Help! Appeal for MCPS Early Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a cutoff for a reason, and exceptions should be made for exceptional kids. OP's daughter sounds bright, not not exceptionally so. She wants to be an exception to the exception.

OP daughter is bright enough to go. The exam is arbitrary and most principals don't support it because they know those families will go private for a few years and less kids for them.

You are able to judge that for child you have never even met? We could make kindergarten completely arbitrary based on parent preferences. 3 but he is tall and an early talker. 7 but he still needed a nap last year and did better with a half day (though he reads chapter books and I hope his teacher will be able to provide enrichment)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1

Not the smartest just the oldest. Waiting a year does not make you any smarter it just makes you less challenged.

Nope. There are so many ways to challenge students intellectually. Academically talented programs, duel college enrollment, AP classes. Your “smartest in the class” kid won’t be bored in middle/high school, if you find them the right programs, regardless of if they are youngest or oldest. But what you can’t give them or predict at 5, is their maturity and social/emotional needs when they will be a tween/teen. All the kids from college I know that took 5 years to graduate, or changed majors and delayed graduation, or just had harder adjustments were the ones that were 16-17 starting in college. You can always supplement rigorous academics to suit your child, but you can’t supplement maturity. I see zero downside in OP (or anyone) sending her child “on time” and not appealing for early entry.

What are you rambling about? In MCPS, in ES, the only thing we got was compacted math and in MS accelerated math. There was no nothing other than that and the curriculum was really bad. You only get AP classes in HS. You cannot predict a child's outcome but holding back doesn't fix anything including maturity. Maturity cannot be sped up or forced and holding back a year with peers a year younger makes them less mature but you artificially think they are more mature as they are the oldest. These kids age-wise don't really fit in anywhere but holding them back isn't the answer.

For the millionth time, OP isn’t holding back...she is trying to send EARLY.

I have a fall birthday kid. Out cutoff is sept 1 and I didn’t try to appeal to send him early even though he was smart enough and already ahead. He is in 6th grade now and finishing up Alg I. Elementary years, he was always ahead and teachers asked if we wanted to skip, but we chose not to and just supplemented at home to challenge. Now that he is in middle school, there are so many advanced opportunities for him. We are very happy we didn’t send him early or skip.

This isn't anything to brag about as if your child were in 7th they'd normally take Algebra. So, your child isn't really that advanced as they are a year older than mine on the same track.

Actually he is on track to complete both geo and Alg II in 7th, so yes he is still more advanced than yours

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1

Not the smartest just the oldest. Waiting a year does not make you any smarter it just makes you less challenged.

Nope. There are so many ways to challenge students intellectually. Academically talented programs, duel college enrollment, AP classes. Your “smartest in the class” kid won’t be bored in middle/high school, if you find them the right programs, regardless of if they are youngest or oldest. But what you can’t give them or predict at 5, is their maturity and social/emotional needs when they will be a tween/teen. All the kids from college I know that took 5 years to graduate, or changed majors and delayed graduation, or just had harder adjustments were the ones that were 16-17 starting in college. You can always supplement rigorous academics to suit your child, but you can’t supplement maturity. I see zero downside in OP (or anyone) sending her child “on time” and not appealing for early entry.

What are you rambling about? In MCPS, in ES, the only thing we got was compacted math and in MS accelerated math. There was no nothing other than that and the curriculum was really bad. You only get AP classes in HS. You cannot predict a child's outcome but holding back doesn't fix anything including maturity. Maturity cannot be sped up or forced and holding back a year with peers a year younger makes them less mature but you artificially think they are more mature as they are the oldest. These kids age-wise don't really fit in anywhere but holding them back isn't the answer.

For the millionth time, OP isn’t holding back...she is trying to send EARLY.

I have a fall birthday kid. Out cutoff is sept 1 and I didn’t try to appeal to send him early even though he was smart enough and already ahead. He is in 6th grade now and finishing up Alg I. Elementary years, he was always ahead and teachers asked if we wanted to skip, but we chose not to and just supplemented at home to challenge. Now that he is in middle school, there are so many advanced opportunities for him. We are very happy we didn’t send him early or skip.

This isn't anything to brag about as if your child were in 7th they'd normally take Algebra. So, your child isn't really that advanced as they are a year older than mine on the same track.

Actually he is on track to complete both geo and Alg II in 7th, so yes he is still more advanced than yours

That makes no sense that he's taking both geometry and Algebra 2 in 7th, but no, he's not more advanced he's older. But, keep telling yourself that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:There's a cutoff for a reason, and exceptions should be made for exceptional kids. OP's daughter sounds bright, not not exceptionally so. She wants to be an exception to the exception.

OP daughter is bright enough to go. The exam is arbitrary and most principals don't support it because they know those families will go private for a few years and less kids for them.

You are able to judge that for child you have never even met? We could make kindergarten completely arbitrary based on parent preferences. 3 but he is tall and an early talker. 7 but he still needed a nap last year and did better with a half day (though he reads chapter books and I hope his teacher will be able to provide enrichment)

I think this parent knows their child. Your situation sounds like a parenting issue if your child needs a daily nap and needs to go to bed earlier. That's not normal at age 5. You cannot expect a teacher do enrich your child because you choose to hold them back a year. You need to enrich them yourself and should have sent them on time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want to send her early, OP?

She doesn’t want to pay for another year or childcare/ preK

Child will be 5. They should go to K. Why pay for an additional year of preK when child should go to K? She is better off paying for a private K vs. preK if MCPS will not allow child to go.

Well, no…by the cutoff, she will not be 5 and she objectively should not be allowed to go, barring extenuating circumstances…which are not present here.

Child will turn five within a few weeks of starting school. Of course, she should be allowed to go. Are you trying to justify holding back your child by telling others they need to hold back theirs?

…? What? You’re not a very good debater. Is your argument that the cutoff is the cutoff and no one should vary from it, or the opposite? Because if the argument is that the cutoff is a hard cutoff for a reason (such that no one should redshirt a kid whose birthday is in august / only a couple weeks before the cutoff) then the inverse is true; no one should get to jump grades just because their birthday is a few weeks after the cutoff. Did you read the original post?

I don't think any child should be allowed to be held back. If they have special needs or delays that should be more reason to go to K where they can get an IEP and services, especially when those parents holding back often are not having their kids in outside services to catch them up. MCPS has early entry till 10/15 so it's allowable to for OP child to attend K. Yes, I read the OP. I have a child who was in the same situation. I understand it way better than you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1

Not the smartest just the oldest. Waiting a year does not make you any smarter it just makes you less challenged.

Nope. There are so many ways to challenge students intellectually. Academically talented programs, duel college enrollment, AP classes. Your “smartest in the class” kid won’t be bored in middle/high school, if you find them the right programs, regardless of if they are youngest or oldest. But what you can’t give them or predict at 5, is their maturity and social/emotional needs when they will be a tween/teen. All the kids from college I know that took 5 years to graduate, or changed majors and delayed graduation, or just had harder adjustments were the ones that were 16-17 starting in college. You can always supplement rigorous academics to suit your child, but you can’t supplement maturity. I see zero downside in OP (or anyone) sending her child “on time” and not appealing for early entry.

What are you rambling about? In MCPS, in ES, the only thing we got was compacted math and in MS accelerated math. There was no nothing other than that and the curriculum was really bad. You only get AP classes in HS. You cannot predict a child's outcome but holding back doesn't fix anything including maturity. Maturity cannot be sped up or forced and holding back a year with peers a year younger makes them less mature but you artificially think they are more mature as they are the oldest. These kids age-wise don't really fit in anywhere but holding them back isn't the answer.

For the millionth time, OP isn’t holding back...she is trying to send EARLY.

I have a fall birthday kid. Out cutoff is sept 1 and I didn’t try to appeal to send him early even though he was smart enough and already ahead. He is in 6th grade now and finishing up Alg I. Elementary years, he was always ahead and teachers asked if we wanted to skip, but we chose not to and just supplemented at home to challenge. Now that he is in middle school, there are so many advanced opportunities for him. We are very happy we didn’t send him early or skip.

This isn't anything to brag about as if your child were in 7th they'd normally take Algebra. So, your child isn't really that advanced as they are a year older than mine on the same track.

Actually he is on track to complete both geo and Alg II in 7th, so yes he is still more advanced than yours

That makes no sense that he's taking both geometry and Algebra 2 in 7th, but no, he's not more advanced he's older. But, keep telling yourself that.

Our direct’s accelerated program combines 2 years of high school math content into one year. Same for 8th grade, he’ll start high school ahead of yours. Not that it matters. My point is smart kids get the acceleration they need regardless of if they start k at 4 or 5

[Anonymous]

Go private or homeschool. Public does not want to admit early K kids who are at higher risk for needing to repeat K, having young age-appropriate tantrums and potty accidents, etc. It is all about risk mitigation from their standpoint, they don't know or care that OP's daughter might be a special snowflake exception.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want to send her early, OP?

She doesn’t want to pay for another year or childcare/ preK

Child will be 5. They should go to K. Why pay for an additional year of preK when child should go to K? She is better off paying for a private K vs. preK if MCPS will not allow child to go.

Well, no…by the cutoff, she will not be 5 and she objectively should not be allowed to go, barring extenuating circumstances…which are not present here.

Child will turn five within a few weeks of starting school. Of course, she should be allowed to go. Are you trying to justify holding back your child by telling others they need to hold back theirs?

…? What? You’re not a very good debater. Is your argument that the cutoff is the cutoff and no one should vary from it, or the opposite? Because if the argument is that the cutoff is a hard cutoff for a reason (such that no one should redshirt a kid whose birthday is in august / only a couple weeks before the cutoff) then the inverse is true; no one should get to jump grades just because their birthday is a few weeks after the cutoff. Did you read the original post?

I don't think any child should be allowed to be held back. If they have special needs or delays that should be more reason to go to K where they can get an IEP and services, especially when those parents holding back often are not having their kids in outside services to catch them up. MCPS has early entry till 10/15 so it's allowable to for OP child to attend K. Yes, I read the OP. I have a child who was in the same situation. I understand it way better than you.

It’s only allowable to enter early IF the child can pass the test. OP’s child can’t. So she is t eligible to start school early. She will go on time unless her parents choose private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1

Not the smartest just the oldest. Waiting a year does not make you any smarter it just makes you less challenged.

Nope. There are so many ways to challenge students intellectually. Academically talented programs, duel college enrollment, AP classes. Your “smartest in the class” kid won’t be bored in middle/high school, if you find them the right programs, regardless of if they are youngest or oldest. But what you can’t give them or predict at 5, is their maturity and social/emotional needs when they will be a tween/teen. All the kids from college I know that took 5 years to graduate, or changed majors and delayed graduation, or just had harder adjustments were the ones that were 16-17 starting in college. You can always supplement rigorous academics to suit your child, but you can’t supplement maturity. I see zero downside in OP (or anyone) sending her child “on time” and not appealing for early entry.

What are you rambling about? In MCPS, in ES, the only thing we got was compacted math and in MS accelerated math. There was no nothing other than that and the curriculum was really bad. You only get AP classes in HS. You cannot predict a child's outcome but holding back doesn't fix anything including maturity. Maturity cannot be sped up or forced and holding back a year with peers a year younger makes them less mature but you artificially think they are more mature as they are the oldest. These kids age-wise don't really fit in anywhere but holding them back isn't the answer.

For the millionth time, OP isn’t holding back...she is trying to send EARLY.

I have a fall birthday kid. Out cutoff is sept 1 and I didn’t try to appeal to send him early even though he was smart enough and already ahead. He is in 6th grade now and finishing up Alg I. Elementary years, he was always ahead and teachers asked if we wanted to skip, but we chose not to and just supplemented at home to challenge. Now that he is in middle school, there are so many advanced opportunities for him. We are very happy we didn’t send him early or skip.

This isn't anything to brag about as if your child were in 7th they'd normally take Algebra. So, your child isn't really that advanced as they are a year older than mine on the same track.

Actually he is on track to complete both geo and Alg II in 7th, so yes he is still more advanced than yours

That makes no sense that he's taking both geometry and Algebra 2 in 7th, but no, he's not more advanced he's older. But, keep telling yourself that.

Our direct’s accelerated program combines 2 years of high school math content into one year. Same for 8th grade, he’ll start high school ahead of yours. Not that it matters. My point is smart kids get the acceleration they need regardless of if they start k at 4 or 5

That doesn't sound like enough time to learn the material well. Holding your child back given how smart they are makes no sense. No, they don't always get acceleration. MCPS doesn't offer this and only a select few take Algebra in 6th. The discussion is about MCPS so understand what you are talking about. Our high school magnets take 100 students each and there are only two programs. This is out of 160K students.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want to send her early, OP?

She doesn’t want to pay for another year or childcare/ preK

Child will be 5. They should go to K. Why pay for an additional year of preK when child should go to K? She is better off paying for a private K vs. preK if MCPS will not allow child to go.

Well, no…by the cutoff, she will not be 5 and she objectively should not be allowed to go, barring extenuating circumstances…which are not present here.

Child will turn five within a few weeks of starting school. Of course, she should be allowed to go. Are you trying to justify holding back your child by telling others they need to hold back theirs?

…? What? You’re not a very good debater. Is your argument that the cutoff is the cutoff and no one should vary from it, or the opposite? Because if the argument is that the cutoff is a hard cutoff for a reason (such that no one should redshirt a kid whose birthday is in august / only a couple weeks before the cutoff) then the inverse is true; no one should get to jump grades just because their birthday is a few weeks after the cutoff. Did you read the original post?

I don't think any child should be allowed to be held back. If they have special needs or delays that should be more reason to go to K where they can get an IEP and services, especially when those parents holding back often are not having their kids in outside services to catch them up. MCPS has early entry till 10/15 so it's allowable to for OP child to attend K. Yes, I read the OP. I have a child who was in the same situation. I understand it way better than you.

It’s only allowable to enter early IF the child can pass the test. OP’s child can’t. So she is t eligible to start school early. She will go on time unless her parents choose private.

The test is subjective so the child was probably set up to fail. Hopefully her parents will go private.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1. This isn't a race. With everyone redshirting, she would be significantly younger. Lots of kids are "bored" in MCPS academically whether they start early, late, or are on time. She will be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1

Not the smartest just the oldest. Waiting a year does not make you any smarter it just makes you less challenged.

Nope. There are so many ways to challenge students intellectually. Academically talented programs, duel college enrollment, AP classes. Your “smartest in the class” kid won’t be bored in middle/high school, if you find them the right programs, regardless of if they are youngest or oldest. But what you can’t give them or predict at 5, is their maturity and social/emotional needs when they will be a tween/teen. All the kids from college I know that took 5 years to graduate, or changed majors and delayed graduation, or just had harder adjustments were the ones that were 16-17 starting in college. You can always supplement rigorous academics to suit your child, but you can’t supplement maturity. I see zero downside in OP (or anyone) sending her child “on time” and not appealing for early entry.

What are you rambling about? In MCPS, in ES, the only thing we got was compacted math and in MS accelerated math. There was no nothing other than that and the curriculum was really bad. You only get AP classes in HS. You cannot predict a child's outcome but holding back doesn't fix anything including maturity. Maturity cannot be sped up or forced and holding back a year with peers a year younger makes them less mature but you artificially think they are more mature as they are the oldest. These kids age-wise don't really fit in anywhere but holding them back isn't the answer.

For the millionth time, OP isn’t holding back...she is trying to send EARLY.

I have a fall birthday kid. Out cutoff is sept 1 and I didn’t try to appeal to send him early even though he was smart enough and already ahead. He is in 6th grade now and finishing up Alg I. Elementary years, he was always ahead and teachers asked if we wanted to skip, but we chose not to and just supplemented at home to challenge. Now that he is in middle school, there are so many advanced opportunities for him. We are very happy we didn’t send him early or skip.

This isn't anything to brag about as if your child were in 7th they'd normally take Algebra. So, your child isn't really that advanced as they are a year older than mine on the same track.

Actually he is on track to complete both geo and Alg II in 7th, so yes he is still more advanced than yours

That makes no sense that he's taking both geometry and Algebra 2 in 7th, but no, he's not more advanced he's older. But, keep telling yourself that.

Our direct’s accelerated program combines 2 years of high school math content into one year. Same for 8th grade, he’ll start high school ahead of yours. Not that it matters. My point is smart kids get the acceleration they need regardless of if they start k at 4 or 5

np. Glad that's been true for your kid, but it's not true for all kids. (I'm not saying that OP's kid should be in kindergarten next year, just taking issue with this assumption.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1. This isn't a race. With everyone redshirting, she would be significantly younger. Lots of kids are "bored" in MCPS academically whether they start early, late, or are on time. She will be fine.

+2 I realize the $$ appeal but it’s really not a great thing otherwise

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get why you would want to. It isn’t a rush to finish k-12. Better for her be the smartest in the class than middle of the pack

+1. This isn't a race. With everyone redshirting, she would be significantly younger. Lots of kids are "bored" in MCPS academically whether they start early, late, or are on time. She will be fine.

Depending on the school, not a lot of kids are held back a year by their parents. Being younger is not always a bad thing. Kids are adults at 18. Holding them back to keep them a child a year longer when their peers are going ahead to college makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why do you want to send her early, OP?

She doesn’t want to pay for another year or childcare/ preK

Child will be 5. They should go to K. Why pay for an additional year of preK when child should go to K? She is better off paying for a private K vs. preK if MCPS will not allow child to go.

Well, no…by the cutoff, she will not be 5 and she objectively should not be allowed to go, barring extenuating circumstances…which are not present here.

Child will turn five within a few weeks of starting school. Of course, she should be allowed to go. Are you trying to justify holding back your child by telling others they need to hold back theirs?

…? What? You’re not a very good debater. Is your argument that the cutoff is the cutoff and no one should vary from it, or the opposite? Because if the argument is that the cutoff is a hard cutoff for a reason (such that no one should redshirt a kid whose birthday is in august / only a couple weeks before the cutoff) then the inverse is true; no one should get to jump grades just because their birthday is a few weeks after the cutoff. Did you read the original post?

I don't think any child should be allowed to be held back. If they have special needs or delays that should be more reason to go to K where they can get an IEP and services, especially when those parents holding back often are not having their kids in outside services to catch them up. MCPS has early entry till 10/15 so it's allowable to for OP child to attend K. Yes, I read the OP. I have a child who was in the same situation. I understand it way better than you.

How would you know what parents holding kids back are doing with regards to services out of school? You think IEPs and school services solve all problems?