we make the Sept 30th DC cut-off by a few days but prefer to wait to send. can we do this w/ pre-K?

[Anonymous]

My DS turns 4 on Sept. 20th. Cut-off for enrollment in the district is Sept. 30th. Preschool teacher is advising us to wait to send him to pre-K until next year (4 turning 5 instead of 3 turning 4).
We're in boundry for a NW school where the demand for slots for pre-K students exceeds the supply. If we wait to send our child would he still be eligible for entering the pre-K lottery next year? Or next year will we be forced to send him to K? We were hoping to use DC pre-K (obviously only if the lottery works in our favor).

Having a late Sept. birthday boy who hopes to use DC public schools is frustrating. If we were in MD, VA or using privates this would not be an issue an he would wait.

thanks for any thoughts!

[Anonymous]

I'd call your school and ask. We did something similar but stayed at private preschool in a pre-K at 5, went to K at just turned 6.

[Anonymous]

You could always apply, and if you get in, and if you decide i to send him,you can then hold him back.

[Anonymous]

We were in the same situation. Our child made the 30th cut-off by seven days. BUT, the school wanted to hold our child back. Their decision was based NOT on academics but on social/emotional assessment by the teacher. This was her first school experience with no daycare background. Our decision probably should have been to take their advice but we decided to keep her in school and fight the establishment. It paid off tremendously for our child. It sounds like your child is already in a school structure, so your child has the tools to make a much easier transition than ours did. Ultimately, this is your decision to make but I would not hold your child back. Your child will benefit from the older children in the class like ours is doing.. GO FOR IT!!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My DS turns 4 on Sept. 20th. Cut-off for enrollment in the district is Sept. 30th. Preschool teacher is advising us to wait to send him to pre-K until next year (4 turning 5 instead of 3 turning 4).
We're in boundry for a NW school where the demand for slots for pre-K students exceeds the supply. If we wait to send our child would he still be eligible for entering the pre-K lottery next year? Or next year will we be forced to send him to K? We were hoping to use DC pre-K (obviously only if the lottery works in our favor).

Having a late Sept. birthday boy who hopes to use DC public schools is frustrating. If we were in MD, VA or using privates this would not be an issue an he would wait.

thanks for any thoughts!

Just an fYI, if you were in MD or VA, this would not be an issue because they do not have the pre-K program that DC has, in many areas they do not even have all day kindergarten.

[Anonymous]

Pretty sure you won't get a pre-K slot; know someone with a daughter in similar situation, and she said her daughter wouldn't be eligible for pre-K next year because she'd be too old. So I'd send him to private pre-K, then do K the following year in DCPS.

[Anonymous]

You can hold back for K but NOT pre-K. Since Pre-K is not universal in DC only people who fall strictly under the requirements will be allowed in. So if you wait a year, you will be automatically disqualified from the lottery. Bummer...I know.

[Anonymous]

We're in the same position -- my dd's birthday is 4 days before the cut off and we've been told that this coming year is the only year she'll be eligible for pre-k. We're going on an open house next week and I plan to confirm. It's a bummer because I wanted the option of keeping her in her great preschool another year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're in the same position -- my dd's birthday is 4 days before the cut off and we've been told that this coming year is the only year she'll be eligible for pre-k. We're going on an open house next week and I plan to confirm. It's a bummer because I wanted the option of keeping her in her great preschool another year.

You still have that option. You can send her to her great pre-school for another year and then start her in K in DCPS the following year. Pre-K is a choice, not a requirement--and it's way oversubscribed in DCPS. If you don't want to send your daughter next year, there are a ton of families who will be happy to take that slot--many of whom have far fewer options than you have.

A little perspective here, people.

[Anonymous]

Or keep her in her pre-K for 2 more years and put her in K as an older student. This is allowed by DCPS ( you have to ask the principal first though I assume)

[Anonymous]

If we were in MD, VA or using privates this would not be an issue an he would wait.

In VA the cutoff is also September 30.