How common is red shirting in public schools in the suburbs?

[Anonymous]

I am in Bethesda, have a middle and elementary schooler, and personally know of only two children who are red-shirted. One of them is my son, who was red-shirted in K then skipped ahead (back into his age level) because he was so bored.

I am not in favor of red-shirting children automatically, but sometimes developmental delays or other types of special needs call for it, as was the case for my son. However, he was still bored enough that we made the decision to move him again. There can be such complex cases sometimes and it's sometimes hard to predict how a child is going to develop as he matures.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school of mixed middle class and poor kids. All the poor kids go on time. The middle class summer boys are majority red-shirted. Spring boys go on time but very occasionally there is a spring redshirt. Uncommon for girls to be held back.

My niece who is 2 1/2 months before cutoff redshirted. They had free childcare (my FIL) and since she was very petite - wanted to give her the gift of time. [note - she is the top student in her class of now 5th graders, still the smallest in the grade]

Jeez, I wish people received an electric shock every time they used this phrase.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in Bethesda and the vast, vast majority of August boys we know are redshirted. August girls are 50/50, and July is probably 50/50 for boys and 25/75 for girls. June and before is a lot less common. These reports of 7 year olds in kindergarten are just so over exaggerated IMO.

I don’t even understand how you would have a 7 year old in K unless you held back a child with a birthday in Jan, Feb, March, April, May, or June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school of mixed middle class and poor kids. All the poor kids go on time. The middle class summer boys are majority red-shirted. Spring boys go on time but very occasionally there is a spring redshirt. Uncommon for girls to be held back.

My niece who is 2 1/2 months before cutoff redshirted. They had free childcare (my FIL) and since she was very petite - wanted to give her the gift of time. [note - she is the top student in her class of now 5th graders, still the smallest in the grade]

Jeez, I wish people received an electric shock every time they used this phrase.

Amen, sister.

Also, the fact that your niece is at the top of her class is neither surprising nor impressive. She's the oldest. Her parents were certainly within their rights to hold her back a year, but bragging about her academic standing is a bit rich. I hope they don't complain that she's bored or school isn't challenging.

[Anonymous]

My nephew was red-shirted in fairfax county. He has a september birthday and was very immature socially.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Bethesda and the vast, vast majority of August boys we know are redshirted. August girls are 50/50, and July is probably 50/50 for boys and 25/75 for girls. June and before is a lot less common. These reports of 7 year olds in kindergarten are just so over exaggerated IMO.

I don’t even understand how you would have a 7 year old in K unless you held back a child with a birthday in Jan, Feb, March, April, May, or June.

Right and that happens in Fairfax county. I personally know of April, May, and June kids held back in FCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am in Bethesda and the vast, vast majority of August boys we know are redshirted. August girls are 50/50, and July is probably 50/50 for boys and 25/75 for girls. June and before is a lot less common. These reports of 7 year olds in kindergarten are just so over exaggerated IMO.

If a vast majority of Aug boys and 50/50 girls, and July 50/50 boys and 25/75 girls are redshirted, then it's not an over exaggeration that a lot of summer kids are redshirted. Sure, May/June kids being redshirted is less common, but it does happen, too.

A boy in DC's class was redshirted with a May bday. DC has a June bday. The kid turned 10 in 3rd grade while my DC was still 8. This kid was very athletic (big surprise) and a whole head taller than the rest of the class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school of mixed middle class and poor kids. All the poor kids go on time. The middle class summer boys are majority red-shirted. Spring boys go on time but very occasionally there is a spring redshirt. Uncommon for girls to be held back.

My niece who is 2 1/2 months before cutoff redshirted. They had free childcare (my FIL) and since she was very petite - wanted to give her the gift of time. [note - she is the top student in her class of now 5th graders, still the smallest in the grade]

Jeez, I wish people received an electric shock every time they used this phrase.

yea.. I don't get this.... "The gift of time.." ... like a year was added to her life? ... she has to wait a year before getting out of school compared to the rest of the kids her age?

I just see it as being delayed a year in everything.

I'm a Sept. baby, not redshirted and was *always* the smallest person in my class. I'm barely 5'. I not only survived, but I have grit. IMO, unless there is a developmental delay, holding back for any other reason is just being a lawnmower parent.

Both my summer kids (boy and girl) went on time. Both are small for their age. Both are doing great and are learning to deal with challenges in life of being the smallest and youngest in class. I want to teach my kids that life is not unicorns and rainbows. They are in MS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We are at a school of mixed middle class and poor kids. All the poor kids go on time. The middle class summer boys are majority red-shirted. Spring boys go on time but very occasionally there is a spring redshirt. Uncommon for girls to be held back.

And that makes the achievement gap even greater, imo.

School districts really need to put a stop to this practice.

[Anonymous]

My fifth grader, who started on time and is 10, has a few 12-year-olds in her class who are already acting like teenagers. They talk about their Instagram feeds, etc. It's a weird mix.

[Anonymous]

VA suburbs (20171) - at least a dozen of my son's grade are summer birthdays that went on time. If anyone redshirted, they aren't announcing it.

[Anonymous]

Vienna. I know very few redshirted kids and those who did had good reasons like learning disabilities. Not size or maturity. Almost everyone I know who was redshirted has an August or September birthday. No earlier summer or spring birthdays that I am personally aware of in my two kids' grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Bethesda and the vast, vast majority of August boys we know are redshirted. August girls are 50/50, and July is probably 50/50 for boys and 25/75 for girls. June and before is a lot less common. These reports of 7 year olds in kindergarten are just so over exaggerated IMO.

I don’t even understand how you would have a 7 year old in K unless you held back a child with a birthday in Jan, Feb, March, April, May, or June.

Right and that happens in Fairfax county. I personally know of April, May, and June kids held back in FCPS.

I still don’t understand. The rules are what they are and may provide some flexibility for those late summer birthdays, but if an April birthday is being held back, it must be bc the kid has an SN correct? All I’m saying is you don’t know the situation behind the kid so why are people so fired up - especially about holding back kids with Jan-May birthdays. I’m sure that would not be permitted without a special circumstance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:VA suburbs (20171) - at least a dozen of my son's grade are summer birthdays that went on time. If anyone redshirted, they aren't announcing it.

I have a 4th grader and a 1st grader (and a preschooler). And maybe I’m not paying attention to the kids with DC2 in 1st grade now but off hand at our school for some reason it seems more kids were redshirted with my 4th grader than 1st grader.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am in Bethesda and the vast, vast majority of August boys we know are redshirted. August girls are 50/50, and July is probably 50/50 for boys and 25/75 for girls. June and before is a lot less common. These reports of 7 year olds in kindergarten are just so over exaggerated IMO.

I don’t even understand how you would have a 7 year old in K unless you held back a child with a birthday in Jan, Feb, March, April, May, or June.

Right and that happens in Fairfax county. I personally know of April, May, and June kids held back in FCPS.

I still don’t understand. The rules are what they are and may provide some flexibility for those late summer birthdays, but if an April birthday is being held back, it must be bc the kid has an SN correct? All I’m saying is you don’t know the situation behind the kid so why are people so fired up - especially about holding back kids with Jan-May birthdays. I’m sure that would not be permitted without a special circumstance.

That’s what you’re misunderstanding - anyone can do it for any reasons under the current rules.