DC vs Montgomery County School Cutoff Dates

[Anonymous]

Based on what I've found, the DC birthday cutoff is turning 5 by 9/30 in order to start k. Their prek cutoff is the same just a year earlier. Montgomery County has a 9/1 cutoff.

DD's birthday is 9/15. How does MoCo handle a student who started at the appropriate time in the DC school system and then moves to montgomery county? Would it make a difference if we moved after kindergarten instead of before? (I know prek isn't a public option in MoCo, but we're thinking of moving either right before or right after DD does kindergarten.)

We're a few years away from actually having to deal with this (and I'm assuming that our plan will still be to send her "on time"), but if it's going to be an issue I'd rather know now!

[Anonymous]

Early Entrance to First Grade
Per Maryland State Department of Education regulations, to be eligible to enter first grade for the 2009-2010 school year, children must be six years of age by September 1, 2009.

Parents/guardians of children who wish to apply for early entrance to first grade should complete MCPS Form 271-1, Application for Early Entrance First Grade Program. Parents/guardians should bring this form to their child's home school. For the 2010-2011 school year, applications will be accepted from July 1, 2010 through September 3, 2010. Children who are applying for early entrance to first grade will begin the school year in a kindergarten classroom. Within the first six weeks of school assessments and classroom observations will be conducted and a team of school staff will meet to make a decision on early entrance to first grade. Placement determinations will be finalized no later than October 15.

Additionally, other mitigating factors may be considered if the child's birthdate is not aligned with the state requirement. These may include, for example, previous completion of a kindergarten experience in a state approved or alternative kindergarten program. Parents/guardians should submit the child's attendance record and any end-of-year transcripts, along with the application, MCPS Form 271-1, Application for Early Entrance First Grade Program, to the school principal for consideration.

For more information about the MCPS first grade program's curriculum and expectations, please click here.

[Anonymous]

But if you move before Kindergarten, then in the spring beforehand you can attend orientation and they will evaluate her since she was born within 6 weeks of the cut-off. If she qualifies, she can start K even though she doesn't make the cut-off. This seems better than repeating K and having to be reevaluated after 6 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Same thing other posters have said. In a nutshell for MCPS

1) For kindergarten, the early entrance process allows the child within 6 weeks of the cutoff to be tested in the spring. You know the decision prior to the start of the school year

2) For 1st grade, the early entrance process is to start in kindergarten and be evaluated up to 6 weeks. You are really rolling the dice here because the decision is not made until you are in the school year - you don't have much recourse if you are unhappy. It almost seems like it is meant to discourage parents from having their child complete K elsewhere and come back for 1st grade.

3) After 1st grade, I think it is at the discretion of the principal. At some point they have to be like Johhny completed 2nd, 3rd etc. grade at a state (or DC) with a later cutoff and accept Johnny into the next grade. Also, by that point I would think there is more standardized testing as well as a school track record to go by so really they should know whether the child can handle the next grade.

In regards to friends/transition. I learned the schools - at least where I am - try to mix it up - so it isn't as though a set of friends are in the exact same classroom K-5. So while some people may be in the same class the next year as his/her friend, chances are they will have to make some new friends along the way.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks so much for this helpful info. Who'd have thought that the first grade process would have been HARDER? Tho I think the PP who says it's meant to discourage people from doing K elsewhere is definitely onto something. We'll definitely keep this in mind as we think about moving.

[Anonymous]

14:31 here again. One other thing to consider is that a lot of nursery schools in MoCo also apply the same cutoffs. A traditional daycare with a pre-school component might have a minimum age plus space in the classroom (and think child is ready) to move him or her up to the next classroom. However, a preschool that starts at age 2 or 3 may have a Sept 1 cutoff built in. Or I've been to preschools that have multiple classrooms for each age so they group by birthday. So if your DS or DD is 3 this year and turning 4 on Sept 15, he/she may not be in the 4 year old classroom but instead by in the older 3 classroom made up of Sept, Oct, Nov, Dec birthdays for example. If you were keeping your kid in preschool in DC this may not be an issue but just to give you the heads up.