Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 12:36     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).


Yes. Both my son and daughter skipped a year. My son's birthday is at the very end of August - they initially wanted to hold him back an extra year because he was VERY quiet and VERY shy. Basically wouldn't speak unless spoken to and then only in a whisper. The assistant principal gave him a big talk about "Your work is great, we think you may be very, very smart and super bored. We'd like to help you not be bored, but you're going to have to talk more. If we switch you to a more fun class and introduce you to REALLY nice kids, can you participate more?" And they shook hands on it, and DS did keep up his end of the agreement. So he graduated from high school two months shy of being 17, then did a gap year, then went to college and is now in med school, where he speaks.

My daughter's birthday is at the end of November. There was some snafu with her father and I about "I thought YOU mentioned it to her!" and she arrived at school only to be told "Nope, wrong classroom," and sent to the next grade. I was still in the building - someone found me and let me know what was going on. I was 10 feet behind DD as she skipped into her new grade and busted out with, "I'm here! What are we doing?" and the teacher said "We're writing letters letting everyone know what we did over the summer." DD replied, "I LOVE writing letters!" and I walked away. She graduated from high school at 16, did a gap year, and is still just as enthusiastic now, in college.

Both were the youngest in their grades. I know DS was in a math class in 9th grade with two 12th graders. The only thing both kids made any noise about was not being able to drive to school as early as their friends did.


Thanks - this is useful. But this was a 20 or so years ago. It seems like it's less common now. I wonder if anyone who has done it more recently and in DCPS has any insight?


I told you about it because even though it was done over a decade ago, people always get all riled up about "But what about puberty! what about driving! what about being tall?" so wanted you to know how it works out in the long run. I have an 8 yr old who skipped a grade, and of course it SEEMS to be going just fine so far, but I've learned you don't know the full implications until farther on down the road.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 12:27     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Also October bday, but skipping was not an option at our school. Although DC was fully capable of first grade work, we did K. It turned out that a lot of the kids in DCs class were also doing advanced work, and the school had strong differentiation, so DC was challenged and with same age peers -- best of both worlds. Plus got the K year to transition to regular school. I would pay attention to what the principal advises you because he/she will know the peer groups in the grades. Both socially and academically that is what matters -- not the "grade level' but the level of work the kids in the grade are doing.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 11:44     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
This is the OP. I really appreciate everyone's perspective. Thanks for sharing.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:56     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).


Yes. Both my son and daughter skipped a year. My son's birthday is at the very end of August - they initially wanted to hold him back an extra year because he was VERY quiet and VERY shy. Basically wouldn't speak unless spoken to and then only in a whisper. The assistant principal gave him a big talk about "Your work is great, we think you may be very, very smart and super bored. We'd like to help you not be bored, but you're going to have to talk more. If we switch you to a more fun class and introduce you to REALLY nice kids, can you participate more?" And they shook hands on it, and DS did keep up his end of the agreement. So he graduated from high school two months shy of being 17, then did a gap year, then went to college and is now in med school, where he speaks.

My daughter's birthday is at the end of November. There was some snafu with her father and I about "I thought YOU mentioned it to her!" and she arrived at school only to be told "Nope, wrong classroom," and sent to the next grade. I was still in the building - someone found me and let me know what was going on. I was 10 feet behind DD as she skipped into her new grade and busted out with, "I'm here! What are we doing?" and the teacher said "We're writing letters letting everyone know what we did over the summer." DD replied, "I LOVE writing letters!" and I walked away. She graduated from high school at 16, did a gap year, and is still just as enthusiastic now, in college.

Both were the youngest in their grades. I know DS was in a math class in 9th grade with two 12th graders. The only thing both kids made any noise about was not being able to drive to school as early as their friends did.


My dd is "young" 13 in Aug, now 12 and in 7th. Height is not the issue here, but some girls develop sooner - she doesn't care. Academically extremely advanced, even in a hardcore academic school. More excited to be in math with 9th graders - oldest of several, not interested in boys. She is frustrated by cutoffs for camps by age not by grade - since they are academic makes no sense to me. At that time in DCPS, the cut off was December 30th. I asked our church preschool head whether she was ready and the response was yes. Did not realize she would be the youngest but for girls it is different.

My son is young because they redshirt, but also the biggest in his class, and gets picked on for that, so go figure


So she will be 13 and entering 8th grade? That's not young at all.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:54     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:My son has been accepted into our IB DCPS next year for PK. However, the teachers and director at his current PS are strongly recommending that we enroll him in kindergarten. He's an October birthday, so just misses the cutoff, and a very tall boy who looks older as well. They say he is more than ready academically and emotionally for K (reading, writing, advanced at math, plays with the older kids who are also heading to K) and that PK will be a wasted year for him. The principal at our DCPS allows October birthdays to enroll in K and has at least one other boy doing so next year. We were initially reluctant to the idea of making him the youngest in his grade, especially knowing that the trend is for the opposite, for some parents of boys to red shirt. (The principal does not all that at our school.) But I'm thinking more seriously about it now. I know a lot of DCUM parents would say this is a bad idea, but I'd love to hear from any parents who have actually done it. How has it worked out? Any regrets, especially as your child has gotten older? I know my son will be fine in early elementary, but my concern more is for middle and high school, having him be younger than his peers. TIA


I know you are looking for thoughts on how the decision eventually turned out (so most of these responses are not on point---and neither will mine), but if you are looking for validation for your concerns, we had the same ones last year and decided not to skip K. It's impossible to predict how this decision will play out 7, 8, 9 years from now, and we decided to be risk averse. It obviously works out for some, but I also imagine that those for whom it didn't work out are less likely to speak out and admit their mistake.

Our decision was also heavily influenced by the fact that our school demonstrated that it was able to accommodate more advanced kids through the years in their age-appropriate grades. If that wasn't the case, we probably would have considered it more.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:45     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).


Yes. Both my son and daughter skipped a year. My son's birthday is at the very end of August - they initially wanted to hold him back an extra year because he was VERY quiet and VERY shy. Basically wouldn't speak unless spoken to and then only in a whisper. The assistant principal gave him a big talk about "Your work is great, we think you may be very, very smart and super bored. We'd like to help you not be bored, but you're going to have to talk more. If we switch you to a more fun class and introduce you to REALLY nice kids, can you participate more?" And they shook hands on it, and DS did keep up his end of the agreement. So he graduated from high school two months shy of being 17, then did a gap year, then went to college and is now in med school, where he speaks.

My daughter's birthday is at the end of November. There was some snafu with her father and I about "I thought YOU mentioned it to her!" and she arrived at school only to be told "Nope, wrong classroom," and sent to the next grade. I was still in the building - someone found me and let me know what was going on. I was 10 feet behind DD as she skipped into her new grade and busted out with, "I'm here! What are we doing?" and the teacher said "We're writing letters letting everyone know what we did over the summer." DD replied, "I LOVE writing letters!" and I walked away. She graduated from high school at 16, did a gap year, and is still just as enthusiastic now, in college.

Both were the youngest in their grades. I know DS was in a math class in 9th grade with two 12th graders. The only thing both kids made any noise about was not being able to drive to school as early as their friends did.


Thanks - this is useful. But this was a 20 or so years ago. It seems like it's less common now. I wonder if anyone who has done it more recently and in DCPS has any insight?
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:43     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).


Yes. Both my son and daughter skipped a year. My son's birthday is at the very end of August - they initially wanted to hold him back an extra year because he was VERY quiet and VERY shy. Basically wouldn't speak unless spoken to and then only in a whisper. The assistant principal gave him a big talk about "Your work is great, we think you may be very, very smart and super bored. We'd like to help you not be bored, but you're going to have to talk more. If we switch you to a more fun class and introduce you to REALLY nice kids, can you participate more?" And they shook hands on it, and DS did keep up his end of the agreement. So he graduated from high school two months shy of being 17, then did a gap year, then went to college and is now in med school, where he speaks.

My daughter's birthday is at the end of November. There was some snafu with her father and I about "I thought YOU mentioned it to her!" and she arrived at school only to be told "Nope, wrong classroom," and sent to the next grade. I was still in the building - someone found me and let me know what was going on. I was 10 feet behind DD as she skipped into her new grade and busted out with, "I'm here! What are we doing?" and the teacher said "We're writing letters letting everyone know what we did over the summer." DD replied, "I LOVE writing letters!" and I walked away. She graduated from high school at 16, did a gap year, and is still just as enthusiastic now, in college.

Both were the youngest in their grades. I know DS was in a math class in 9th grade with two 12th graders. The only thing both kids made any noise about was not being able to drive to school as early as their friends did.


My dd is "young" 13 in Aug, now 12 and in 7th. Height is not the issue here, but some girls develop sooner - she doesn't care. Academically extremely advanced, even in a hardcore academic school. More excited to be in math with 9th graders - oldest of several, not interested in boys. She is frustrated by cutoffs for camps by age not by grade - since they are academic makes no sense to me. At that time in DCPS, the cut off was December 30th. I asked our church preschool head whether she was ready and the response was yes. Did not realize she would be the youngest but for girls it is different.

My son is young because they redshirt, but also the biggest in his class, and gets picked on for that, so go figure


If she's already 12 she hasn't skipped a grade has she? If my child skips a grade he'll be starting 1st grade at age 4, a few weeks before his 5th birthday.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:38     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).


Yes. Both my son and daughter skipped a year. My son's birthday is at the very end of August - they initially wanted to hold him back an extra year because he was VERY quiet and VERY shy. Basically wouldn't speak unless spoken to and then only in a whisper. The assistant principal gave him a big talk about "Your work is great, we think you may be very, very smart and super bored. We'd like to help you not be bored, but you're going to have to talk more. If we switch you to a more fun class and introduce you to REALLY nice kids, can you participate more?" And they shook hands on it, and DS did keep up his end of the agreement. So he graduated from high school two months shy of being 17, then did a gap year, then went to college and is now in med school, where he speaks.

My daughter's birthday is at the end of November. There was some snafu with her father and I about "I thought YOU mentioned it to her!" and she arrived at school only to be told "Nope, wrong classroom," and sent to the next grade. I was still in the building - someone found me and let me know what was going on. I was 10 feet behind DD as she skipped into her new grade and busted out with, "I'm here! What are we doing?" and the teacher said "We're writing letters letting everyone know what we did over the summer." DD replied, "I LOVE writing letters!" and I walked away. She graduated from high school at 16, did a gap year, and is still just as enthusiastic now, in college.

Both were the youngest in their grades. I know DS was in a math class in 9th grade with two 12th graders. The only thing both kids made any noise about was not being able to drive to school as early as their friends did.


My dd is "young" 13 in Aug, now 12 and in 7th. Height is not the issue here, but some girls develop sooner - she doesn't care. Academically extremely advanced, even in a hardcore academic school. More excited to be in math with 9th graders - oldest of several, not interested in boys. She is frustrated by cutoffs for camps by age not by grade - since they are academic makes no sense to me. At that time in DCPS, the cut off was December 30th. I asked our church preschool head whether she was ready and the response was yes. Did not realize she would be the youngest but for girls it is different.

My son is young because they redshirt, but also the biggest in his class, and gets picked on for that, so go figure
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:26     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).


Yes. Both my son and daughter skipped a year. My son's birthday is at the very end of August - they initially wanted to hold him back an extra year because he was VERY quiet and VERY shy. Basically wouldn't speak unless spoken to and then only in a whisper. The assistant principal gave him a big talk about "Your work is great, we think you may be very, very smart and super bored. We'd like to help you not be bored, but you're going to have to talk more. If we switch you to a more fun class and introduce you to REALLY nice kids, can you participate more?" And they shook hands on it, and DS did keep up his end of the agreement. So he graduated from high school two months shy of being 17, then did a gap year, then went to college and is now in med school, where he speaks.

My daughter's birthday is at the end of November. There was some snafu with her father and I about "I thought YOU mentioned it to her!" and she arrived at school only to be told "Nope, wrong classroom," and sent to the next grade. I was still in the building - someone found me and let me know what was going on. I was 10 feet behind DD as she skipped into her new grade and busted out with, "I'm here! What are we doing?" and the teacher said "We're writing letters letting everyone know what we did over the summer." DD replied, "I LOVE writing letters!" and I walked away. She graduated from high school at 16, did a gap year, and is still just as enthusiastic now, in college.

Both were the youngest in their grades. I know DS was in a math class in 9th grade with two 12th graders. The only thing both kids made any noise about was not being able to drive to school as early as their friends did.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:22     Subject: Re:Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:In terms of what is allowed and not, you should ask the principal. Unless you already know him/her, do so humbly and with the expectation of a 'no', as I'm sure they're being asked this question all the time, by many, many parents who naturally think their kids are super-special. And it sounds like you'll be transferring schools and that school does not know your son yet, so couldn't make any promises. I highly doubt DCPS will allow you to 'enroll' your child in K, if only for the fact that this be a huge auditing flag. However, it is possible that they will consider a transfer up within the first 3-4 weeks, once they've run all the initial assessments and everyone (parents, teacher, principal) agrees on the course of action.
I think you'd be in a different situation if you weren't switching schools. In that case, you'd be having that conversation now with the principal of your school and that principal could deliberately plan for a transfer into K. Re-enrollment isn't quite as big a deal.
(On the substance, my son was always among if not the youngest and that was never a problem.)


The OP has now stated twice that the principal of the school her child will be attending allows this.


'Allowing this' in principle is not the same as letting someone in particular do it. The question of HOW it will happen (from the start or after 3-4 weeks) is not trivial.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:14     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
It could be CCDC - I know a few families there who redshirted.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 10:07     Subject: Re:Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:OP, there are many, many threads about this. One thing to think about -- what do people in your neighborhood do? In mine EVERYONE redshirts, so that would mean that you son could be up to 18 months younger than the rest of the grade.


Which neighborhood?
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 09:59     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
We are in MD but one of my son's friends did this and now they regret it in third grade. Their son is smaller and struggling to keep up with the writing. Instead of being the smartest in 2nd grade he is average in 3rd. There are some kids that are advanced at 4/5 but then in 2nd grade things can start to even out a bit. There are still kids that stand out in 2nd / 3rd grade but its fewer than before. Hope this helps.
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 09:51     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Has anyone done this for a kid who is already the youngest? My very late birthday PK4 kid's teacher suggested skipping him from PK4 straight to 1st grade.

I'm 95 percent against this, but interested to hear experiences. He's actually fairly small for his age already, doing socially just fine but extremely advanced academically (probably academically ready for 2nd or 3rd grade even but not socially).
Anonymous
Post 04/04/2014 09:50     Subject: Anyone moved their child up a grade?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Our DCPS recommended my kid jump from PK3 to K, so it can be done. Depends on whether they have room, etc.


Did you do it?


No, my husband was young for his grade and didn't want that for our kid. Glad we stayed on track -- kid is mature but phyisically small -- ended up at the top of class, but not a huge outlier. Kid's still young tho, can't opine on how this will work in HS.