This age discrepancy due to "redshirting" is ridiculous

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My issue with this former teacher's statement is that she wants us to stay "within the guidelines"- what guidelines? if you're 5 by 9/30 must go to school- but then you have some exceptions and then simple redshirting- so the system allowed major loose decisions before age 5 but - oh no- if you are 2 day past that date- well, we have that date for a reason. The "guidelines" should be a lot firmer on the other end to prevent this huge age discrepancy in grades.

Huh? From Arlington Public School's website:

Children who reach their fifth birthday on or before Sept. 30 may enter kindergarten. . . . If your child will be six years old by Sept. 30, Virginia Law requires you to enroll your child in school.

How is this unclear? You may go if you are age 5 by September 30. You must go if you are age 6 my September 30. A child attending at age 6 is simply waiting until required to go to school instead of enrolling when first permitted to go to school. The guidelines clearly provide a two-year window and what is being called red-shirting here is within that window.

I don't really care about your redshirted kid, but you are taking VA law out of context. It is basically saying that Kindergarten is optional (not that you can start K at 5 or 6 years old - that discretion is up to the district). In VA, you can decide to skip K and enroll your kid in first grade. You are required to have them in school by age 6 (on or before Sept 30), and that generally means first grade. That's why it's called FIRST grade - K isn't required or needed.

I guess we need to look at the legislative history on that. But in practice people use the law to redshirt rather than skip K. I personally don't know a single kid who skipped K besides my 8 siblings and me in rural Ohio 30 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My issue with this former teacher's statement is that she wants us to stay "within the guidelines"- what guidelines? if you're 5 by 9/30 must go to school- but then you have some exceptions and then simple redshirting- so the system allowed major loose decisions before age 5 but - oh no- if you are 2 day past that date- well, we have that date for a reason. The "guidelines" should be a lot firmer on the other end to prevent this huge age discrepancy in grades.

Huh? From Arlington Public School's website:

Children who reach their fifth birthday on or before Sept. 30 may enter kindergarten. . . . If your child will be six years old by Sept. 30, Virginia Law requires you to enroll your child in school.

How is this unclear? You may go if you are age 5 by September 30. You must go if you are age 6 my September 30. A child attending at age 6 is simply waiting until required to go to school instead of enrolling when first permitted to go to school. The guidelines clearly provide a two-year window and what is being called red-shirting here is within that window.

I don't really care about your redshirted kid, but you are taking VA law out of context. It is basically saying that Kindergarten is optional (not that you can start K at 5 or 6 years old - that discretion is up to the district). In VA, you can decide to skip K and enroll your kid in first grade. You are required to have them in school by age 6 (on or before Sept 30), and that generally means first grade. That's why it's called FIRST grade - K isn't required or needed.

You are incorrect.

[Anonymous]

I know parents (not in this area) who used the flexibility on school start guidelines to create their own half-day kindergarten. They started their kids on time, but for most of the year, they came and got their kids at lunchtime. The school couldn't complain (not that it necessarily wanted to) because legally the kids didn't have to be there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My issue with this former teacher's statement is that she wants us to stay "within the guidelines"- what guidelines? if you're 5 by 9/30 must go to school- but then you have some exceptions and then simple redshirting- so the system allowed major loose decisions before age 5 but - oh no- if you are 2 day past that date- well, we have that date for a reason. The "guidelines" should be a lot firmer on the other end to prevent this huge age discrepancy in grades.

Huh? From Arlington Public School's website:

Children who reach their fifth birthday on or before Sept. 30 may enter kindergarten. . . . If your child will be six years old by Sept. 30, Virginia Law requires you to enroll your child in school.

How is this unclear? You may go if you are age 5 by September 30. You must go if you are age 6 my September 30. A child attending at age 6 is simply waiting until required to go to school instead of enrolling when first permitted to go to school. The guidelines clearly provide a two-year window and what is being called red-shirting here is within that window.

I don't really care about your redshirted kid, but you are taking VA law out of context. It is basically saying that Kindergarten is optional (not that you can start K at 5 or 6 years old - that discretion is up to the district). In VA, you can decide to skip K and enroll your kid in first grade. You are required to have them in school by age 6 (on or before Sept 30), and that generally means first grade. That's why it's called FIRST grade - K isn't required or needed.

How is this taken out of context? I have to start my kid by age 6. My FCPS has no problem with me waiting until the legal requirement age instead of starting at the permissive age. I assure you, they do not want my child going directly to 1st grade if he isn't ready for that. Do all the vehement anti-red-shirters also vehemently oppose holding a child back in a later grade if that child is not ready to advance? What is the difference if I recognize the need at the outset and make the decision then? Either way, you have a mix of ages by the time you get to senior year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

My issue with this former teacher's statement is that she wants us to stay "within the guidelines"- what guidelines? if you're 5 by 9/30 must go to school- but then you have some exceptions and then simple redshirting- so the system allowed major loose decisions before age 5 but - oh no- if you are 2 day past that date- well, we have that date for a reason. The "guidelines" should be a lot firmer on the other end to prevent this huge age discrepancy in grades.

Huh? From Arlington Public School's website:

Children who reach their fifth birthday on or before Sept. 30 may enter kindergarten. . . . If your child will be six years old by Sept. 30, Virginia Law requires you to enroll your child in school.

How is this unclear? You may go if you are age 5 by September 30. You must go if you are age 6 my September 30. A child attending at age 6 is simply waiting until required to go to school instead of enrolling when first permitted to go to school. The guidelines clearly provide a two-year window and what is being called red-shirting here is within that window.

I don't really care about your redshirted kid, but you are taking VA law out of context. It is basically saying that Kindergarten is optional (not that you can start K at 5 or 6 years old - that discretion is up to the district). In VA, you can decide to skip K and enroll your kid in first grade. You are required to have them in school by age 6 (on or before Sept 30), and that generally means first grade. That's why it's called FIRST grade - K isn't required or needed.

I guess we need to look at the legislative history on that. But in practice people use the law to redshirt rather than skip K. I personally don't know a single kid who skipped K besides my 8 siblings and me in rural Ohio 30 years ago.

Does anyone know of any kid who has skipped K in FCPS in this century?

[Anonymous]

Yes. Homeschooled kids and kids who did an extra year of pre-k (junior K) and then jumped to 1st grade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes. Homeschooled kids and kids who did an extra year of pre-k (junior K) and then jumped to 1st grade.

I don't know of any recent examples of this in FCPS. In any event it's not the norm and nowhere near as common as choosing to start K at age 5 turning 6, rather than 4 turning 5.

[Anonymous]

Red shirting does your child no favors.

Kids learn not only from the teacher but from their peers.

Do us a favor and stay within the guidelines. They are there for a reason.

Signed,

A former teacher

Totally disagree. It depends on your child.
A different fomer teacher

[Anonymous]

^^ I do agree, though, that kids do learn from their peers, as well as the teacher.

[Anonymous]

[quote=Anonymous
I assure you, they do not want my child going directly to 1st grade if he isn't ready for that. Do all the vehement anti-red-shirters also vehemently oppose holding a child back in a later grade if that child is not ready to advance? What is the difference if I recognize the need at the outset and make the decision then?

I'm not sure I count as a vehement red-shirter, but I did start my kids (boys with summer birthdays) on time. I find it strange when parents decide, regardless of what preschool teachers, the elementary school's teachers and/or principal, and their pediatrician say. I don't think holding kids back from starting should be a unilateral decision, and similarly, I don't think parents should get to decide that their kid is ready to advance in later grades if the school says s/he's not.

[Anonymous]

As a former first grade and K teacher, I think the child benefits much more from redshirting than being held back.. There is a much greater stigma to repeating with peers, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a former first grade and K teacher, I think the child benefits much more from redshirting than being held back.. There is a much greater stigma to repeating with peers, etc.

A child who is held back from starting kindergarden is basically in the same category as a child repeating a great.

[Anonymous]

A child who is held back from starting kindergarden is basically in the same category as a child repeating a great.

That is absolutely not true. A child who is held back was in school with the kids the year before and has FAILED a grade. Huge difference. Been there and seen that.

[Anonymous]

Again, why r we beating a dead horse? If you decide to send your child to KG at the age of 4 and who would turn 5 on or before 9/30 then do it. If you decide not to send your child to KG at the age of 4 who would turn 5 on or before 9/30 then don't.

As for the parental rights comment...it will be a cold day in he'll before I hand over ultimate decision making about MY minor child to a teacher, principal, doctor, or even my own family. I, and my husband, will make all decisions for our children. If we didn't want this ultimate responsibility we would have given them up as babies. Please don't be dumb enough to suggest that anyone other then I, knows what is best for MY child. To assume such, as a PP did, is asiniine.

[Anonymous]

Any middle school teachers on this thread? I am not one, but I know two Fairfax county middle school teachers who HATE redshirting--has created a weird vibe with big, sexually mature boys and younger, less aggressive girls. One teacher discussed at length how she thinks redshirting is hurting the GIRLS since they are either intimidated or that the boys are taking a ton of the teacher's attention to control.

(I have no dog in this with two March boys.)