Anonymous
Post 12/19/2022 18:40     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:MCPS is doing you a favor. Do you really want your kid going off to HS before their 14th birthday or to college when before their 18th? Tell your kid that they just have to redo Kindergarten at the new school since those are the rules. Sure, they might be a little bored for some of their elementary years but you get an extra year of their childhood. High school has all the challenge any kid could want.
signed,
parent of an older kid who is grateful they are not going to college at 17


I turned 18 about 2 months into my freshman year at college (my school district cutoff was 12/31 and I have a fall birthday)...it was totally fine and the only difference from the kids that were already 18 was that my parents had to sign my freshman housing contract. I think it would have been worse to be 18 for my whole senior year - to be a legal adult but still be treated like a child. I was also 21 for less time at college, which was definitely a good thing.


Agreed, holding kids back reduces their time as adults and is not for the kids needs, but the parents needs.
Anonymous
Post 12/19/2022 17:20     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is doing you a favor. Do you really want your kid going off to HS before their 14th birthday or to college when before their 18th? Tell your kid that they just have to redo Kindergarten at the new school since those are the rules. Sure, they might be a little bored for some of their elementary years but you get an extra year of their childhood. High school has all the challenge any kid could want.
signed,
parent of an older kid who is grateful they are not going to college at 17


I turned 18 about 2 months into my freshman year at college (my school district cutoff was 12/31 and I have a fall birthday)...it was totally fine and the only difference from the kids that were already 18 was that my parents had to sign my freshman housing contract. I think it would have been worse to be 18 for my whole senior year - to be a legal adult but still be treated like a child. I was also 21 for less time at college, which was definitely a good thing.
Anonymous
Post 12/19/2022 17:17     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.


Our private's curriculum was much stronger than MCPS. All the kids were reading, writing and doing far more math.


Did your private accept kids who were younger than the state cut off? In my experience, the schools that allow this do this because they are hurting for students, often because their academics are poor.


Academics were far more advanced, homework every night, spelling tests and much more. They were flexible with birthdays and allowed September-October kids to start K early entrance. The expectation was the kids were reading and other basic skills but kids who were in their preschool for the most part were. All the kids I knew were reading by the time they entered K. All of them are doing well years later.
Anonymous
Post 12/19/2022 17:15     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:MCPS is doing you a favor. Do you really want your kid going off to HS before their 14th birthday or to college when before their 18th? Tell your kid that they just have to redo Kindergarten at the new school since those are the rules. Sure, they might be a little bored for some of their elementary years but you get an extra year of their childhood. High school has all the challenge any kid could want.
signed,
parent of an older kid who is grateful they are not going to college at 17


No, they aren't. I have a child like this and you are talking about a few weeks. We sent ours to private school for a few years to handle the situation however its a mistake to hold a smart kid back as MCPS isn't challenging till high school. My kid turned 14 right after HS started. No big deal. You don't get an extra year of childhood by holding them back. Your post makes zero sense. You held your child back for your needs, not theirs.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 22:07     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.


Our private's curriculum was much stronger than MCPS. All the kids were reading, writing and doing far more math.


Did your private accept kids who were younger than the state cut off? In my experience, the schools that allow this do this because they are hurting for students, often because their academics are poor.

Nice shiv!
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 22:05     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.


Our private's curriculum was much stronger than MCPS. All the kids were reading, writing and doing far more math.


Did your private accept kids who were younger than the state cut off? In my experience, the schools that allow this do this because they are hurting for students, often because their academics are poor.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 22:00     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

MCPS is doing you a favor. Do you really want your kid going off to HS before their 14th birthday or to college when before their 18th? Tell your kid that they just have to redo Kindergarten at the new school since those are the rules. Sure, they might be a little bored for some of their elementary years but you get an extra year of their childhood. High school has all the challenge any kid could want.
signed,
parent of an older kid who is grateful they are not going to college at 17
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 21:16     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

The jurisdictions should align the cutoff dates. Why can’t they be the same in MD and DC.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 20:17     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


OP this makes zero sense.

This is not how this works. Call MCPS and ask again.


Yes it’s exactly how it works. BTDT.


This is no early entrance but a transfer from another public jurisdiction. Website says differently.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 20:17     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.


Our private's curriculum was much stronger than MCPS. All the kids were reading, writing and doing far more math.

Sure, it was


MCPS isn't very strong in the early years. It was much stronger.
Anonymous
Post 12/18/2022 18:56     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


OP this makes zero sense.

This is not how this works. Call MCPS and ask again.


Yes it’s exactly how it works. BTDT.
Anonymous
Post 12/17/2022 20:52     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.


Our private's curriculum was much stronger than MCPS. All the kids were reading, writing and doing far more math.

Sure, it was
Anonymous
Post 12/17/2022 15:46     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.


Our private's curriculum was much stronger than MCPS. All the kids were reading, writing and doing far more math.
Anonymous
Post 12/17/2022 10:01     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.


Agree, it´s the difference between meeting another district´s cut-off and following a state approved curriculum vs using private K, which may not be accredited, as a workaround.
Anonymous
Post 12/17/2022 08:50     Subject: Feeling discouraged about early entrance to 1st grade...

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't understand why you would have to do EE1 when your kindergartner will have completed kindergarten already in DCPS? Why wouldn't he just automatically go into first grade?


I spoke with the principal and was told that if he has complete TWO years - so, K and 1st - in another district he can automatically move on to the next grade. But for 1st grade, he's subject to evaluation and whole process, which seems pretty cruel to the child. Not sure why they can't evaluate him ahead of time.


I would cite the policy and if the principal doesn't budge, work with central office directly. The principal is confusing the process. This is not the case for public-school students.