My child one month too young for public school, what to do?

October 29, 2012 1:12 PM

With the changing of the California kindergarten enrollment age cutoff, my daughter will be a month too young for enrollment in public schools in 2013. What are my options?

We live in the Bay area (San Bruno), California. My daughter was born in mid-Nov. She would be too young to enroll in public school next year. I heard that parents can put those kids in private school for a year, then the kid can transfer to public school to be placed in 1st grade. Is this true? This will require a private school to accept her for kindergarten with her birthday. Are there such private schools close to where I live? I read a little bit that there will be not public program for "transitional kindergarten" in CA due to budge cut. My daughter is well rounded so I think she's ready for kindergarten next year, I don't want to let her stay in preK for another year. I appreciate anybody who knows about this situation in the Bay area to give me some advice. Thanks a lot.

posted by akomom to Education (8 answers total)

I was born Dec 4. My mother took me to Pittsburgh, enrolled me in kindergarten there. Then tried to transfer me into school in California. We were both laughed out of the building until I was 5.

Here's an FAQ, and apparently Kindergarten isn't required at all.

So apparently if you want, you can enroll your daughter in a private kindergarten and then 1st grade the following year. Or just skip it altogether if you prefer. You could home school if you're so inclined.

There doesn't appear to be an age limitation on first grade. Go figure.

You might want to double check that though.

But FYI, it's been going on at least 45 years.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:25 PM on October 29, 2012

Response by poster: Thanks ruthless bunny. Apparently, I got the wrong info on transitional kindergarten situation based on an article I read online. Your provided link helped me find the info for the transitional kindergarten program in our home school district. My daughter can enroll there. So my problem solved!
Thanks
posted by akomom at 1:38 PM on October 29, 2012 [2 favorites]

Awesome!

Hope she enjoys it as much as I did!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 1:40 PM on October 29, 2012

Here's a list of Penninsula area pre-schools and private elementary schools that might be helpful.
posted by shoesietart at 1:40 PM on October 29, 2012

Just some food for thought - but it might be to her benefit to send her to school the following year.

Most learning disorders are diagnosed in children on the younger side of the class, not because there's something wrong with them - but because they're literally a few months behind developmentally.

In high school, my philosophy teacher told us that the younger (ie grade 11 students) would likely have a hard time in the logic unit, but the older students would find it easier because logic is easier to understand with a more mature brain.

Just something to consider...
posted by phoenix_fire at 5:33 PM on October 29, 2012 [1 favorite]

For what it's worth, my daughter was 6 days past the cut-off age for public school in Texas. We enrolled her in private kindergarten, then again in public school kindergarten the next year. We originally were going to try to boost her into first grade, but decided to keep her with her age mates. We have never regretted the decision. Many parents are doing this voluntarily. And my girl is bright - not slow by any stretch of the imagination - but again, I wouldn't have changed our decision for the world.
posted by Addlepated at 5:36 PM on October 29, 2012

For what it's worth, I missed the age cut-off by three and a half weeks or so and there was apparently a mechanism to appeal against the age cut-off. I remember having to go for testing at the school (presumably done by the school psychologist) to 'get into' kindergarten, so there must have been some developmental standard one had to meet. If you think she's ready for kindergarten, this may be something you want to contemplate. Of course, the school district may be extra resistant if they're moving the cut-off date.
posted by hoyland at 6:34 PM on October 29, 2012

See also:
60 Minutes
Redshirting: Holding kids back from kindergarten
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7400898n
posted by intermod at 7:17 PM on October 29, 2012 [1 favorite]