Does 3 year old have to be fully potty trained for PK3 charter school?

[Anonymous]

If your kid poops himself, most if not all will not take care of the mess. They will call you go come change your child. This is for legal reasons.

[Anonymous]

We went through this, but didn't know about developmental problems until school started (our child met milestones but on the late side of the range). We ended the year with an IEP but it was rough. Our HRCS was not flexible about the potty training issues and we were asked to take our child out of school for 2 weeks. They would also not help at all with #2 and I had to leave work sometimes multiple times a week. I was really frightened we would be asked to leave. My advice would be to get your child evaluated and/or start the IEP process. BTW our son was still 2 when he started PK3, finally out of diapers permanently at 4.5. I feel your pain.

Also ignore the potty training troll that lurks around here, what a miserable person. The potty training delays caused us so much stress -- anyone who thinks a parent would lazily choose this is way out of line.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get that you have a spot at a desirable charter, but he does not have to be in school until K. With all the developmental delays, why not just wait? It might be better for him in the long run.

I'd prefer to wait, but we were advised to play the lottery at PK3 because he had a better chance of getting in. Also, his developmental delays are mostly speech -- I think attending school will help immensely.

[Anonymous]

OP here -- thank you for the (mostly) kind advice! Our son already has an IEP and we're working with a behavioral therapist about the potty training (although she hasn't been very helpful). Im hoping to be fully trained by the end of August, but am worried about meeting deadline/stressing DS out too much. I'd be happy to come to school to change him if need be, but don't want him to be made fun of (on top of other delays). I think I'll schedule a meeting with the school this summer to discuss our options if he doesn't progress as wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- thank you for the (mostly) kind advice! Our son already has an IEP and we're working with a behavioral therapist about the potty training (although she hasn't been very helpful). Im hoping to be fully trained by the end of August, but am worried about meeting deadline/stressing DS out too much. I'd be happy to come to school to change him if need be, but don't want him to be made fun of (on top of other delays). I think I'll schedule a meeting with the school this summer to discuss our options if he doesn't progress as wanted.

Please please don't worry. He won't be made fun of--they're just too young for that. And I'm the PP whose Daughter was not potty trained until Christmastime this past year at PK3 at our charter (CMI). No big deal at ALL. Whenever we brought it up (they never did), her teachers basically told us, "no big deal--she's ready when she's ready." They are used to dealing with 2/3/4 year olds and how they/their bodies/their minds operate. I urge you to ignore the conflicting and outright bad advice here and let it happen when it happens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went through this, but didn't know about developmental problems until school started (our child met milestones but on the late side of the range). We ended the year with an IEP but it was rough. Our HRCS was not flexible about the potty training issues and we were asked to take our child out of school for 2 weeks. They would also not help at all with #2 and I had to leave work sometimes multiple times a week. I was really frightened we would be asked to leave. My advice would be to get your child evaluated and/or start the IEP process. BTW our son was still 2 when he started PK3, finally out of diapers permanently at 4.5. I feel your pain.

Also ignore the potty training troll that lurks around here, what a miserable person. The potty training delays caused us so much stress -- anyone who thinks a parent would lazily choose this is way out of line.

i just can't understand how a charter can get away with this!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We went through this, but didn't know about developmental problems until school started (our child met milestones but on the late side of the range). We ended the year with an IEP but it was rough. Our HRCS was not flexible about the potty training issues and we were asked to take our child out of school for 2 weeks. They would also not help at all with #2 and I had to leave work sometimes multiple times a week. I was really frightened we would be asked to leave. My advice would be to get your child evaluated and/or start the IEP process. BTW our son was still 2 when he started PK3, finally out of diapers permanently at 4.5. I feel your pain.

Also ignore the potty training troll that lurks around here, what a miserable person. The potty training delays caused us so much stress -- anyone who thinks a parent would lazily choose this is way out of line.

This is awful! So basically they suspended your barely three year old for TWO WEEKS due to potty training issues, and then somehow made you fear that they would expel him too? I would have been livid and would have pulled my kid out. Now that DC has banned suspending and expelling preschoolers, this should never happen again to anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went through this, but didn't know about developmental problems until school started (our child met milestones but on the late side of the range). We ended the year with an IEP but it was rough. Our HRCS was not flexible about the potty training issues and we were asked to take our child out of school for 2 weeks. They would also not help at all with #2 and I had to leave work sometimes multiple times a week. I was really frightened we would be asked to leave. My advice would be to get your child evaluated and/or start the IEP process. BTW our son was still 2 when he started PK3, finally out of diapers permanently at 4.5. I feel your pain.

Also ignore the potty training troll that lurks around here, what a miserable person. The potty training delays caused us so much stress -- anyone who thinks a parent would lazily choose this is way out of line.

This is awful! So basically they suspended your barely three year old for TWO WEEKS due to potty training issues, and then somehow made you fear that they would expel him too? I would have been livid and would have pulled my kid out. Now that DC has banned suspending and expelling preschoolers, this should never happen again to anyone.

Is this ITS? I have heard they are stricter than most on toileting issues.

[Anonymous]

OP, my son has an IEP and was not potty trained until the very end of his PK-3 year at a charter school. If the IEP addresses it the school CANNOT legally try to kick your child out for not being potty trained. I am really mad on behalf of the PP who said their charter school did this--this is terrible.

For kids with delays, sometimes they just are not ready for potty training until they are older. My son's teachers told us when they thought he was ready b/c he had started being more interested in sitting on the potty when other kids went, and was more aware of when he was wet. He just wasn't ready at age 3.

If you have other questions about this you will likely get much more informed and kind advice if you post on the Kids with Special Needs board instead of General Parenting.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We went through this, but didn't know about developmental problems until school started (our child met milestones but on the late side of the range). We ended the year with an IEP but it was rough. Our HRCS was not flexible about the potty training issues and we were asked to take our child out of school for 2 weeks. They would also not help at all with #2 and I had to leave work sometimes multiple times a week. I was really frightened we would be asked to leave. My advice would be to get your child evaluated and/or start the IEP process. BTW our son was still 2 when he started PK3, finally out of diapers permanently at 4.5. I feel your pain.

Also ignore the potty training troll that lurks around here, what a miserable person. The potty training delays caused us so much stress -- anyone who thinks a parent would lazily choose this is way out of line.

i just can't understand how a charter can get away with this!

Because no one reports them. This is definitely something to document in writing to the school (e.g. I am emailing to confirm what you just told me on the phone that my child, who is going through the eligibility process for an IEP, was just suspended for his developmental delay) and then call the OSSE Ombudsperson about.

When parents are in the middle of it they are stressed and frightened and probably don't know their rights. You need to be willing to be 'that parent' and then some while also taking care of your kiddo. Not easy.

[Anonymous]

I get that you have a spot at a desirable charter, but he does not have to be in school until K. With all the developmental delays, why not just wait? It might be better for him in the long run.


I'd prefer to wait, but we were advised to play the lottery at PK3 because he had a better chance of getting in. Also, his developmental delays are mostly speech -- I think attending school will help immensely.

he is not going to get teased, and if you give up this spot now, you won't have another shot at it. Send him to school, prepare yourself for some accidents and issues through Winter break, and ride it out. Many won't help with #2, but your kid will likely be able to clean himself up, with some guidance. My kid had a couple of #2 accidents -- it really seems daunting to you now, but honestly, this will all be a distant memory by the time the school year is over.

Do your research now about your rights. http://dcps.dc.gov/node/1137836
DCPS policy clearly states that children do not have to be fully potty trained to attend school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

I get that you have a spot at a desirable charter, but he does not have to be in school until K. With all the developmental delays, why not just wait? It might be better for him in the long run.


I'd prefer to wait, but we were advised to play the lottery at PK3 because he had a better chance of getting in. Also, his developmental delays are mostly speech -- I think attending school will help immensely.

he is not going to get teased, and if you give up this spot now, you won't have another shot at it. Send him to school, prepare yourself for some accidents and issues through Winter break, and ride it out. Many won't help with #2, but your kid will likely be able to clean himself up, with some guidance. My kid had a couple of #2 accidents -- it really seems daunting to you now, but honestly, this will all be a distant memory by the time the school year is over.

Do your research now about your rights. http://dcps.dc.gov/node/1137836
DCPS policy clearly states that children do not have to be fully potty trained to attend school.

DCPS policy does NOT cover a charter school. Need to find something from OSSE.

[Anonymous]

Charter schools can't make their own rules about this kind of thing. They might think they can by they are not permitted to do so.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Charter schools can't make their own rules about this kind of thing. They might think they can by they are not permitted to do so.

Right - but waving around a DCPS policy isn't going to help OP.

Call OSSE now and get a policy document that covers a charter school.

[Anonymous]

OP this is the 10:00 poster again. It is not correct what some PPs are saying that the school can refuse to clean up #2. If your kid is not potty trained, of course he is going to poo at school in his diaper. My DC charter school never said a thing about this. If you get any pushback from the school you should consider talking to an advocate. (Although I will say, at some point if a school was openly hostile to educating my child because of his delays I would consider finding another school.)