September Birthdays - Kindergarten

[Anonymous]

We just moved to the area and had originally been planning to send our son to Kindergarten the year he turns 5. His birthday is September 10, and the cutoff for our old residence was September 30th. We have now learned the cutoff in Maryland is September 1. Did anyone do the early entrance process? Were you happy you did it? Any regrets with starting your student early? Alternatively, for those with September birthdays who started Kindergarten in the year they turned 6, how was that?

Academically, I think our son is ready, but of course there are other considerations.

Thanks for insights. We had never considered this since the dates were different at our older residence.

[Anonymous]

You will not be let in. I’m sorry. Especially this year. First of all your kid needs to be at a first grade level to pass (it does not test kindergarten readiness but end of kinder benchmarks) and second of all the school can say no if they are overcrowded which they will be due to read shirting because everyone who could held their kid back to avoid virtual kinder hell. Let us know where you live and we can give preschool recs. Sorry, I know of sucks. Happened to my son (9/2 birthday) but ended up working out.

[Anonymous]

My son has a September 29th birthday, so he started kindergarten when he was almost six. We had him in a preschool that offered a curriculum for kids like this and I think that helped - it was still pre-school and play-heavy, but they did some kindergarten prep stuff too. He's now a 5th grader and doing just fine.

[Anonymous]

It depends. Is he reading chapter books? I would put him in 1st grade. Is he reading below Level 8? Put him in K.

How is he socially? Is he small for his age?

If he's on the small side and reading below Level 8ish, I'd put him in K.

I say this as someone who has a DS born in the summer, who is small, but academically very advanced. DS went on time due to the academic issue.

I have another DC who also was born in the summer super close to the cutoff, but this DC is not as academically advanced, and in hindsight, I think I would have kept DC out another year, especially in the time of covid.

[Anonymous]

Just prep for the test and put them in K.

[Anonymous]

I agree that it is doubtful that you will get a child admitted early this year. The test is tough and most kids don't pass it anyway. There is no real appeal process - one exists in theory but no one has ever been successful.

If you want to start early, there is another option. You can do private kindergarten and then test again in first grade. The first grade assessment is done around the sixth week into the school year, so your child starts out in kindergarten and, if they pass the assessment, they get moved up. You can also do kindergarten and first in private and then start in second, at which point there is no assessment required.

[Anonymous]

I get it, We were in the same boat. After talking to preschool teachers, we elected to put DC in a private junior K and start MCPS K just before DC turned 6. It turned out to be a great decision, DC is thriving in high school and isn't even one of the oldest in the grade. There are plenty of redshirted kids and I'm glad in elementary DC wasn't in class with kids 15 months older.

[Anonymous]

If you are talking about this coming year, you don't want him to be in a class with tons of kids who were redshirted due to the pandemic!

[Anonymous]

If your kid can read and knows his numbers he should be encouraged to start with a waiver / test.

If he can't do these things, work on them this year and start him next.

[Anonymous]

Wow - a lot of negative Nellie’s on this thread speaking so authoritatively without actual knowledge.

OP - the best thing to do is contact your elementary school, have him evaluated, and RT some real insight into the specific school an what they think about how he would fit in with the other students. This year everything is different, so trying to judge by previous years is pointless.

[Anonymous]

get

[Anonymous]

Testing in really depends on the school. Our MCPS school wouldn't allow it, others would. We instead did a private for a few years.

[Anonymous]

This is going to be a funky year since there will be a lot of redshirted 6 year old kindergarteners who are starting K a year late due to the pandemic

[Anonymous]

My school tells me that there will 5-6 k classroom and 22-25 kids each approximately. My kid will be a kindergartener at 5.75 year old. I am fine that there might be a lot of 6 years old.

[Anonymous]

Live in va. It’s much better and cutoff is 9/30.