Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless he has a special need/circumstance, I don't think holding a child back is generally in their best long-term interest.

--a teacher of upper elementary school students

I’m not OP but my DS has an August 29 bday. Older child’s private school has already said they don’t think I should send. Would you recommend I do? He’s a totally normal kid.

My son has a similar birthday to yours, his birthday is sometimes after school even starts. We thought about him repeating PK4 but sent him to K (on teacher's recommendation) and thank goodness we did. We're a few years down the line now and he would've been completely bored academically if we kept him back. Socially he's fine. Yes, he's on the short side but that's not a big deal. So personally, if he's a normal kid, then there's no specific reason to keep him from K.

Anonymous wrote:Pp thank you for a straight answer!!! I’m going cracy with this move and trying to figure out what to do when we don’t even know anyone in the area. Thank you!!!

So why not call the school district? This is not something that DC parents have any experience with. Barring special needs, there is not a lot of red-shirting here. People mostly send their kids to school on schedule.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will he be forced into first if he turns 6 this summer?

Yes!!! Most people who are holding kids back a year are doing it because their kid turned 5 that summer. But your kid will be 6 this summer. There is no way any public school is going to allow you to red shirt a 2nd year. Do you really want your child turning 20 in high school?

Where did you get 2 years?
if he goes to K this Sept he will be just 6. Thats redshirting one year.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pp thank you for a straight answer!!! I’m going cracy with this move and trying to figure out what to do when we don’t even know anyone in the area. Thank you!!!

Look, no one knows what you are talking about. Kids in DC don’t end up 6 without having been to school, so it’s not a scenario any of us have any experience with.

Haha, yeah, not around here they don't! The only way they end up starting K already age 6 is having been held back a year, which is not a straightforward thing to execute. Calm down a bit.

Anonymous wrote:Pp thank you for a straight answer!!! I’m going cracy with this move and trying to figure out what to do when we don’t even know anyone in the area. Thank you!!!

Look, no one knows what you are talking about. Kids in DC don’t end up 6 without having been to school, so it’s not a scenario any of us have any experience with.

Pp thank you for a straight answer!!! I’m going cracy with this move and trying to figure out what to do when we don’t even know anyone in the area. Thank you!!!

Anonymous wrote:So basically none of you know if he can register for kindergarten at 6 years old if he’s never done it before. And no I only posted here. Wtf?! Troll!

Just email DCPS and figure it out: enroll@k12.dc.gov

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless he has a special need/circumstance, I don't think holding a child back is generally in their best long-term interest.

--a teacher of upper elementary school students

COMPLETELY disagree. It almost ALWAYS benefits them to be older than younger.

Funnily enough, that’s not what the research says...

There is a difference between starting later than being held back. Depending on the child I might wait on enrollment for Prk and K if my kids July- August - September (maybe even early October or maybe even June or May ) depending on the school or school system.

I think repeating a grade after Prk and at the same school can me harder. NY State offer a EK, K and K-1 transition class to full this need.

Given all the focus on equity and drop in Prk funding I wouldn't be surprised if DC might change to this model to help with at risk kids in schools that no longer offer head start Prk at their IB.

So basically none of you know if he can register for kindergarten at 6 years old if he’s never done it before. And no I only posted here. Wtf?! Troll!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless he has a special need/circumstance, I don't think holding a child back is generally in their best long-term interest.

--a teacher of upper elementary school students

COMPLETELY disagree. It almost ALWAYS benefits them to be older than younger.

Completely disagree, its not always a benefit and it doesn't make you smarter, just older.

Anonymous wrote:Will he be forced into first if he turns 6 this summer?

He could be. The school will decide. DC is not a huge proponent of holding kids back unless they decide to do it especially at the pre-K/ K level. If you keep him in private k for one more year they are more flexible at the 1st grade + level and he could just go into 1st grade. Which school is it?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unless he has a special need/circumstance, I don't think holding a child back is generally in their best long-term interest.

--a teacher of upper elementary school students

I’m not OP but my DS has an August 29 bday. Older child’s private school has already said they don’t think I should send. Would you recommend I do? He’s a totally normal kid.

I think it depends entirely on the reasons that the school is giving behind the recommendation. If you think it is a reasonable reason (he has behavioral concerns that might warrant an additional year of preschool; he has learning challenges; he's been unwell and missed school), then don't send him. But I don't think "he'll be the youngest in the class" is reasonable. YMMV (but you asked)!

Anonymous wrote:Why would you want to hold the child back in K?

Even though I don’t normally favor red shirting and think too many people do it to try to get an advantage (basically their kid will seem smarter, even though they aren’t), I don’t think the choice to have a child repeat K is crazy given the very abbreviated year and the uselessness of DL for Kers. If the kid struggled in K this year and it didn’t “click” pre closure, DLing isn’t going well and the kid is reasonably young, so it wouldn’t be insane socially/maturity wise. I’d consider it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Will he be forced into first if he turns 6 this summer?

Yes!!! Most people who are holding kids back a year are doing it because their kid turned 5 that summer. But your kid will be 6 this summer. There is no way any public school is going to allow you to red shirt a 2nd year. Do you really want your child turning 20 in high school?

I don’t think you are understanding. Most people are holding 5 year olds back from beginning kindergarten - so they don’t enroll them as a 5 year old in K. Op is now where those parents are a year after after making that decision - whether to put her 6 year old in K or 1. The ones who held their kid out of K now have a 6 year old starting K which is what OP wants. It’s the same thing.

Exactly, her kid, if allowed to repeat K, would be teh same age as kids who redshirt for K this year and only a month or so older than the oldest kindergartener who start on time: the kids who turn 6 on Oct. 1.

Also, alarmed PP, the kid would graduate high school at 18, and turn 20 the summer before his sophomore year in college.

Why would you want to hold the child back in K?