Do children ever start Kindergarten early anymore?

[Anonymous]

My parents made the decision 30+ years ago to have me start school in 1st grade rather than k. I remember a battery of tests and meeting with the school administrators and teachers. There was a process we had to navigate, but my dad worked for the school system and knew what he was doing.

I liked that I started right away with my peers and didn't have to wait.

I'm sure this is VERY rarely done anymore, but it worked out pretty well for me. I was always at the top of my class, didn't suffer socially. I think I also just had a personality that made this a good decision-I was an extrovert, I had no fear or anxiety about anything. Things that may have phased other kids just didn't phase me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My parents made the decision 30+ years ago to have me start school in 1st grade rather than k. I remember a battery of tests and meeting with the school administrators and teachers. There was a process we had to navigate, but my dad worked for the school system and knew what he was doing.

I liked that I started right away with my peers and didn't have to wait.

I'm sure this is VERY rarely done anymore, but it worked out pretty well for me. I was always at the top of my class, didn't suffer socially. I think I also just had a personality that made this a good decision-I was an extrovert, I had no fear or anxiety about anything. Things that may have phased other kids just didn't phase me.

Thanks for adding this perspective! Every kid is different and need to be evaluated as individuals. My child started
Early and it was the right choice for us. The posters on this board can talk to me until they are blue in the face that classrooms are too structured and the curriculum isn't age appropriate, but it was just not the case for my kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wouldn't start a kid early because there are so many kids starting late now. I wouldn't want my 4 turning 5 kid in class with the 6 turning 7 kids.

I have a 2.5 year old, so forgive me - I am just getting up to speed on VA public schools.

Good lord. Parents seriously do that? How common is it?

The tiger moms want their kids the smartest and the strongest. Send them in late and try to make them think they are athletic and smart. It is very sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents made the decision 30+ years ago to have me start school in 1st grade rather than k. I remember a battery of tests and meeting with the school administrators and teachers. There was a process we had to navigate, but my dad worked for the school system and knew what he was doing.

I liked that I started right away with my peers and didn't have to wait.

I'm sure this is VERY rarely done anymore, but it worked out pretty well for me. I was always at the top of my class, didn't suffer socially. I think I also just had a personality that made this a good decision-I was an extrovert, I had no fear or anxiety about anything. Things that may have phased other kids just didn't phase me.

Thanks for adding this perspective! Every kid is different and need to be evaluated as individuals. My child started
Early and it was the right choice for us. The posters on this board can talk to me until they are blue in the face that classrooms are too structured and the curriculum isn't age appropriate, but it was just not the case for my kid.

My experience was the same as the first PP's. To the second PP, how did you accomplish this? Testing? Private K?

[Anonymous]

We went to private K and the majority of the class was young 4 year olds. Parents were trying to start school early then switch to public school. Academically they may have been fine, but my 5 turning 6 DC did not have a lot in common socially with his class. His birthday is the spring. We moved during the summer and switched to public 1st. Everyone seemed around the same age. No one is much younger or older, based on birthday parties and friends. Redshirting or starting early does not seem popular here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is the first I've ever heard of redshirting, though I admittedly don't read the school forums as much. I have a daughter starting Kindergarten this fall who will be five years, four months old. I didn't imagine she might be in class with seven year olds. I guess the redshirted kids will be super cool in 8th grade when they can drive to school

Don't believe everything you read on DCUM. The likelihood of a girl turning 7 during K is remote. And, if one does, I'd bet she would be the only one. The people who redshirt are mostly late birthday boys. It is also unlikely that any boys will turn 7 during K.

Yes, for the most part the "older kids" in K and throughout school will be those with a fall birthday who just missed the cutoff (October and November birthdays) or kids who could have started "on time" but they just weren't ready socially - more likely to be the case with boys with August/September b-days. In any case, those children might turn 6 right around the time or shortly after school starts but they won't turn 7 during the school year.

[Anonymous]

Only on DCUM is "red-shirting" common. It's pretty rare, we've never had one in our kids class. I'm sure it's happened but I imagine there are unusual circumstances.

As for the OP's question, Meh, If your kid is mature for their age, they'll be the youngest and that's a very small issue (sports & playground things). In that case they'll also get more out of Pre-K. Mostly you'll just have a lot of hassle with the bureaucrats.

And, FCPS K is hardly highly structured for most kids. If they've gone to pre-K or daycare, they'll be ahead. The "structure" is for kids new to classrooms, things like circle time & walking in lines & stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We started at 4 last yr. late September birthday. In fairfax county you have to turn 5 by the end of September

Us too.

[Anonymous]

6 turning 7 in Kindergarten is almost unheard of. Most kids turn 6. A few start at 4.

[Anonymous]

Agreed that turning 7 in kindergarten is rare. Most of the redshirted kids will have summer birthdays, and will be 6 for all of kindergarten and will turn 7 during the summer. There might be one or two with spring birthdays who turn 7 toward the end of kindergarten, but those won't be common. It is exceedingly rare to find a child who is turning 7 during the fall or winter of kindergarten, and if you do find one, odds are there are some other special needs going on there.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend who is determined that her October-birthday son is going to start kindergarten the year before he's eligible in FCPS. She didn't go into details of how it would work, but apparently is sufficiently convinced of this that they're making financial plans on the assumption that they'll have no more daycare expenses after next year (e.g., buying a house they'll struggle to afford until daycare is done). I'm wondering what will happen when the rude awakening comes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

This is the first I've ever heard of redshirting, though I admittedly don't read the school forums as much. I have a daughter starting Kindergarten this fall who will be five years, four months old. I didn't imagine she might be in class with seven year olds. I guess the redshirted kids will be super cool in 8th grade when they can drive to school

Don't believe everything you read on DCUM. The likelihood of a girl turning 7 during K is remote. And, if one does, I'd bet she would be the only one. The people who redshirt are mostly late birthday boys. It is also unlikely that any boys will turn 7 during K.

A lot of them do in June.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Only on DCUM is "red-shirting" common. It's pretty rare, we've never had one in our kids class. I'm sure it's happened but I imagine there are unusual circumstances.

As for the OP's question, Meh, If your kid is mature for their age, they'll be the youngest and that's a very small issue (sports & playground things). In that case they'll also get more out of Pre-K. Mostly you'll just have a lot of hassle with the bureaucrats.

And, FCPS K is hardly highly structured for most kids. If they've gone to pre-K or daycare, they'll be ahead. The "structure" is for kids new to classrooms, things like circle time & walking in lines & stuff.

Our school has about 1/4 of the boys redshirted. Plenty reading even chapter books in K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We started at 4 last yr. late September birthday. In fairfax county you have to turn 5 by the end of September

Us too.

My DS birthdate is 10/1, is there anything I can do as an exception of the 9/30 cut-off?

[Anonymous]

Your child is not entitled to a public education prior to the age of five. So you pay for your child to attend KG at a private (often the preschool/daycare center your kid is already enrolled in) as a 4-turning-5 yo. Then at age 5, you have your child tested to skip KG. But the state does not owe your child an education prior to that.

Kinda sucks honestly.