How to “redshirt” in DC?

[Anonymous]

With all the new data on the potential benefits of red shirting for boys, I am surprised DC is picking now to dig in on this.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/10/boys-delayed-entry-school-start-redshirting/671238/

I really wish schools would just have a a different cutoff for boys and girls (and have a separate pre-k program for the boys that would be in kinder if they were girls). With early grades being more and more academic, a lot of boys are just not ready. I say this as a parent with two boys who have October b'days. They were not officially redshirted but I think being one of the older kids was really helpful to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:D.C. officially ends redshirting for kindergartners

https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/01/dcps-kindergarten-redshirting-rules

Interesting. I wonder if that child with a Dr note actually has an IEP or if the parents just wanted an extra year in private PK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:With all the new data on the potential benefits of red shirting for boys, I am surprised DC is picking now to dig in on this.
https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/10/boys-delayed-entry-school-start-redshirting/671238/

I really wish schools would just have a a different cutoff for boys and girls (and have a separate pre-k program for the boys that would be in kinder if they were girls). With early grades being more and more academic, a lot of boys are just not ready. I say this as a parent with two boys who have October b'days. They were not officially redshirted but I think being one of the older kids was really helpful to them.

That would obviously be gender discrimination.

DCPS’s system is much better - evaluate the child and let them go down to K or repeat pk4 if actually needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:D.C. officially ends redshirting for kindergartners

https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/01/dcps-kindergarten-redshirting-rules

This is good. A clear policy with no little backdoor workarounds for (mostly wealthy) families at certain elementaries.

Also something not discussed in the article and never mentioned in these discussions: DC has a host of application high schools and admission is based on grades, teacher recs, and an interview. Well being a year older during that process could be a major advantage, especially given the emphasis on factors where maturity is a huge benefit -- an older 8th grader may have an easier time developing relationships with teachers and being composed during an admissions interview. But should certain students actually get an edge in applying to these schools simply because they are older than others in their grade? I personally don't think so, especially when it's a benefit really only available to families that can afford an extra year of preschool and whose kids attend schools where the parent community exerts enough pressure on principals to permit the practice.

I am open to a new policy like those in nearby districts where there's a flexible cut off, but it would need to be a district-wide policy, not at the discretion of principals, and you need to have a plan in place to ensure it's available to all kids and not those whose parents have the means to pay for preschool. I think requiring a readiness evaluation before a family could redshirt might have to be part of the conversation, so that families with developmentally normal kids couldn't redshirt just to nab an advantage. There needs to be a reason.

Yes because no one wants to admit it's just to maximize benefits to their kid (while skewing the age mix so other kids in the class whose parents followed the rules will be 12+ months younger than the oldest kids).

[Anonymous]

I used to think it was about parents wanting to give their own kid a benefit over other kids, but now I think it is more about parents doing the only thing they can do (red shirt their kid) in response to a changes to education that have made kindergarten much more academic and therefore increasing the number of children who are simply not ready.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to think it was about parents wanting to give their own kid a benefit over other kids, but now I think it is more about parents doing the only thing they can do (red shirt their kid) in response to a changes to education that have made kindergarten much more academic and therefore increasing the number of children who are simply not ready.

I think sometimes it is this (not always) but also it has the effect of making that problem even worse. As more families redshirt to get around unrealistic maturity expectations for kindergarteners, you wind up with more older kids in K, and this just reinforced the expectation that all kids in K should be fine spending all day doing worksheets at desks.

If you are going to fight for something, fight for age appropriate K that actually meets the needs of 5 yr olds. A district like DCPS is more likely to be responsive to that argument because it serves all kids, not just those from well off families.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:D.C. officially ends redshirting for kindergartners

https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/07/01/dcps-kindergarten-redshirting-rules

The fact that this became a thing is.....something. My kid has a late bday and an IEP and by default was 'red shirted'. Did pk4 twice. I was initially bummed about it but there was nothing I could do to get DS skipped despite DS being advanced academically. But i'm glad it worked out the way it did because the year started off rocky but ended amazing maturity wise. Kids are just that, KIDS. They mature on their own and for a parent to assume so much about a human being that is constantly evolving is peak tiger parent behavior. I personally don't care about age, and I can admit I had to unlearn that.

Also, DS teachers recognized his advanced ability and gave him work on his level while he learned the concepts for what he already knew which in hindsight is very important. DS is going to Kindergarten and I know they'll be some new things he will experience (schedule wise) that he will have to adjust to but that's life right? It's not fluid.

I understand both sides of the argument but one side is increasingly imo kind of gross.

The point is well taken that these sort of decisions are best made on an individual basis, a word of caution to you based on our experience- PK teachers were much more willing and able to work with advanced kids at their level than pretty much every grade afterward. There is a good chance your kid will get bored fast as they proceed, so be prepared to give them the tools to handle that.

[Anonymous]

The point is well taken that these sort of decisions are best made on an individual basis, a word of caution to you based on our experience- PK teachers were much more willing and able to work with advanced kids at their level than pretty much every grade afterward. There is a good chance your kid will get bored fast as they proceed, so be prepared to give them the tools to handle that.

I agree and I am also planning in the future (switching schools if need be) if the trend continues in higher grades. I know at a certain point there's only so much side stepping a teacher has time to do.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think it was about parents wanting to give their own kid a benefit over other kids, but now I think it is more about parents doing the only thing they can do (red shirt their kid) in response to a changes to education that have made kindergarten much more academic and therefore increasing the number of children who are simply not ready.

I think sometimes it is this (not always) but also it has the effect of making that problem even worse. As more families redshirt to get around unrealistic maturity expectations for kindergarteners, you wind up with more older kids in K, and this just reinforced the expectation that all kids in K should be fine spending all day doing worksheets at desks.

If you are going to fight for something, fight for age appropriate K that actually meets the needs of 5 yr olds. A district like DCPS is more likely to be responsive to that argument because it serves all kids, not just those from well off families.

This. Fight for a curriculum that helps all students, not a carve-out for your kid if you're truly worried about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would use free prek3 and prek4 and then repeat prek4 if needed at a private school.

And then stay in private? Because if you send your first grade age kid to the school they won't put them in Kindergarten.

The most absurd version of this I've seen is a family that moved from another state with a kid with a late September birthday. In their previous state the cut off was. Sept. 1, so he hadn't been to Kindergarten. He also hadn't had much of any preschool, because he had severe ADHD and was kicked out of every school he tried.

DCPS forced him into first grade, and then refused to evaluate for an IEP, based on the fact that they claimed his mother had "neglected" him by not sending him to Kindergarten the year before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to think it was about parents wanting to give their own kid a benefit over other kids, but now I think it is more about parents doing the only thing they can do (red shirt their kid) in response to a changes to education that have made kindergarten much more academic and therefore increasing the number of children who are simply not ready.

I think sometimes it is this (not always) but also it has the effect of making that problem even worse. As more families redshirt to get around unrealistic maturity expectations for kindergarteners, you wind up with more older kids in K, and this just reinforced the expectation that all kids in K should be fine spending all day doing worksheets at desks.

If you are going to fight for something, fight for age appropriate K that actually meets the needs of 5 yr olds. A district like DCPS is more likely to be responsive to that argument because it serves all kids, not just those from well off families.

This. Fight for a curriculum that helps all students, not a carve-out for your kid if you're truly worried about it.

But realistically it’s really hard for parents to lobby for changes to education (esp something like this which is a nationwide trend). I say this as someone who did try to lobby for other changes at my kids charter school. It is much easier to just do what is best for your kid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would use free prek3 and prek4 and then repeat prek4 if needed at a private school.

And then stay in private? Because if you send your first grade age kid to the school they won't put them in Kindergarten.

The most absurd version of this I've seen is a family that moved from another state with a kid with a late September birthday. In their previous state the cut off was. Sept. 1, so he hadn't been to Kindergarten. He also hadn't had much of any preschool, because he had severe ADHD and was kicked out of every school he tried.

DCPS forced him into first grade, and then refused to evaluate for an IEP, based on the fact that they claimed his mother had "neglected" him by not sending him to Kindergarten the year before.

This is abuse. By DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would use free prek3 and prek4 and then repeat prek4 if needed at a private school.

And then stay in private? Because if you send your first grade age kid to the school they won't put them in Kindergarten.

The most absurd version of this I've seen is a family that moved from another state with a kid with a late September birthday. In their previous state the cut off was. Sept. 1, so he hadn't been to Kindergarten. He also hadn't had much of any preschool, because he had severe ADHD and was kicked out of every school he tried.

DCPS forced him into first grade, and then refused to evaluate for an IEP, based on the fact that they claimed his mother had "neglected" him by not sending him to Kindergarten the year before.

This is abuse. By DCPS.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would use free prek3 and prek4 and then repeat prek4 if needed at a private school.

And then stay in private? Because if you send your first grade age kid to the school they won't put them in Kindergarten.

The most absurd version of this I've seen is a family that moved from another state with a kid with a late September birthday. In their previous state the cut off was. Sept. 1, so he hadn't been to Kindergarten. He also hadn't had much of any preschool, because he had severe ADHD and was kicked out of every school he tried.

DCPS forced him into first grade, and then refused to evaluate for an IEP, based on the fact that they claimed his mother had "neglected" him by not sending him to Kindergarten the year before.

This is abuse. By DCPS.

I know DCPS is terrible but I don't actually believe this story. We are missing info. DCPS would not deny an IEP evaluation for a kid with a diagnosed special needs, especially if they had documentation for inability to enroll him in private PK. They can be mindless rule followers, but the risk of a lawsuit there is too high. They would, at minimum, do the IEP eval and then argue the child could do first with an IEP plan to provide supports.

Educational neglect can actually a reason for creating an IEP, so it doesn't make sense that DCPS would deny an evaluation to punish the family for supposed neglect. If they suspected neglect, they'd be MORE likely to do the IEP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would use free prek3 and prek4 and then repeat prek4 if needed at a private school.

And then stay in private? Because if you send your first grade age kid to the school they won't put them in Kindergarten.

The most absurd version of this I've seen is a family that moved from another state with a kid with a late September birthday. In their previous state the cut off was. Sept. 1, so he hadn't been to Kindergarten. He also hadn't had much of any preschool, because he had severe ADHD and was kicked out of every school he tried.

DCPS forced him into first grade, and then refused to evaluate for an IEP, based on the fact that they claimed his mother had "neglected" him by not sending him to Kindergarten the year before.

This is abuse. By DCPS.

I know DCPS is terrible but I don't actually believe this story. We are missing info. DCPS would not deny an IEP evaluation for a kid with a diagnosed special needs, especially if they had documentation for inability to enroll him in private PK. They can be mindless rule followers, but the risk of a lawsuit there is too high. They would, at minimum, do the IEP eval and then argue the child could do first with an IEP plan to provide supports.

Educational neglect can actually a reason for creating an IEP, so it doesn't make sense that DCPS would deny an evaluation to punish the family for supposed neglect. If they suspected neglect, they'd be MORE likely to do the IEP.

If this story were true it would be on WUSA, NBC4, WTOP, even that Axios article. It'd be a major violation of the civil rights act to refuse an IEP and if they slandered the mother as abusive with no evidence there'd be a justified lawsuit within seconds.