be a cut off somewhere...
However, it's all child-dependent. In the case of your nephew, if the parents had contacted the school, gone to see the principal, and if the children were ready, they could have probably been accommodated to start the first year.
What a lot of parents do is complain, but then don't actually GO to the school and discuss things with the principal!
2007-09-26 09:21:28 · answer #7 · answered by Lydia 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I have a daughter who turned five in September, 12 days after the cut off date.
I thought the same thing that you did. Sure, cutoff dates are necessary, but can't they be flexible, too?
I also have a nephew who is an elementary school principal. He asked me to imagine myself in his shoes, with up to 50 local parents of 4-yo's insisting that their child was ready now. Too many gray areas to deal with, too many personalities & potential for mistakes (and claims of unfairness).
There has to be a cut off date because it makes things go more smoothly, so that the teachers (and school staff) can get down to their job of educating the kids more easily, more quickly, with more focus.
If you're not happy with the cutoff dates, then you can speak to the school board (or join it!), to see what can be done. Remember, though, that any rules that they put into place need to be affordable and fair to all.
2007-09-26 06:14:54 · answer #8 · answered by Maureen 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I live in Wisconsin and that is the way it is here. My daughters birthday is oct 1st so she misses it by one month and i think she is ready. All states may be different so i would check with a school to find out for sure. i also have a 6 year old in kindergarten this year. she turned 6 in november and started school in september. i hope this helps.
2016-05-18 23:05:54 · answer #9 · answered by rene 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
So if a child turns five on June 15, do you think it would be a good idea for him to be in kindergarten all year at age four? Some school districts have an "early start" program for more able students.
2007-09-25 18:56:10 · answer #10 · answered by treebird 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋