Any way around the AISD Sept 1 cutoff?

Slobina

So, I just realized in looking at daycares over the last few days that Ruby is going to be almost 6 when she starts kindergarten, per the AISD cutoff date of September 1 (her birthday is October 27th).  Argh.  Is there any way around it?  From talking to folks I know, it sounds like a hard and fast rule.  Are there any other ways to deal with it, like sending them to a private kindergarten and then enrolling them in first grade?  Or does the September 1 cutoff apply every year?  Thanks for any help you can provide.

Amy

rssnlvr

She would have to attend a private Kindergarten AND first grade. She could then enter in 2nd grade.

My DD has a Sept 15th birthday and I'm glad she'll be the oldest in her grade and have no plans of trying to work the system. From the research I've done, it actually (in GENERAL) ends up benefiting the child to be the oldest rather than the youngest. In general.

ali-1411

I've heard you can send them to private school for kinder AND first grade then transfer to public for second grade.  My friend did this with her son and his Oct birthday but that was years ago, he's in 4th now. 

I've looked at our local private schools websites and they don't say anything about enrollment age.  When we get closer to the time, I'll make some phone calls since Layna just misses the cutoff.  

Angie&Doc

My son will be 6 (birthday oct. 31st) I'm actually happy about it. I think it will benefit him being older. It will give him one more extra year of preschool before he starts.

 

mrs.wildman

You can send her to a Montessori program for Kindergarten (no age cutoff) then start her in first grade at AISD.

Another option would be to find a charter school to start with for Pre-K or Kindergarten that might be more flexible with cut offs as many are year round (I think it's 9 weeks on 2 weeks off). A friend of mine is in a similar situation and going this route (although I don't think she plans on moving her kid to a public school for first grade).

ETA: Didn't know that they had to be private in 1st grade too... interesting.

molliedb

you may want to try to research your elementary school a bit.  you might find that october babies aren't even the oldest anymore.  my nephew was the youngest kindergartener at his school last year and his birthday was in april, so every child april-august had been delayed a year!  that would make an october baby starting early a good deal younger than their classmates.

 

Slobina

Thanks y'all.  That is definitely a good point that it is likely better for her to be older.  I have read that as well. 

A&Jmom

mrs.wildman:

You can send her to a Montessori program for Kindergarten (no age cutoff) then start her in first grade at AISD.

Another option would be to find a charter school to start with for Pre-K or Kindergarten that might be more flexible with cut offs as many are year round (I think it's 9 weeks on 2 weeks off). A friend of mine is in a similar situation and going this route (although I don't think she plans on moving her kid to a public school for first grade).

ETA: Didn't know that they had to be private in 1st grade too... interesting.

We tried this and it was a no go.  All the charter schools around here are also strict with the Sept 1st start date.  Oh, and the Pre-K programs are only if you qualify- low income, English 2nd language, etc.

 

Abby is an Oct b-day also.  We tried work arounds and it basically came down to private school of Kinder and 1st then start public school for 2nd grade.  Oh, you can also home school for Kinder and 1st and then send them to 2nd grade.  I did not like this option because I was ready for Abby to be in Kinder mostly for the social aspect.  I did not want to keep her home an extra year.

A&Jmom

Slobina:

So, I just realized in looking at daycares over the last few days that Ruby is going to be almost 6 when she starts kindergarten, per the AISD cutoff date of September 1 (her birthday is October 27th).  Argh.  Is there any way around it?  From talking to folks I know, it sounds like a hard and fast rule.  Are there any other ways to deal with it, like sending them to a private kindergarten and then enrolling them in first grade?  Or does the September 1 cutoff apply every year?  Thanks for any help you can provide.

Amy

Abby's is Oct 27th too!

brideonjuly8

rssnlvr:

She would have to attend a private Kindergarten AND first grade. She could then enter in 2nd grade.

My DD has a Sept 15th birthday and I'm glad she'll be the oldest in her grade and have no plans of trying to work the system. From the research I've done, it actually (in GENERAL) ends up benefiting the child to be the oldest rather than the youngest. In general.

ditto this.  If I ever have a summer baby, I will hold them back, but I'm so glad DS is going to be the older of his class.  I was the youngest and I HATED IT.

PrincessBrideSarah

I think private K and 1st is the only way around the cut-off date.

With all the red-shirting, your DD will probably have many children older than her in her class.

If I were in your situation, I'd revisit this idea as it became more clear how your DD is doing socially/emotionally/academically. She will change a lot in the next 4 years, and it will be more clear as to whether she is more appropriately placed by following the cut-off date or not.

Based on what happened with the kids in my family, I'd put more weight on social skills and emotional development than on academic skills and knowledge. A bored child is a smaller problem to deal with than a child who is socially and emotionally younger than her peers. If I had a child who was socially, emotionally, and academically ready, than I would consider the private school route.

Slobina

A&Jmom:

Slobina:

So, I just realized in looking at daycares over the last few days that Ruby is going to be almost 6 when she starts kindergarten, per the AISD cutoff date of September 1 (her birthday is October 27th).  Argh.  Is there any way around it?  From talking to folks I know, it sounds like a hard and fast rule.  Are there any other ways to deal with it, like sending them to a private kindergarten and then enrolling them in first grade?  Or does the September 1 cutoff apply every year?  Thanks for any help you can provide.

Amy

Abby's is Oct 27th too!

Wow!  What a coincidence!  It is also Ruby's grandmother's birthday, so she was very happy for her birthday "present".

Taytee

My birthday is Oct 18th and my grandparents were best friends with the Super in the district. I got in early. It never bothered me past little things like my friends getting to shave their legs at X age and I wasn't old enough yet. I couldn't get a phone in my name at UT either because I was 17. However, I wasn't really challenged as it was though and I'd have been bored to death if I'd been held back.

I will say that it kind of sends a bad message to kids if you say it's OK to disregard rules. I mean, just because your teacher says the project is due Sept 1st doesn't mean you can't turn it in 6 weeks later right?  Obviously it didn't turn me to a life of crime or anything but you KWIM?

ebat

rssnlvr:

She would have to attend a private Kindergarten AND first grade. She could then enter in 2nd grade.

My DD has a Sept 15th birthday and I'm glad she'll be the oldest in her grade and have no plans of trying to work the system. From the research I've done, it actually (in GENERAL) ends up benefiting the child to be the oldest rather than the youngest. In general.

wanting your kid to be in a developmentally appropriate grade level is notg "working the system" I was the youngest with an october birthday b/c I started in a place with a different cutoff. Like taytee I was a little bored, and can't imagine how much more bored I would have been if I were a grade behind. And frankly it was awesome to be done with college at 21. If baby #2, who is due in september, is anything like me, we'll look at starting her early, but I won't be worrying about it until then. Dh was also young, and bored in school so we're pretty motivated to make sure our kids are in the right place

mlf625

rssnlvr:

My DD has a Sept 15th birthday and I'm glad she'll be the oldest in her grade and have no plans of trying to work the system. From the research I've done, it actually (in GENERAL) ends up benefiting the child to be the oldest rather than the youngest. In general.

Ditto!  DS is a Sept 17 baby so he'll turn 6 a few weeks into kindergarten.  I'm very happy about that.  I'm glad he'll have an extra year to grow (DH and I were both tiny kids, DS is looking to be smaller as well), I'm glad he'll be a bit more mature, and I selfishly like that I get one more year with him at home.   

jakbtx

molliedb:

you may want to try to research your elementary school a bit.  

 

i agree with this. i was surprised this yr at kinder round up that the principal at our n'hood school is not keen on 'redshirts' and is requiring anyone entering K at 6 (mostly summer b-days) to be assessed/tested on their readiness for 1st grade and moving them into 1st based on the testing.  this is happening to a friend of mine currently and she's trying to figure out what to do since he passed the 'assessment' and they want to put him into 1st even though she doesn't think he's ready. i just didn't realize this could vary from school to school. 

shanwalk2

something else to think about:  when she wants to do dance, or soccer, or tball or whatever... most things group by grade.  

Are you really going to want her to play "up"?  Just because a child may or may not be academically ready to bump up - doesn't mean they are physically or emotionally ready.  

 At my job we see lots of parents that want to "dance up" their kids because they're so 'smart/mature/tall/old'... but my (personal) feelings are that there has to be a clear line somewhere and September 1st is where it falls.  

Also, keep in mind with "red shirting" being so popular these days - your DD is almost guaranteed to not be the oldest.  

ali-1411

shanwalk2:

something else to think about:  when she wants to do dance, or soccer, or tball or whatever... most things group by grade.  

Are you really going to want her to play "up"?  Just because a child may or may not be academically ready to bump up - doesn't mean they are physically or emotionally ready.  

 At my job we see lots of parents that want to "dance up" their kids because they're so 'smart/mature/tall/old'... but my (personal) feelings are that there has to be a clear line somewhere and September 1st is where it falls.  

Also, keep in mind with "red shirting" being so popular these days - your DD is almost guaranteed to not be the oldest.  

Sports and dance here are done by age, not grade.  And they use a different cutoff than school.  

Baseball - for example - Jakob would be in kid pitch because he turned 9 in Feb.  But other kids in his grade don't turn 9 till this summer so they are still in machine pitch.

HSartteach

I agree with those who said to wait to see how your LO is developed emotionally, socially, and academically by then.  Some are developed enough to go early, and some are not.