Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

My son was born mid-December. The cutoff in our school district is the end of November for entering Kindergarten. My son is only turning 2 this year, but I'm starting to think about schooling and looking into preschools, because I don't think his daycare has much of a curriculum.

In looking for preschools, I started to wonder if I should be looking for one that has a kindergarten option too, in order to circumvent the cutoff. I'm sure it's early to tell, but so far my son is physically advanced for his age and seems to excel when he is with older kids, e.g., he does better when he's the youngest in his daycare room instead of when he's the oldest. He may not actually be ready when it comes time for Kindergarten, but I just think every kid develops differently, and the rigid age cutoff doesn't allow kids who may be ready to start school, so I want to keep my options open.

I know I'm thinking about this early, but I'm not sure how early I need to start thinking about it. I've seen other people mention doing this with their kids, so I'd love to hear feedback on their experiences and how you came to the decision to do it.

If anyone had recommendations for schools in the Bethpage area, it would be appreciated. I've been looking at Montessori Schools, because I went to Montessori, but we'd be open to other options.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

Hmm I don't know an answer to your question but your logic intrigues me.. most people I know want to hold their kids back as long as possible to make them the oldest in their class to get a competitive edge, unless, of course daycare costs are an option, but you're saying you would be actually paying extra to send him to private school to be the youngest in his class?

I'd do some digging on "redshirting" articles as part of your research. There is actually a write-up on it in one of the freakonomics books.

I'm not saying you don't know your child well and I'm sure he'd do great, I just don't know if it's worth spending extra money to be the youngest in the class?

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

My sister went through this with my niece- she put her in catholic school for kindergarten and then switched her to her local public school for first grade- She discussed it with her pediatrician and the doctor felt my niece was ready and needed the mental stimulation school provided. My niece is now entering fifth grade- she is at or above grade level in all of her subjects.
School cut off dates are arbitrary- in my school district (White Plains) it is 12/31 but my BFF is in NJ and the cutoff in her town is 10/15.

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I would check with your current school district because I wanted to do the same thing for dd whose bday is dec. 9th. I first called the district and asked if they offered testing to see if a child can go to K if their bday was after dec. 1st. I then asked about sending her to private K and then registering her in district for 1st grade and they said even if they go to private K it is the districts right to put them back into K when you register them as they will also be younger than the cut iff for 1st grade. Also, I sent dd to a catholic preschool who follows the districts rule and they would not allow anyone after dec b1st to sign up for K there either. My dd was definitely 100% more than ready to start K last yr but she will be atarting this yr and in himdsight I am glad it worked out this way. I got to have my baby be a baby for anither whole year ??

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I thought about something like that with my DD who is born less than 2 weeks after the cutoff. She's doing K level work already.

However, after starting my DS, with rampant redshirting in our district, DD could easily be a year and a half younger than many in her class (the late summer birthdays that are redshirted). Although she's ready academically, socially a few months make a big difference. She's still young compared to the girls in DS class last year.

I'm starting her when she's supposed to start.

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

Thanks for the thoughts and experiences.

I'll definitely remember to check with our school district if we're actually considering doing it.

There is recent research showing that being the youngest in your grade can encourage kids to do better and work harder (http://www.newyorker.com/tech/elements/youngest-kid-smartest-kid).

Also, from my personal experiences, I don't think being the youngest is that much of a problem. My school tested students and made individual determinations. I had a fall birthday and started school when I was 4. I was the youngest in my class. Both my siblings skipped grades so they were both the youngest in their classes. None of us had any issues with being the youngest, so I guess I'm predisposed to thinking that being the youngest is a good thing.

I just don't want my son to get bored or feel his development is stagnated while waiting for kindergarten, but that might just mean looking for the right preschool.

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I just went through this with my son. Most places will follow the distric they are in. So if it is in your town the private K might be the same cutoff.

At 2 you will have no clue if they will be ready. I thought my DS would be and I'm sure he would be fine but there are a few things he does that makes me realize it's not worth pushing it.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

There are some LI districts that have a Dec. 31 cutoff- Mineola, Oceanside, Half Hollow Hills and Northport. Westchester is about split between Dec, 1 and Dec. 31 and as I'm sure you know, the city is Dec. 31.

I also have a December baby and though she's young and may very well not be ready for K at 4 I would like to have the option. We will leave the district before she enters K. I also assumed you could circumvent the rule by sending to private K but apparently not. Make no mistake though, you're free to enroll your 8 year old in K for the first time so they're bigger and "have an edge"

I grew up in Queens- a January birthday and was bored out of my mind. If I feel my DD is ready, I will find a way for her to start K on time and will not let some admin at a mediocre at best LI school district stop me. Oh, and I'm not paying an extra year of daycare to the tune of 20k. On top of my taxes that pay for kids born 10 days before her to go to school. Nope.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

also wanted to add that once they get through a few grades many schools district understand there are kids of all different academic levels within the grades and will work with that. My schools growing up (and I lived in 3 states) all did this.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I missed the cutoff my 2 days and my parents were given the option of putting me ahead. They didn't - but mostly because at the ripe old age of 4, I had more friends who would be in my grade if I waited. I LOVED being the oldest in my grade. I was the first of my friends to drive...well, that was probably it. Lol. I was in gifted and advanced classes. Would I have been in them if I were pushed ahead? Yes. Ultimately, it doesn't matter. Was I bored in K, 1st grade, etc? No. My son is also a Jan baby and I like that he will be one of the older ones in his grade.

That all being said, I think there's no way at 2yo for you to know if your child will be ready for K earlier or not.

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I realize I'm thinking about this way too early. My brain likes to obsess about things way in advance. Next week I'll be asking for college advice for him. :)

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

My friend's son had a birthdate just days after the cutoff. She decided to put him in a private school in a different town in order to circumvent the cutoff. He then went to 1st in his regular district. She thought he was ready and showed all the signs of readiness and he had an ok experience in 1st but she started to notice he had some difficulties. By 2nd grade her son really started struggling and his immaturity was a factor. She is moving to FL were the cutoff is earlier than her son's bday and he is going to be repeating 2nd grade. Were they not moving he was going to repeat 2nd grade at another school (principal had agreed not to promote him to 3rd). You just never know. She regrets rushing it.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I live in Westchester but DD's pre school had a Jr K option for kids who just missed the cut off for Kindergarten. It was for after pre- k because for there you only needed to be 4 by the end of the year but they wouldn't be 5 in time for K the following year.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

My dd is a December baby, and even though I have no intentions of pushing her ahead, when we began looking into private nursery schools, they very strictly followed the "must be 3 by December 1" rule. Not sure how easy it is to circumvent. I am also a December baby and enjoyed being the oldest. I work in a middle school, and at some point, the lack of maturity does catch up. The youngest October and November babies often stand out by pre-teen years.

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

We live in VA and have a September 30 cut off. We know many October/November birthdays who attended private JK or K programs at preschools, daycares or private schools and then tested into 1st grade. These kids were advanced academically.

We also met a lot of redshirted summer birthday kids who were already 6 when they started kindergarten.

Someone has to be the youngest or oldest.

Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

In CT, where I am, There's a transitional K, which is a bit more more the Pre-K, a bit less than K. Many here chose to send their kids to TK, especailly boys. So my DD started at 5 (may bday), but some were only 4 until Dec, and many were turning 7. That's a huge difference. Unless there is huge learning factor, I don't think anyone should be held back.

I would send when he's supposed to (unless leaning disabeld, etc). There's cutoff dates for a reason. There would be to many kids and like pp said, someone has to be the oldest and youngest. there's no way around it. Stick to it. It all evens out in the end

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

Re: Born after Kindergarten cutoff - Private?

I didnt read all the previous responses. but wanted to offer mine.

I did exactly what you are propsing. my now 8yo son missed the cut off by 20 days in our district, if we lived 2 districts over, he would have made the Dec 31 cut off.

Anyway, I wouldnt worry about it now. 2yo is way too early to tell IMO.

We felt it was the only option for us because my son (was never in daycare) hated 3yo nursery school. He felt it wasnt challenging, it was boring and there was no reason to go. While his classmates were learning to recognize their letters (which is what they should have been doing) our son taught himself to read and read a book aloud to his class. He was just ready for more.

But there is alot of consider, how they will fair socially, are they mature enough? Fine motor skills? Are they small for their age? etc

Its a child by child decision, my second son (who is not near the cut off age wise) I would NEVER have pushed ahead, academically he is ready, but maturity wise if he was 4 in Kindergarten, he would have sunk.

We sent our son to catholic school for Kindergarten. I had to drive him both ways every day bc bus funding comes from the public schools and because he wasnt old enough to attend public school, they wouldnt give him bussing.

I also had to contact the public school district, to ensure that they would accept my son into their program as a first grader should he complete a privte K program early. Which our district did, but they reserve the right to evaluate and move the child to the grade they feel is appropriate for them after a month. THe year my son transitioned to public school in first grade, 2 kids were moved back to K from the first grade.

My son is entering 4th grade in 2 weeks and is doing fantastic! I really feel for us we made the correct decision.

Good Luck