Kindergarten questions

ArcticFox

When do kids start kindergarten?  Like what age(s)?  And my DD was born in October, someone said to me how it is a tough age to figure out when they start Kindergarten, can anyone elaborate?

Thanks (I know my kids are a little young, just thinking about it)!

MaddysMama07

They can start at either 5 or 6. Check your state's cut-off date. A lot of state's have cut-off dates that are around October which is probably why you get those comments. Ours is October 15th. Children have to be 5 on or before October 15th to be eligible for Kindergarten.

roseroseroseroserose

Texas is September 1, so K will be closer to 6 when she starts.

abergale

Here you have to be 5 by the day school starts. My DD is an April baby so she will be almost 5.5 when she starts. I have figured this out because we want to move before she starts 

izzybella

Our cut off is Sept 30th I believe, so DD will be 5.5 too. 

Amy720

In Georgia, it's September fist.  Ben's birthday is June 3rd so he will turn 5 just before school starts and can go, if I think he's ready, if not he will wait until he turns 6.

HarrietNJMommy

I know the cutoff in NYC is December 31 (I grew up in NYC). I think for the state it might be December 1st, but don't quote me on that.

The cutoff here in NJ where I live is October 1. DD#1 is a November baby and will be 5 this November, but won't start K until next year.

amazingkel

Here it is you have to be 5 by Sept 1. 

Read2Me

NYS requires children to be 5 by Dec.1st to start Kindergarten.

HarrietNJMommy

cmeon_the_water:

December seems SO late for a cut-off! So many of those starting K will barely be 4.5yo! It's Sept 1 for my FL county, too- school starts tomorrow for the county, so there's really not many 4yo going to K here.

I think it's all relative to how you grew up. I grew up in NYC and cutoff was December 31st. I am a December baby and went to school when I was 4 and turned 5 that December. I WAS the youngest in my class, and when I started college I was 17. THAT was hard since I was in engineering school and I really think that 1 year would have helped me adjust a lot better.

Now, I live in NJ, have November, May and December kids and am glad the cutoff is October 1........

lami22005

In California, you have to be 5 by December 2, so you have a lot of children starting K as 4 year olds.  My twins have a September birthday which means they will be 4 for about a month during K.  The trend over here is a lot of people are holding their Fall babies back and waiting the extra year.  Not sure what I'll do as I have twins and I think my dd will be ready before my ds.

jlw2505

Check you states education department or your schools district web site - it will give you all the details that you need to know.  Where I live, the kids need to be 5 years old by Sept 1 to start that year.  My older DD has a June b-day and will be 5 years and 2 1/2 months when she starts next year.  (she is starting pre-k this fall at the school).  My little one is a March birthday and she be 5 1/2 when she starts. 

 I grew up in Michign where there was a Dec 1 deadline.  I have a Dec 21st b-day and started K when I was 4 1/2.  I turned 18 halfway through my senior year of HS.  I was the 3rd oldest in my class.

CarolinaKatie

Most states the cut off is in September....like they have to be 5 by Sept 1 to start 5K. My son's bday is in August, so he will be young for his grade. If this is the date for your state, then your daughter will be one of the older ones in her class, meaning she will turn 6 a month after school starts. Which I think is good. Depending on how my son does next year in 4K, we might even decide to hold him back and have 2 years of 5K. A first grade teacher of mine says that is a good idea for a lot of kids with summer bdays.

shouldbworkin

cmeon_the_water:

December seems SO late for a cut-off! So many of those starting K will barely be 4.5yo! It's Sept 1 for my FL county, too- school starts tomorrow for the county, so there's really not many 4yo going to K here.

they're all actually all almost 5 when they start.  Most people hold back Oct/Nov kids, but some go and are fine.  Also, school here doesn't start until Sept.  You just get used to it.  I started school a few weeks before I turned 5 and I was fine.  I think it's crazy that some kids are turning 7 in KG b/c they have early cut offs, bdays close to the cut off and were held back.